Guides
Setting, winding and caring for a mechanical watch.
- How to set a mechanical watch to the exact second Stop the seconds hand, set the next minute, and push the crown in on the minute. Here is how to do it precisely, including on watches that do not hack.
- When not to change the date on a mechanical watch Why the hours around midnight are dangerous for quick-set date watches, how long the window lasts, and the safe way to set the date at any time.
- How to set a moonphase watch Centre the full moon, then press the corrector once for each day since the last full moon. A step-by-step guide with the safety rules.
- How to wind a mechanical watch How many turns a manual or automatic watch needs, how to tell when it is full, and the habits that keep the crown and mainspring healthy.
- How accurate should a mechanical watch be? What seconds per day means, what COSC and other standards allow, and simple ways to measure and improve how your watch keeps time.
- Is my watch magnetised? Signs and fixes A watch suddenly gaining minutes a day is often magnetised. How to test for it at home and how it gets fixed.
- When does a mechanical watch need a service? Typical service intervals, the warning signs that a watch needs attention sooner, and what a full service involves.
- Watch water resistance ratings explained What 30 m, 50 m, 100 m and 200 m really mean, when it is safe to swim, and how to keep a watch water resistant.