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Emily Cooper

Is it bad to let my automatic watch stop?

An automatic watch works off of your arm movement, so if it stops, it means you have probably taken it off and put it away for a while. Watch enthusiasts differed on whether or not letting your automatic watch stop matters to the health of your timepiece. Read on to see what they had to say.

Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell, Co-Owner of Throw Deep Publishing.

Can Negatively Impact Timekeeping Performance

Although it’s not harmful to let your automatic watch stop, it can negatively impact the timekeeping performance of the watch. When a watch is left inactive for an extended period of time, the oil inside the movement will thicken and start to gum up, which can cause the gears to run less smoothly. This can cause your watch to lose accuracy and eventually need repair.

If you plan on leaving your automatic watch inactive for over a few weeks, it’s best to wind it every so often to keep the oil from thickening manually. Alternatively, you could consider investing in a good watch winder that will keep your timepiece ticking even when you’re not wearing it.

Burak Ozdemir

Burak Ozdemir

Burak Ozdemir, Founder of Alarm Journal.

Possible Consequences for Doing So but Not Harmful

Automatic watches are a type of watch that uses the motion of the wearer’s arm to wind the mainspring, eliminating the need for manual winding. Many people believe that it is bad to let an automatic watch stop, as this supposedly damages the mechanism. However, there is no evidence to support this claim.

Overall, it is not bad to let your automatic watch stop. There are a few potential consequences of doing so, but none of them are particularly harmful. The main thing to be aware of is that letting your automatic watch stop may cause it to become inaccurate over time.

This is because slight dust and debris can accumulate on the internal mechanisms of the watch while it is not in use, which may cause problems down the line.

However, as long as you give your watch a good cleaning once in a while, there shouldn’t be any major issues. So, in short, don’t worry too much if your automatic watch stops every once in a while – just make sure to keep it clean and regularly serviced

Max Benz

Max Benz

Max Benz, Founder, and CEO at BankingGeek.

Recommend Wearing Your Watch Regularly to Avoid Issues

It is generally not recommended to let your automatic watch stop. When a watch stops, the oils inside begin to congeal and harden, which can cause damage to the internal components. In addition, stopping and starting an automatic watch can put a strain on the mainspring, potentially causing it to break.

However, if you are careful when restarting your watch, and you make sure to wind it slowly and evenly, then letting it stop occasionally should not cause any major problems.

Ultimately, the best way to care for your automatic watch is to keep it running smoothly by wearing it regularly. By keeping the movement active, you will help to ensure that your watch remains in good working condition for many years to come.

Emily Cooper

Emily Cooper

Emily Cooper, Founder and General Director at Oliver Wicks.

Watch Stops When Movement Stops

It is totally fine to let an automatic watch stop. This is usually the case since the movement of an automatic watch does not run anymore when it is stopped. If this happens to your watch, you just have to wind it again and wear it more often so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of winding it before every use.

Harriet Chan

Harriet Chan is the co-founder and marketing director at CocoFinder.

Wind Carefully to Restart a Stopped Watch

No, it is not bad to let your automatic watch stop. You can safely stop it and then restart it without damaging the watch.

The movement will not run when stopped, so the watch will not be accurate. Depending on how long it is stopped, you may need to reset the time and date.

You can hand-wind an automatic watch if it has stopped and needs to start again. Be sure not to overwind it, as this can damage the watch. It is best to restart it gradually.

This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors are not necessarily affiliated with this website and their statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.