WATCH POP

An automatic, (self-winding) Seamaster Chron. stops running. After winding runs again just fine. Is this normal? The watch since purchased four months ago has been worn every day, including when sleeping at night. No vigorous activity performed with watch on. Could I possibly not have wound the watch all the way when first purchased? Can a watch be over-wound? Should an automatic watch be wound periodically? If you are somewhat sedentary, an automatic watch may not be fully wound. However, I doubt if that's the issue in this situation. It sounds like you may have some issue with the winding mechanism, or some other issue.You can't really overwind most modern automatic movements. Even winding with the crown, you can't overwind them.
Automatic watches, especially the modern ones cannot be "overwound". There is a clutch mechanism in the mainspring barrel that will slip before any excessive mechanical stress can be developed whether by manual or automatic means. If you give the watch about fifteen to twenty good twists and then wear it daily it should never wind down unless there is a problem with the winding mechanism. You can do a rough test of the manual winding mechanism by winding as described above and setting the watch down and timing how long it takes to stop. It should run for at least twenty-four hours and even go thirty-six. To take this subject farther than you probably wanted to go, the term "overwound" is a misnomer. No watch, manual or automatic in good repair can be damaged by winding, no matter how far you go up until it can't be wound further. I hope this helps.Good Luck, Bob: An automatic, (self-winding) Seamaster Chron. stops running. After winding
: runs again just fine. Is this normal? The watch since purchased four
: months ago has been worn every day, including when sleeping at night. No
: vigorous activity performed with watch on. Could I possibly not have wound
: the watch all the way when first purchased? Can a watch be over-wound?
: Should an automatic watch be wound periodically?
Now I'm clear from your posts that automatic watches cann't be overwound. But
how about a hybrid movement Omegamatic? Recently I bought one, therefore I'm
concerned about it. By turning the crown can I overwind it? If so, will it
damage the mechanism? Any insight would be highly appreciated.Regards,
Ishrar For that matter, I didn't even know that it could be "wound" with the crown. Someone else?
To the best of my knowledge, the Omegamatic mechanism uses the same concept as that used on the Seiko Kinetics:The winding rotor (like in an automatic system) is connected by a gear-train to an electrical generator; the gears are step-up (not reduction as in a regular mechanical auto) and this drives the central coils of a very small generator. (Just for interest, I think the spin rate of the generator is about 18,000rpm or thereabouts.) Current produced by the generator charges a slow discharge capacitor (like a rechargable battery, but without the memory effect, and provides a constant current until totally discharged so as to not ruin the electronics).That's all for the generating system. The capacitor is then used as a battery by the rest of the movement, which is basically a quartz watch.You can't overwind the movmement using the crown because I don't think the crown is connected at all to the generator - if it was, the step up gears required would be a very large number, and it would be quite possible to strip their teeth due to the torque exerted by your hands! If you're still unsure, just don't wind the crown in the neutral position.Hope this helps,Ming ...is that the capacitors have a discharge system that prevents them from being overcharged, much like a cellphone battery.Ming I think you are talking about 2 different watches....Auto chrono... can and should be hand wound if it stops,Omegamatic..... same concept as the Seiko Kinetic and can also be hand wound
to recharge the capacitor if needed.ST the Omegamatic question was posted later.FWIW, it sounds like the automatic is stopping even after some wear, when it shouldn't be stopping. Sounds to me like there could be a problem, or perhaps the wearer is too sedentary.
when does it stop running? During the night when you're sleeping, or after you've been active? If it stops after you've been active, that could indicate a problem. If it stops during the night, that probably just indicates you're not fully winding it during the day, and a little hand-winding is in order. Or, it could indicate that you sleep in very long intervals.;-)