Can you overwind a clock or watch?

[@myhobbiesarenotcheap]

I agree with you!!! Very well done video - I focus on antique pocket watches and it is the same! Thanks for sharing!

[@mmacmobile]

I had similar situation with a vintage Winton pocket watch and found another video showing a way to get it going again. By putting slight tension on the main wheel to allow holding back on the click and then easing the tension off of the main spring got me to a point where I could re-wind the watch. I did this twice and then just shook the watch a little bit to get the balance wheel going, just like this video shows. All in all, youtube is a wonderful site to learn many things!

[@thewatchworks1372]

Ah yes, the classic “overwound” phrase that I have seen myself many a time. This is definitely a good informational video for the uninformed. I will say, I guess one way to “overwind” something is put egregious amount of force onto the timepiece until the spring snaps lol.

[@halnwheels]

I have always maintained the same belief as you, you can't overwind a time piece. But I have an examples I encountered where this is so. A weight driven clock where the weight was wound past a wood stopping block that was worn through years of use. the weight rode over the worn block and was wedged between the block and the inside front of the case, rendering the clock inoperative. Because of the click holding the cable in tension, the owner could not get the clock out of this condition. But generally speaking, you are absolutely correct, and I've heard the expression over "overwound" way too many times inappropriately.

[@marksamatuerfloridavideos]

Excellent job on your videos. Thank you, Mark Citrus County FL

[@MakerInMotion]

I have a new Hamilton wristwatch (Khaki Field Automatic). I have the manual wind version of this watch as well already. On the manual wind Khaki, a clutch engages and stops the crown when it's fully wound. It quite definitively tells you when it's fully wound. On the automatic, The crown will just keep turning forever. I know automatics wind from movement as you wear them, but I hadn't worn it for a while and wanted to manually get the power reserve back to start the day. I don't know if the automatic version of this movement just lets the crown keep turning when its fully wound or if I broke something in it.

[@wyliecoyote1]

Just a suggestion as I don't know for sure but I would think the auto wind watch crown keeps turning when seated and not engaged is normal. Pull out once to set date, pull a bit further to set time, push all the way in to seat it and disengage from both. Fully seated it turns infinitely simply because it's not engaged with either mode. Just an idea, I'm not a pro.

[@MakerInMotion]

@@wyliecoyote1 Well its an automatic but it has manual winding. A feature so if the power reserve runs out you don't have to sit there shaking it like a dingus. Manual wind is done with the crown fully seated. I just don't know if its broken because it never stops itself. I can turn it forever.

[@brunoandrade4468]

I've seen some automatic watches that accept windings indefinitely because the mainspring is "friction-fitted" to the barrel with a dovetail, preventing the time machine from becoming self-overwound since it's self winding all day. As a result, you may never reach a "end point" of tightening because the spring will reach its maximum and then starts drifting in the barrel. I usually give the clock's crown 20 full rotations before allowing the automatic mechanism to take over with it's thing for the day. That is not unusual; in fact, this feature can be found even in some cheap no-brand Chinese mechanisms.

[@robertrodriguez2412]

I have the exact same watch. I set the time & it works, but then it falls behind on the time.☹️

[@waynecrawford9531]

Excellent, thank you

[@kevinpoole8880]

Thank you

[@musketbal]

Hi, my father passed away last year and I found about 10 pocket watches that belonged to my great, great-grandfather's and other family members. One watch was working perfectly, a 1890's Elgin. It worked for about two weeks, then it stopped. I went to wind the watch and the crown continued with out resistance.

[@GentlemensWatchServices]

That sounds like a broken mainspring.

[@ramonjr-ca]

Great video, thank you. Question, is it worth servicing a “dollar watch”? I have a Bristol wind up

[@MinnesotaClocksandWatches]

Hi Ramon - thanks for your comment. Most watches like this tend to have more sentimental value rather than cash value, so it's not uncommon for the watch service cost to be greater than the value of the watch. "Dollar watches" tend to be harder to service than higher-grade watches so they are probably more expensive to service. Whether this is worth doing is of course up to you, but I would expect the cost to be a couple hundred dollars.

[@Fortuna_Magica]

How often would you have to service a pocket watch for it not to stop running ? My guess is a yearly service but im not quite sure

[@BaritoneMike]

Depends on the watch, but once a year is a good rule of thumb for mechanicals.

[@t58beare]

​@@BaritoneMikeThat's way overkill... every 3-5 years.

[@1955mercury]

Depends on the movement. A 17 jewel movement should be serviced around every 5 years. A 7 jewel movement should be serviced about every 2 years.

[@rikkux7432]

KZbin is reading my mind...

[@MinnesotaClocksandWatches]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Zane-It]

I like my 1892 Ingersoll reliance so much that I might never part with it ever

[@johnshadoe]

My pocket watch is not working anymore. It has that disc pendulum thing. I am winding it and the hands are not starting anymore. Sometimes it would start when I am shaking it then it would stop. How to fix it?

[@MinnesotaClocksandWatches]

Most likely your watch needs service - it is either very dirty or may have something damaged like a broken balance staff.

[@Cyby124]

everyday??? just to keep time. i would forget all the time

[@jameely]

I winded mine and it didn’t work unless I shook it a bit (it’s only wind up) gave me a jump scare should I go back to the shop (Brelsen pocket watch) and it’s been less than a month

[@MinnesotaClocksandWatches]

Watches where the escapement is not set quite right sometimes need a little shake to get going, but if the watch won't stay running or if it only runs a few hours, that indicates something is wrong.

[@phouliscostantinou1767]

A very old myth when the watch breaks and doesn’t consume energy from the mainspring….