How to Wind a Rolex Watch 

In this video we go over how to wind a Rolex watch. These instructions will apply to all Rolex models. Click here to shop our full selection of Rolex watches: www.bobswatche...
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Between quartz movements, smartwatches, and cellphones in our pockets everyday, the art of manually winding a watch has largely been lost. Although traditional mechanical watches are experiencing a strong resurgence at the moment, the vast majority of the models currently available are of the self-winding variety.
In the old days, all watches needed to be wound by hand; however these days, it is only the small minority that require you to wind them each day. However, just because a watch has an automatic winding movement, that does not mean it cannot also be manually wound. Additionally, it is also important to note that not all automatic winding movements can also be manually wound. However, the vast majority of Rolex watches can also be wound by hand, so today we are going to take a look at exactly how to wind your watch.
Many Rolex watches have screw-down crowns and this means that there is an additional step involved in the winding process because the winding crown must first be unscrewed from the case of the watch before it can be used to wind the movement or set the time or date. Additionally, while all modern Rolex watches (even those from the Cellini collection) now feature screw-down crowns, certain vintage and discontinued models feature standard push/pull crowns that do not need to be unscrewed before they can be used to operate the watch.
For watches with screw-down crowns, the first step will be to unscrew the crown from the side of the case. While doing this, it is important that the crown fully come unscrewed from the threads, otherwise it will just screw itself back down when you attempt to wind your Rolex.
Once the crown is fully in the unscrewed position, simply rotate it clockwise (towards the 12 o’clock position if you are looking at the face of the watch). The key detail here is that in order to wind the watch, the crown should not be pulled out at all once it is unscrewed, otherwise it will simply adjust the time or date, rather than manually supply tension to the mainspring. When the crown is in the proper position for winding, the watch will still be running (if it was running before) and you will not be able to adjust the time, date, or any other features on the watch.
For watches that are manual-wind only, simply rotate the winding crown clockwise in a gentle manner until it stops being able to turn. Once it stops rotating, the watch is fully wound. Do not force it beyond this point, otherwise you will almost certainly damage the movement
However, for automatic winding watches that also permit manual winding - and this includes the vast majority of Rolex models - you will never reach a natural stopping point like you will with a manual-wind only watch. Instead, once the watch is fully wound, a type of slip gear engages, and although the winding crown will still rotate, no additional tension will be supplied to the mainspring. This feature is the same one that prevents an automatic watch from overwinding itself throughout the day, but it also means that there is no possible way to over-wind your watch if it is of the self-winding variety. Instead, rotate the winding crown on your Rolex about 40 rotations. You may feel tension slightly build as you turn the crown; however, as long as it is an automatic winding watch, there is no risk of over-winding it.
By this point, your watch should be both fully-wound and running. If necessary, pull the crown out to set the time and date. However, if the time and date are already correct, the winding process is complete, and the only step left is to return the crown to its secured position.
Once your Rolex is fully wound and the time and date are both displaying the correct values, simply press the winding crown inward onto the threads and rotate it clockwise so that it screws back down onto the side of the case of the watch. Keep screwing down the winding crown until it is fully in the screwed-down position. This ensures that your watch is fully sealed and maintains its resistance to water and dust intrusion.
Lastly, it is also important to note, that although the instructions in this video primarily focused on Rolex watches, they will also work for the vast majority of other luxury watches that feature mechanical movements that can also be manually wound.
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