The short version: unscrew the crown, wind it forward 30 to 40 times, push it in and screw it down. Wear it most days. If it stops overnight it is nearly always under-wound, not broken. Keep the date change away from the hours around midnight, and screw the crown down before any water.
Checked on 2026-11-13 against the movements and crowns we list, and against the makers' own published setting instructions.
The crown is a screw, not a button
Every Rolex we list has a screw-down crown: Twinlock on the 100 m references, Triplock on the Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Daytona and GMT-Master II. The Royal Oak uses a screw-locked crown as well, and so do the Omega Seamaster and Planet Ocean. A screw-down crown will not pull or turn until you release the thread, which is where most first-time owners get stuck: they pull at it instead of unscrewing it.
| Crown position | What it does |
|---|---|
| Screwed down | Sealed. Nothing moves. This is where it lives when you are not setting the watch. |
| First position (after unscrewing) | Winding. Turn it forward, 30 to 40 times from stopped. |
| One stop out | Date. On a Day-Date one direction moves the day and the other the date. |
| Two stops out | Time. The seconds hand stops, so you can set it exactly. |
Two exceptions in our catalogue. The Speedmaster Moonwatch has a push-pull crown: you pull it, and there is nothing to screw back down. A Panerai Luminor has a crown guard, so flip the lever open before you touch the crown and close it afterwards. If your crown does not free itself after two or three turns, stop and write to us rather than forcing it.
Winding it properly
From a stopped watch, 30 to 40 full turns forward. If you wear it every day, 20 to 25 turns in the morning keeps it topped up. You will feel a light ratchet and hear it if you hold the watch to your ear: that is the spring, and it is normal. Turning the crown the other way does nothing and does no harm. If you feel real resistance, stop.
Setting the time and date without hurting it
The date mechanism is already engaged for a few hours around midnight, and changing the date inside that window can jam it. The window differs by maker: about 9pm to 3am on Rolex, about 6pm to 1am on Audemars Piguet. The habit that is safe on all of them: set the hands to 6 o clock, change the date, then set the correct time forward. Never wind the hands backwards past midnight to reach a date.
On a GMT-Master II or an Explorer II the hour hand jumps in one-hour steps on the first stop, so you can change time zone without stopping the watch, and the date follows the hour hand. On a Daytona the two pushers screw down as well: unscrew, top pusher to start and stop, bottom pusher to reset, then screw both back down. Never start, stop or reset a chronograph in water.
Why it stops, and when it is not normal
An automatic is wound by movement, and the rotor is a top-up rather than a generator. Desk work, a day off, a weekend in a drawer: all of it leaves the spring short. This is the most common question about a new automatic and the answer is almost always the same, wind it properly and wear it.
A test that separates habit from fault: wind it 40 turns, then leave it off your wrist in the box. It should keep going well over a day. If it stops by the morning after a full wind, or it stops several times while you are wearing it, that is not normal. Tell us in the order thread and we handle it under the two-year movement warranty.
Running fast is usually magnetism
A magnetised watch gains time, from a few seconds a day to minutes an hour in bad cases. The usual sources are a phone held against it, a tablet cover with a magnetic catch, a speaker, a bag clasp or a magnetic car mount. Any watchmaker can demagnetise it in minutes, and the watch does not need to be opened. If it still gains after that, send us the daily figure over a week and we will take it from there.
Water, sweat and storage
Washing your hands, rain and a shower are fine as long as the crown is screwed down. We do not promise swimming or diving, and water ingress is not covered by the warranty: the factory does not pressure-test the case before it leaves, and neither do we. A gasket service and a pressure test is a separate job we can arrange before dispatch if you want one.
For storage, keep it away from magnets and wind it once a month if it lives in a box. In the first week, check that the bracelet screws are seated; they are the one thing that works loose on a new bracelet. If you need the bracelet adjusted, the sizing page covers links, Oysterflex sections and strap lengths.
If something is still off
Send a short video with the watch filling the frame and the crown visible, tell us what it does and when, and we will tell you whether it is a habit or a fault. The cover and the windows are on the warranty page, returns are on the returns page, and bracelet sizing is on the sizing page.
What owners ask about winding and setting
Short answers, no filler.
Why does my watch stop overnight?
Almost always because it is not fully wound. An automatic winds itself from the movement of your wrist, and the rotor alone rarely fills the spring if you sit at a desk or take the watch off in the evening. Wind it 30 to 40 turns clockwise, then wear it for a normal day. If it still stops while you have it on all day, that is not normal and worth a message to us.
How many turns should I wind it?
30 to 40 full turns from a stopped watch, and about 20 to 25 to top up a watch you wear every day. A light ratchet feel is normal. Turning the crown the other way does nothing and does no harm. Stop if you feel real resistance, never force it.
Can I change the date at any time?
No. Avoid the hours around midnight, when the date mechanism is already engaged. Rolex puts the window at about 9pm to 3am, Audemars Piguet at about 6pm to 1am. The habit that is safe on every watch: set the hands to 6 o clock first, change the date, then set the correct time forward.
My watch gains a few minutes a day. Is it broken?
Often it is magnetised, which makes a watch run fast rather than slow. Phones, tablet covers, speakers, bag clasps and magnetic mounts are the usual causes. Any watchmaker can demagnetise it in a couple of minutes without opening the case. If it is still gaining afterwards, the balance or hairspring needs attention, so tell us in your order thread.
Can I swim or shower with it?
Washing your hands, rain and a shower are fine as long as the crown is screwed down. We do not promise swimming or diving: the factory does not pressure-test the case before it leaves, and neither do we. A gasket service and a pressure test is a separate job we can arrange before dispatch if you want one.
Browse the VS Factory catalogue
Every reference is listed with its factory line, reference number and movement — and shipped only after you approve the QC photos of your own watch. Prices, build class and the movement code are on every listing, and the same QC process is described the same way throughout the catalogue.
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