What is the power reserve for a self-winding mechanical watch and how does it work?
The functioning of a self-winding mechanical movement depends on the wrist movements of the wearer. When fully wound, a watch will usually have a power reserve of around 40 hours. Since the watch’s self-winding mechanism is directly linked to the wearer’s activity, 10 to 12 hours’ wear should be sufficient to generate a power reserve of 20 hours or more. This ensures that the watch will continue to run throughout the night, for example. However, if a watch is not worn for several days, we recommend you wind the watch manually for around 15 rotations of the crown (clockwise) to ensure the best possible rate from the outset.
