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Seamaster winding question

J
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I just purchased a Seamaster 300 Heritage and have a question about winding. I can't make it back to the dealer for a couple of days, so I figured I'd ask here. I wore the watch continuously for a few days and when I would try to wind it, the mechanism felt pretty firm. I did not try to force it and decided to let the watch run down for a couple of days. Today, I can wind it, but it feels pretty firm with a sensation like two cogs/gears are engaging. Is this normal, or should it feel light and easy to wind? This is my first watch in over 30 years, and my first real watch. It feels silly asking such a simple question, but there is no other way to know if there is an issue, or if this is normal. For all the size of the manual and packaging, the instructions are vague at best. Thanks
 
Dan S
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Different watches have a different feel for winding, so it's pretty hard for us to advise you over the internet. Assuming it's a automatic (self-winding) movement, then you can't do any damage by winding the crown. Wind away as much as you want. If it feels a bit firm, it could be because the seals are nice and new and tight.
 
Donn Chambers
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J jmal
I just purchased a Seamaster 300 Heritage and have a question about winding. I can't make it back to the dealer for a couple of days, so I figured I'd ask here. I wore the watch continuously for a few days and when I would try to wind it, the mechanism felt pretty firm. I did not try to force it and decided to let the watch run down for a couple of days. Today, I can wind it, but it feels pretty firm with a sensation like two cogs/gears are engaging. Is this normal, or should it feel light and easy to wind? This is my first watch in over 30 years, and my first real watch. It feels silly asking such a simple question, but there is no other way to know if there is an issue, or if this is normal. For all the size of the manual and packaging, the instructions are vague at best. Thanks

I have that watch and winding is very firm on it. All double-barrel Omega moments feel similar. The watches you experienced 30 years ago were probably eta 2892 based, and the winding on those is very light and smooth.

In short, nothing to worry about. Wind it up, wear it, and enjoy.
 
J
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
I have that watch and winding is very firm on it. All double-barrel Omega moments feel similar. The watches you experienced 30 years ago were probably eta 2892 based, and the winding on those is very light and smooth.

In short, nothing to worry about. Wind it up, wear it, and enjoy.
Thanks. Appreciate the info.
 
SkunkPrince
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Since it's a new Seamaster, the new gaskets might be contributing to the feel.
 
Annapolis
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Yeah I had an Aqua Terra recently (also with an 8900 series movement) and found it to be an incredibly stiff wind. If you search around you’ll find that this is a known quality of the series. Nothing wrong with it, and you won’t break it. But I know where you’re coming from: I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to wind! Unlike any other watch I’ve ever owned, including several other modern Omegas.
 
J
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Annapolis Annapolis
Yeah I had an Aqua Terra recently (also with an 8900 series movement) and found it to be an incredibly stiff wind. If you search around you’ll find that this is a known quality of the series. Nothing wrong with it, and you won’t break it. But I know where you’re coming from: I couldn’t believe how difficult it was to wind! Unlike any other watch I’ve ever owned, including several other modern Omegas.
This is reassuring as well. I only recently developed an interest in watches, so my memories of distant watches did not align with the stiffness of the Seamaster. Good to hear that this appears to be normal for the movement.
 
Leviathan
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J jmal
I just purchased a Seamaster 300 Heritage and have a question about winding. I can't make it back to the dealer for a couple of days, so I figured I'd ask here. I wore the watch continuously for a few days and when I would try to wind it, the mechanism felt pretty firm. I did not try to force it and decided to let the watch run down for a couple of days. Today, I can wind it, but it feels pretty firm with a sensation like two cogs/gears are engaging. Is this normal, or should it feel light and easy to wind? This is my first watch in over 30 years, and my first real watch. It feels silly asking such a simple question, but there is no other way to know if there is an issue, or if this is normal. For all the size of the manual and packaging, the instructions are vague at best. Thanks
Winding should feel light when the watch is near power reserve depletion. It will feel tight if it’s been worn and charged up.
 
Annapolis
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You’d think—but at least in my experience with these 8900s, pretty tight the whole time.
 
Donn Chambers
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Leviathan Leviathan
Winding should feel light when the watch is near power reserve depletion. It will feel tight if it’s been worn and charged up.

not true on these 8900 movements from my experience. Especially when compared to other auto movements like eta 2892.
 
M
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
not true on these 8900 movements from my experience. Especially when compared to other auto movements like eta 2892.
I never wind my automatics other than to verify the mechanism actually works, once a year or so, but the impression I always got is that manual winding engages the same overwind protection the rotor sees, and that you could wind it forever with no change in feel
 
Donn Chambers
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M matlt
I never wind my automatics other than to verify the mechanism actually works, once a year or so, but the impression I always got is that manual winding engages the same overwind protection the rotor sees, and that you could wind it forever with no change in feel

yes, that’s true, but not at all relevant to the original poster’s questions or the replies to it. He was asking why the Seamaster 300 movement felt stiffer (harder, or whatever adjective you prefer) compared to other movements he had experienced. This IS how it feels throughout the winding, at the beginning or fully wound. The new co-axial movements have a distinctly different feel than an ETA-2892 or Rolex movement, and some would describe it as “stiffer.”
 
Dan S
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I don't doubt that it feels harder to wind than some other watches and that was the OP's concern so it has been addressed. But I don't understand why people are attributing this to something intrinsic to the winding mechanism as opposed to another factor, such as the seal around the stem on these watches. It would be helpful to hear from someone with firsthand knowledge of the winding mechanism on these coaxial movements as to whether it is intrinsically stiffer. I certainly don't understand why that would have to be the case.
 
Y
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Dan S Dan S
I don't doubt that it feels harder to wind than some other watches and that was the OP's concern so it has been addressed. But I don't understand why people are attributing this to something intrinsic to the winding mechanism as opposed to another factor, such as the seal around the stem on these watches. It would be helpful to hear from someone with firsthand knowledge of the winding mechanism on these coaxial movements as to whether it is intrinsically stiffer. I certainly don't understand why that would have to be the case.
I don't know but I imagine it is the movement that causes the winding stiffness since the movement is loading twin barrels simultaneously (?).
 
J
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FYI, the reason I was asking was that I was trying to verify that the mechanism did indeed function properly as it's a new watch. Based on my brief time with the watch, I don't think I will need to manually wind it anytime soon. Just wanted to make sure my purchase was functional.
Edited:
 
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