Community Stories

Winding a 3861 Speedy?

R
Posts
11
Likes
4
Probably a stupid question, but at this price I'd like to get it right...

How do you wind a 3861 movement Speedmaster? The handbook just says to wind it... I haven't owned a watch that needs winding for over 50 years. I used to just roll the crown back and forth for a minute or so and leave it at that, but those watches were the cheapest around.
Should I only roll the crown 'forward', i.e. clockwise? Should I do it once a day (part of evening routine), and wind until it goes stiffer?

This is a really impressive watch - this is day four, and it's still exactly where I set it.
Edited:
 
fc3861
Posts
79
Likes
120
Hi and congratulations on the Speedmaster!

Yes, I just use my finger and thumb to roll the crown forward (clockwise - never backwards) until it reaches an obvious stop. I usually wind mine every morning while drinking my coffee.

Best regards,
FC
 
JimInOz
Posts
17,932
Likes
37,492
I've been winding mechanical watches for more that 50 years, and Speedies for the last twenty.

99% of manual watch movements, and quite a lot of manual movements could not care less which process you adopt.
The movement is designed with a reversing clutch and a click (or lock) to stop the watch being "unwound".

There is no problem whatsoever with winding backwards and forwards, that is what the watch was designed for.
 
Omegafanman
Posts
4,698
Likes
17,795
Works the same for a 3861…apart from you get hacking seconds which is a bonus.

I always wind clockwise as per the video (including my 3861)

 
Evitzee
Posts
7,678
Likes
14,202
Wind it until the crown hits a hard stop and won't go any further. Whether you go in one direction or back and forth is immaterial.
 
U
Posts
10
Likes
18
R rsk55
Probably a stupid question, but at this price I'd like to get it right...

How do you wind a 3861 movement Speedmaster? The handbook just says to wind it... I haven't owned a watch that needs winding for over 50 years. I used to just roll the crown back and forth for a minute or so and leave it at that, but those watches were the cheapest around.
Should I only roll the crown 'forward', i.e. clockwise? Should I do it once a day (part of evening routine), and wind until it goes stiffer?

This is a really impressive watch - this is day four, and it's still exactly where I set it.

I have had my Speedy for a few weeks now. When I started out I would wind until I thought I could feel it getting stiffer and then stopped because I didn’t want to risk over winding it. Once I got more used to it I just continued until it stops winding, there is a clear point where it stops. I find about 20 winds per day fully winds the watch.
 
S
Posts
14
Likes
14
The winding mechanism is designed for the winder to be rotated either way. It only tensions the mainspring when turned clockwise but it does no harm whatsoever to move the thumb/forefinger back and forth when winding.

Stan.
 
D
Posts
922
Likes
493
R rsk55
Probably a stupid question, but at this price I'd like to get it right...

How do you wind a 3861 movement Speedmaster? The handbook just says to wind it... I haven't owned a watch that needs winding for over 50 years. I used to just roll the crown back and forth for a minute or so and leave it at that, but those watches were the cheapest around.
Should I only roll the crown 'forward', i.e. clockwise? Should I do it once a day (part of evening routine), and wind until it goes stiffer?

This is a really impressive watch - this is day four, and it's still exactly where I set it.

You're doing just fine.
It will all come back to you just like riding a bike👍

Personally, I only prefer to wind in one direction.
That is because when we wind back and forth. It effectively doubles the wear and tear on the o-rings in the Crown tube.
It's just my own sympathetic approach😉
 
Alfista88
Posts
271
Likes
408
How about optimal RPM? How fast, or slow, do folks go when winding?
 
Foo2rama
Posts
18,200
Likes
27,508
When wearing any manual wind movement, It’s best to fully wind the piece in the morning when you put it on.

For a non automatic wind untill it hits a hard stop. It’s very difficult to over wind and you will know when it hits the stop.
 
D
Posts
922
Likes
493
Alfista88 Alfista88
How about optimal RPM? How fast, or slow, do folks go when winding?

Good question.
If one winds slower(more gentle) the loading on the mechanism is going to be less.
Whether the lubrication is up to protecting the contact points when winding at a faster pace or not is probably the key consideration. But we are likely to be going down the path of having a useless massderbate around the Boundary lubrication state vs Mixed, etc, etc😉
Personally, I take my time👍
It's just more enjoyable that way to simply be in the moment😀
Besides, I also like to savour the winding feel of different high quality watch movements.
I quite like the 1861 and the 9S64, but any of them in that class are nice in their own way😉
Edited:
 
B
Posts
42
Likes
57
When I wind my SMP, I turn/roll the crown along the side of my pointer finger, up to the knuckle of my second digit just to get a bit more wind with every turn. I wind my SMP every morning and it takes between 27-30 turns. If it has zero power reserve, it takes about 60 turns. I stop when I feel a bit of resistance.

Hope that helps! Congrats on the new piece!
 
R
Posts
11
Likes
4
Great info, thanks all. I'll switch from evening to morning, I think - as I'm in the workshop a fair bit of the day I tend not to wear it every day, so it's worth getting into the habit.
 
S
Posts
14
Likes
14
D Duckie
You're doing just fine.
It will all come back to you just like riding a bike👍

Personally, I only prefer to wind in one direction.
That is because when we wind back and forth. It effectively doubles the wear and tear on the o-rings in the Crown tube.
It's just my own sympathetic approach😉

That's a good point, which I hadn't really thought about. I'm now winding in just the clockwise direction - it's no problem to do so and it must at least slightly reduce the wear and tear, Thanks for the observation.

Stan.
 
hobby5253
Posts
2
Likes
0
I'm still trying to figure out how much to wind. I wind clock wise until there is a bit of resistance with rebound coil back of the crown. Is that when I should end ? I haven't been able to gather the full 48-50 hours reserve, as a matter of fact, I was able to get only 30 hours reserve. I sent it to Omega as watch still under warranty. They sent back stating the watch is accurate and complete within specifications.
A detail suggestion/ description of winding dully would be much appreciated.
 
PandaSPUR
Posts
714
Likes
719
hobby5253 hobby5253
I'm still trying to figure out how much to wind. I wind clock wise until there is a bit of resistance with rebound coil back of the crown. Is that when I should end ? I haven't been able to gather the full 48-50 hours reserve, as a matter of fact, I was able to get only 30 hours reserve. I sent it to Omega as watch still under warranty. They sent back stating the watch is accurate and complete within specifications.
A detail suggestion/ description of winding dully would be much appreciated.

When theres a bit of resistance and slight rebound, you're close but still not fully wound.
There is a very obvious almost solid stop when you're fully wound.
 
Trog
Posts
280
Likes
1,856
I suppose it's common knowledge, but you shouldn't wind it while on your wrist.
 
Evitzee
Posts
7,678
Likes
14,202
hobby5253 hobby5253
I'm still trying to figure out how much to wind. I wind clock wise until there is a bit of resistance with rebound coil back of the crown. Is that when I should end ? I haven't been able to gather the full 48-50 hours reserve, as a matter of fact, I was able to get only 30 hours reserve. I sent it to Omega as watch still under warranty. They sent back stating the watch is accurate and complete within specifications.
A detail suggestion/ description of winding dully would be much appreciated.
Keep winding the crown until it physically won't turn anymore, then it is fully wound and it'll run for about 62 hours (3861), or 52 hours for an 1861. Anything less is not fully wound, if you are getting only 30 hours run time you aren't even close. Keep winding, you won't break anything, they are designed to be wound fully.
Edited:
 
4 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

josiahg52

Buying a 3861 Speedmaster - bracelet and case back options

josiahg52 Modern Omega Watches
ErichPryde
ErichPryde
Posts
12
Views
431
M

Modifying a 3861 Speedmaster with another dial

Mike3311 Modern Omega Watches
YY77
YY77
Posts
3
Views
622
Lu..

Sedna two-tone 3861 Speedy with Salmon Panda dial?

Lu.. Modern Omega Watches
Annapolis
Annapolis
Posts
17
Views
394
andy515

Anyone have a source for a 3861 bezel gasket?…

andy515 Modern Omega Watches
andy515
andy515
Posts
0
Views
63
D

3861 Speedy….. can I retrofit a 1861 Bracelet?

deltawhiskey Modern Omega Watches
josiahg52
josiahg52
Posts
21
Views
2K
4011021

110 days with a 3861 Speedmaster

4011021 Modern Omega Watches
4011021
4011021
Posts
6
Views
4K