How do I wind my automatic watch?

With the crown pushed in, turn it clockwise 10 to 20 times and stop when the power reserve indicator reaches MAX. That's the whole procedure. Most of the time you won't need it, because the watch winds itself as you wear it.

How your automatic movement works

The Sullivan runs on the Sellita SW279-1, an automatic self-winding mechanical movement with 31 jewels and a 38-hour power reserve.

This means:

• It winds itself through the natural motion of your wrist.
• Fully wound and left off the wrist, it will run for about 38 hours before stopping. That's why a watch set aside over a weekend is usually stopped by Monday.
• A short manual wind brings it back to full charge and returns it to accurate timekeeping.

Automatic winding is continuous as long as the watch is worn regularly.

How to manually wind your Sullivan

1. Ensure the crown is in the pushed-in (neutral) position.
2. Turn the crown forward (clockwise).
3. Watch the power reserve indicator climb as the mainspring charges.
4. Stop winding when the indicator reaches MAX.

Most watches reach a full wind with 10 to 20 clockwise turns, depending on how depleted the reserve is.

How to know when to stop winding

The power reserve indicator on the dial makes this straightforward:

• When the power reserve indicator reaches MAX, the movement is fully wound.
• You may also feel gentle resistance in the crown as the mainspring reaches full tension.
• Stop winding at MAX. Additional turns are unnecessary.

The Sellita SW279-1 includes a slipping bridle, meaning the mainspring cannot be damaged by minor overwinding, but stopping at MAX is best practice for longevity.

If your watch has stopped

A stopped watch is almost always an empty power reserve rather than a fault, since the movement runs about 38 hours from a full wind. To restart it:

1. Give the crown 10 to 20 turns until the indicator reaches MAX.
2. Set the time.
3. Wear as normal. Daily wrist movement will keep it running.

If it stops again while you're wearing it daily, see my watch stopped working.

Daily wearing tip

If you wear your Sullivan most days, you may never need to wind it by hand. The movement stays powered through everyday activity.

Warranty and service

Routine mechanical service is not covered by warranty. Like all automatic movements, the Sellita SW279-1 benefits from periodic professional cleaning and lubrication over the years.

For what your warranty does and does not cover, see what the warranty covers.

Updated on: 21/08/2026