Spring slipping

[swissfrank]

Hi all
I was wondering if you fully wind your watch before wearing ( 40+) and then wear the watch when you are really active most of the day, will the mainspring be slipping all day, or doesn’t the rotor have enough “torque” to make the spring slip? I can feel it slip when winding, and hope it doesn’t do that all day
Thanks, Frank

[Easy E]

1. It is designed to slip
2. Normal wear won't get it there
3. Wear and enjoy

[padi56]

Originally Posted by swissfrank

Hi all
I was wondering if you fully wind your watch before wearing ( 40+) and then wear the watch when you are really active most of the day, will the mainspring be slipping all day, or doesn’t the rotor have enough “torque” to make the spring slip? I can feel it slip when winding, and hope it doesn’t do that all day
Thanks, Frank

Well like most all auto movements al that happens is when mainspring is fully wound up it just slips in the spring-barrel and no real wear as mainsprings and barrel are replaced as part of normal routine service. But today with Rolex watches in general are quite pampered its doubtful if many today reach full mainspring power even if worn.

[saxo3]

Originally Posted by Easy E

1. It is designed to slip
2. Normal wear won't get it there
3. Wear and enjoy

1. yes.
2. I achieve max. amplitudes with normal wear, for some of my watches even w/o winding from full stop.
3. yes.

[Andad]

.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Easy E

1. It is designed to slip
2. Normal wear won't get it there
3. Wear and enjoy

Originally Posted by padi56

Well like most all auto movements al that happens is when mainspring is fully wound up it just slips in the spring-barrel and no real wear as mainsprings and barrel are replaced as part of normal routine service. But today with Rolex watches in general are quite pampered its doubtful if many today reach full mainspring power even if worn.

[Andad]

Any watch techs out there?

[Tools]

Originally Posted by swissfrank

Hi all
I was wondering if you fully wind your watch before wearing ( 40+) and then wear the watch when you are really active most of the day, will the mainspring be slipping all day, or doesn’t the rotor have enough “torque” to make the spring slip? I can feel it slip when winding, and hope it doesn’t do that all day
Thanks, Frank

It's physics.

If the mainspring is fully wound and the rotor continues to spin, something has to slip - the rotor doesn't go into lock-up, that's the point of the slipping bridle.

Slippage, however, may only be in fractions of a mm as the gear ratio of the rotor vs the crown is considerably different. It's not going to spin like a propeller.

One must remember though, as the watch is running it is decreasing the tension in the spring, so you have to be very active to put in more power than you are using each hour.

[swissfrank]

Thanks Tools and everyone who responded
I wasn’t sure if the rotor would “lock up” or keep moving.
Good explanation, Tools

[watchmaker]

Larry has said everything I would say. I have nothing really to add, only doubling down on the last paragraph.

Most people are not active enough to outpace the rate of unwinding thorough use with the winding action of the rotor. Effectively keeping themselves roughly in equilibrium, tending towards a deficit. Hence why you are told to fully wind your watch before wearing it when it is stopped.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by saxo3

1. yes.
2. I achieve max. amplitudes with normal wear, for some of my watches even w/o winding from full stop.
3. yes.

This mirrors my experience.
A normal 8 hours on the wrist on a typical casual day routinely yields 48-50 hours of power reserve.
For me, it's usually the self winding mechanism and by extention power reserve issues that trigger a service.

[Thomas Mudge]

Once the mainspring is fully wound, the bridel of the mainspring slips on the inner wall of the barrel. There is lubricant between them, but there most definitely is wear going on. The wear is very minimal. EVERY time you open a used barrel, you will see black grit inside. This is VERY normal. You tubers profess that the barrel was not lubricated properly, but they are incorrect.
The inside of the barrel wal has up to 5 indentations where the bridel will seat until the automatic winds the mainspring enough to make it jump to the next indentation.
Normal wearing of the watch is accouted for. Even a tennis player will not make excessive amounts of wear. R&D has worked out all scenarios