If you haven't worn your luxury watch for a certain period of time (usually 1-2 days), the power reserve is used up and the watch stops. In order to start your watch again, it must be wound manually. This is done with the winding crown. You can find out exactly how this works and which positions of the winding crown there are at all here:
Overview:
1. Screwed position (position 0)
2. Screwed-on position (position 1)
3. Once pulled out (position 2): Date and/or day of the week setting
4. Pulled out twice (position 3): clock setting
First of all, a general rule of thumb for operating the winding crown: first unscrew, then pull out!
1. Screwed position (position 0):
In this position, the crown is fully screwed against the case. The watch is sealed and the movement is protected. For example, waterproofness is also guaranteed.
2. Screwed-on position (position 1):
If you unscrew your Rolex counter-clockwise (toward yourself), it will pop out sideways. This is how you get to position 1, the so-called elevator position . To fully wind the watch, turn the crown clockwise about 25-30 times. On every Rolex model, the 1st position is the winding position.
3. Once pulled out (position 2): Date and/or day of the week setting
If you now pull the crown slightly, you get to the 2nd position. In this position you can set the date and, if necessary, the weekday of your Rolex ( but only if the watch naturally has a date/weekday display + Quickset). To set the date, gently turn the crown either clockwise or counterclockwise. Depending on the model, this is very different.
- If your watch only has a date display, the crown only moves in one direction in this position! Just try very carefully in which direction the winding crown of your model can be turned.
- Does your watch have a date and day of the week display? you can turn the crown in both directions! The crown is usually turned clockwise to set the date and counterclockwise to set the day of the week.
ATTENTION : Only set the date when the hour hand is in the lower half of the clock (between 3 and 9 o'clock), otherwise the movement may be damaged.
4. Pulled out twice (position 3): clock setting
If you can now pull the crown slightly again (e.g. with a Datejust or the Day-Date), you get to the 3rd and last position - to set the time. You can now set the time exactly by turning the crown in both directions.
How do I avoid confusing morning and evening? Very simple - just put your clock forward to 12 o'clock. If you then change the date, it's midnight.
Important to know : On some Rolex models, such as the Daytona, the winding crown can only be in 2 positions instead of 3 - in other words: after unscrewing, the crown can only be pulled out once. Why? The Daytona, for example, has no date or weekday display. This function is therefore not available on this model and the time setting slips from position 3 to position 2.
When you have finished winding and setting the watch, gently slide and screw the crown back in place in a clockwise direction. The crown should now be flush against the side of the case in its home position.