Using Your Watch

Changing the time by winding the hands backwards will not damage your watch but it can affect the date shown (for the MB range) and so we recommend that you change the time by moving it forwards, not backwards.

You cannot over-wind your watch; this applies to both automatically and manually winding a watch. Self-winding mechanisms continue working even after the mainspring is fully wound. If a simple mainspring was used, this would put excessive tension on the spring itself. To prevent this happening, a slipping clutch device is used on the mainspring so it cannot be overwound.

When you buy your watch, the movement will automatically start with just a few revolutions of the rotor, however it is recommended that the movement is wound fully with 30-40 revolutions of the crown, which will ensure maximum accuracy and power reserve. Your watch will need winding again if it is left for the power reserve to run down or if it is not worn consistently. (See “Why has my watch stopped?”)

To use the tachymeter to measure speed, you need to know how far a mile is from your starting point (where you will start the chronograph) so that you can stop the chronograph when you reach the mile mark. If you now read the position of the seconds hand against the dial ring it will tell you your average speed over the distance of 1 mile. To measure the distance, you need to know the speed at which you are travelling; start the chronograph and then stop it once the seconds hand has reached the number on the dial ring equivalent to the miles per hour that you are travelling at (eg 70 for 70 mph). This will tell you when you have completed 1 mile. Watch the Tutorial Video here.

To use the telemeter on the 1918: start the chronograph using push button A (top button) when the event is seen and when the sound is heard push button A once more, to stop the chronograph. The telemeter scale value at which the chronograph seconds hand is pointing is the approximate distance in miles between your position and the event.

If your watch has a screw-down crown (Jaguar MKI, Supermarine, Airco, SOLO-32 & Boeing models) you will need to unscrew it in an anticlockwise direction until you hear a small click; you are now in the winding position. If your watch has a pull-out crown (ALT1, MB, U-2, Jaguar MKII and MKIII, SOLO models) it is already in the correct winding position. Wind your watch by rotating it in a clockwise direction. NB the original ALT1 and SOLO models had screw down crowns, this has since changed.

The World Timer function on the ALT1-WT can be operated using the crown at the 8 o’clock position. It is straight forward to use and its purpose is to help you keep track of time in different time zones or cities around the world. Simply turn the 8 o’clock crown clockwise or anticlockwise depending on the time zone that you wish to select. If you wish to know the time in Tokyo, for instance, simply rotate the internal ring so that Tokyo is in the 12 o’clock position and read the time using the GMT hand.

First ensure that the local time is set on the watch. Then pull the crown out to position II and rotate it anti-clockwise to set the 12 hour hand to the 12 hour markers on the dial ring. For example, if you set the watch to 1.00pm local time and your second location is 5 hours ahead, you would set the 12 hour hand at 6.00 pm.

Our Watch Winder Instructions document can help you set up your watch winder with the optimal settings.