Guide to getting started with an automatic watch

If you feel a little lost regarding how a automatic watch or if you would like to have some further details, don't worry, Team Charlie Paris presents a short user guide that will allow you to get to grips with your automatic watch.

WHAT IS AN AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL WATCH? 

• How an automatic watch works

We'll start by quickly reviewing how an automatic watch works. Unlike a battery-powered watch, called quartz watch, An automatic watch works thanks to the energy generated by your wrist movement. Among mechanical watches, there are manual and automatic models. Unlike a manual-winding mechanical watch, which needs to be wound daily, an automatic watch does not need to be wound if you wear it every day.

• The autonomy of an automatic watch

An automatic watch has a power reserve, which is a reserve of energy that allows it to continue functioning even when you're not wearing it. It's essentially the autonomy of your watch.

At Charlie Paris, our automatic watches They have approximately 40 hours of battery life. Therefore, if you don't wear it for a few days or more, your watch may stop. If it has stopped, we recommend winding it manually up to thirty times. To do this, turn the crown when it is pushed in (pressed against the Case) clockwise. When you wind your watch, you will feel a slight resistance; this is the mainspring being wound. Do not manually wind your watch while wearing it, as you risk bending the crown stem.

Furthermore, if you don't move your wrist much during the day, we recommend that each morning before putting your watch back on, you turn the crown a few times. This will help to re-energize your watch and prevent it from stopping during the day. 

• The tolerance of a movement

Automatic movements vary in accuracy, depending on the type of movement. It is perfectly normal for your automatic watch to gain or lose a few seconds per day. The accuracy tolerance for each of our automatic watches is indicated on the product page.

For example, our collection Initial Our automatic watch offers a tolerance of -20 seconds to +40 seconds per day. This means your watch may lose 20 seconds or gain 40 seconds per day; this is normal and requires no adjustments from us. This is the maximum tolerance; it does not mean your watch will actually lose that much time. Concordia, has a tolerance of -0/+14 secs/day.

What precautions should be taken with an automatic watch?

• Avoid impacts

Automatic watches are valuable and sensitive to shocks, so care must be taken with them. We advise you to remove your automatic watch when playing sports, especially during contact sports or sports where the watch is subjected to strong shocks and centrifugal forces, such as tennis or golf. 

• Pay attention to the waterproofing.

Do not wear your automatic watch in the shower, even if it is a waterproof watch. Heat can cause metals to expand and damage the seals. If you use your watch for swimming or diving (10 ATM or more), we recommend having the water resistance checked every 2 years. 

• Do not change the date between 9pm and 3am

If your automatic watch has a date function, do not change it when the hour hand is between 9 PM and 3 AM, as this indicates that the date-changing mechanism is activated. If you need to adjust the time during this period, we recommend advancing the time to avoid damaging the watch's movement. Approximately every five years, you can have your watch serviced if you notice any changes in its performance (reduced power reserve, decreased accuracy, etc.). These services can be performed directly by our after-sales service department or by a local watchmaker. 

• Avoid magnetizing it

Finally, avoid prolonged or close exposure to a source of magnetic fields (electronic devices, induction cooktops, medical equipment, etc.). This could magnetize the movement and cause your watch to behave erratically. These fields won't damage your timepiece, but they will degrade its operation and accuracy. Depending on the strength of the magnetic field, your watch will be more or less affected. Low exposure will slightly disrupt your watch's accuracy, making it less precise. Conversely, if your watch is exposed to a strong magnetic field, it can alter its movement, or even stop it in some cases. If your watch is magnetized, the most common sign is a significant and sudden gain in time. In this case, you should either entrust the watch to us or visit a watchmaker to have it demagnetized.