Two situations often come back: a departure of several weeks, and a power cut during the night. Good news, there's no danger to the watch.
During a power outage
When the power supply stops, the winder stops. The watch, however, continues to operate on its power reserve, exactly as if you had placed it on a table.
If the cut lasts less than the power reserve, you will notice nothing. If it lasts longer, the watch stops, without any damage. All you have to do is restart it and put it back on time.
When power returns, check that the winder has resumed its programme. Depending on the device, it restarts automatically or waits to be restarted. Your model's manual explains which applies.
Before you go on vacation
You have two options, both valid.
Let it spin. A winder is designed to operate continuously. If your settings are correct, you will find your watches on time. This is the most comfortable option for watches with long complications to adjust.
Stop it. Remove the watches, unplug the device and store them in a watch box. A watch is not damaged by stopping for a few weeks. This is the simplest option if your home will be empty for a long time and you prefer not to leave anything plugged in.
If your winder works on batteries
Some devices can run on batteries. Remove them before a long absence: a battery left to discharge inside the device can leak and damage the contacts.
Upon return
- Make sure each watch works and gives the right time.
- For a stopped watch, restart it and set the time and date in the correct order. Our article resetting an automatic watch details the method.
- Put it back on the winder with its usual program.
In summary
A cut or absence does not damage an automatic watch: at worst, it stops. Let it spin if you want to find your watches on time, stop everything if you prefer not to leave anything connected, and remove the batteries in any case.