The Movement Clinic · Self-test
How to test your automatic watch's winding efficiency
Applies to any mechanical watch, not only Tudor — this is one of the seven procedures in the section that isn't brand-specific.
Why this test works
This isolates the automatic winding system specifically. Run the power reserve test first — if manual reserve is not to spec, this test isolates nothing.
What you need
- Optional: a watch winder, if you want to test against one — 650 TPD bidirectional is the commonly cited proxy setting for Tudor.
The steps
- Confirm manual power reserve is to spec first (power reserve test).
- Let the watch run down completely and don't touch the crown.
- Swirl it flat in your palm like swirling a wine glass, about 2 rotations per second.
- Count 50 swirls — a healthy autowind should start a stopped movement within a handful of rotations.
- Continue to 200 total swirls, then set it dial-up and measure how long it runs.
- For the cleanest evidence: fully hand-wind, wear it three consecutive days logging hours worn, then take it off at a known time and let it run down. A functioning automatic continually tops off the mainspring, so the remaining reserve should be at or near full spec.
What to log
- Swirls given
- Time to start, if the watch was stopped
- Reserve remaining after 200 swirls
- Hours worn per day during the wear test
- Reserve remaining after the wear test
Reading your result
| Pattern | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stops overnight after 8-10 hours of desk-job wear on a 38-hour ETA-based Tudor that started partly wound | Plausibly lifestyle, not a fault. Hand-wind about 20 turns each morning and re-test. |
| Stops overnight after 8-10 hours of wear on a 70-hour Manufacture calibre | Should not happen. Investigate. |
| Fine when hand-wound daily but dies whenever you rely on the rotor | Autowind fault, or genuinely minimal motion — the swirl test decides which. |
Related
Issues this test helps you get to the bottom of:
Run the symptom checker for a verdict on your exact watch.
The Movement Clinic is an independent publication by Timekeeper PH. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Tudor or the Rolex Group. This self-test is general guidance, not a substitute for a qualified watchmaker.