A practical, long-term guide for mechanical and automatic watch owners

Accuracy is one of the most satisfying — and sometimes frustrating — aspects of owning a quality watch. Whether you wear a luxury automatic daily or rotate through several mechanical pieces during the week, keeping your watch running accurately over time requires more than luck. It requires understanding, care, and a few smart habits.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll walk through what affects watch accuracy, what’s normal, what isn’t, and how to build a simple routine that helps your watch stay reliable for years — without turning ownership into a chore.

1. What “Accuracy” Really Means in Watches

Before trying to improve accuracy, it’s important to understand what accuracy actually means in the world of watches.

Quartz vs Mechanical Accuracy

• Quartz watches are powered by batteries and regulated electronically
  → Typical accuracy: ±10–15 seconds per month

• Mechanical / automatic watches are regulated by physical components
  → Typical accuracy: ±5–20 seconds per day

This difference is normal and expected. Mechanical watches prioritise craftsmanship and longevity, not absolute precision. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s consistent, predictable performance.

2. Why Mechanical Watches Lose or Gain Time

Mechanical watches rely on dozens (sometimes hundreds) of moving parts. Over time, small influences add up.

The most common factors affecting accuracy include:

• Natural wear of components

• Lubrication aging

• Position while resting

• Magnetism

• Temperature changes

• Inconsistent wear or winding

Understanding these factors allows you to control what you can — and ignore what you can’t.

3. Daily Wearing Habits Matter More Than You Think

One of the biggest contributors to long-term accuracy is how consistently the watch is worn.

Inconsistent Wear = Inconsistent Power

Automatic watches are designed to operate within an optimal power range. If you wear a watch for one day, then leave it unworn for two or three days, the mainspring repeatedly winds down and restarts.

This can lead to:

• Slight timing drift

• Lubricants settling unevenly

• Increased variation between days

Consistent motion leads to consistent accuracy.

4. Resting Positions: A Small Adjustment with Real Impact

When you take your watch off at night, its resting position can subtly affect accuracy.

Common resting positions:

• Dial up

• Dial down

• Crown up

• Crown down

Different movements gain or lose time differently in each position. Over time, many owners discover a position that slightly offsets their watch’s natural tendency to run fast or slow.

💡 Example:
If your watch gains time during the day, resting it crown-down at night may help balance it out.

This is a small but powerful habit for owners who enjoy fine-tuning.

5. Magnetism: The Silent Accuracy Killer

Modern life is full of magnetic fields:

• Phones and tablets

• Laptop covers

• Speakers

• Wireless chargers

Even brief exposure can magnetise the hairspring inside a mechanical watch, causing it to run dramatically fast — sometimes minutes per day.

Signs of magnetisation:

• Sudden, noticeable time gain

• Accuracy changes overnight

The good news?
Demagnetisation is quick, inexpensive, and often instantly restores accuracy.

Prevention tips:

• Don’t place watches directly on electronics

• Store watches away from chargers and speakers

• Use proper storage rather than drawers or desktops

6. Proper Storage When Not Wearing Your Watch

Accuracy doesn’t stop mattering when the watch is off your wrist.

For automatic watches, long periods of inactivity can cause:

• Lubricants to settle

• Power reserve inconsistency

• Frequent resetting and manual adjustment

This is why many collectors use watch winders as part of a long-term care routine — especially when rotating between multiple watches.

A well-designed watch winder:

• Keeps the movement running within its ideal power range

• Reduces repeated stop-start cycles

• Helps maintain consistent timekeeping

• Keeps complex complications ready to wear

The key is moderation and quality — controlled rotation, not constant spinning.

7. The Role of Watch Winders in Accuracy Maintenance

A common misconception is that watch winders are purely for convenience. In reality, they also support mechanical consistency.

Used correctly, a watch winder:

• Mimics natural wrist motion

• Keeps oils evenly distributed

• Prevents amplitude drops from low power

• Reduces timing variation caused by restarting

At Lux Watch Care, watch winders are viewed as support tools, not necessities. They’re most beneficial for owners who:

• Rotate between several automatic watches

• Own watches with date or calendar complications

• Prefer their watches ready and accurate at any time

Our watch winder collection focuses on controlled, sensible rotation, designed to respect the mechanics rather than overwork them.

8. Manual Winding: Helpful, but Don’t Overdo It

Manual winding is perfectly safe for most modern automatic watches, but it should be done properly.

Best practice:

• Wind slowly and gently

• Stop when resistance increases

• Avoid aggressive or frequent overwinding

Manual winding is useful when:

• Restarting a stopped watch

• Giving the movement an initial power boost

But relying on constant manual winding instead of regular wear or proper storage can lead to unnecessary wear over time.

9. Temperature & Environment Considerations

Mechanical watches are sensitive to temperature extremes.

Avoid:

• Leaving watches in hot cars

• Exposing them to sudden cold-to-hot changes

• Storing them near windows in direct sunlight

Temperature changes affect metal expansion and contraction, which in turn influences the balance wheel and escapement.

A stable indoor environment is ideal — something especially relevant in Australian climates where seasonal heat can be intense.

10. Servicing: Accuracy’s Long-Term Foundation

No amount of daily care replaces professional servicing.

Over time:

• Lubricants degrade

• Friction increases

• Accuracy slowly declines

Most manufacturers recommend servicing every 5–7 years, depending on usage.

Signs your watch may need servicing:

• Sudden accuracy changes

• Reduced power reserve

• Irregular behaviour

Regular servicing doesn’t just restore accuracy — it protects the value and lifespan of your watch.

11. Setting Realistic Expectations

Even the finest mechanical watches are not atomic clocks.

Healthy expectations:

• Minor daily variation is normal

• Consistency matters more than perfection

• A stable ±5–10 seconds/day is excellent for most watches

Once you stop chasing absolute precision, ownership becomes far more enjoyable.

12. Accuracy as Part of a Complete Watch Care Mindset

Keeping your watch accurate isn’t about obsessing — it’s about respecting how mechanical objects work.

A simple accuracy-friendly routine includes:

• Consistent wear or proper storage

• Thoughtful resting positions

• Protection from magnetism

• Controlled winding habits

• Long-term servicing

Watch winders, storage solutions, and daily habits all play a role when used intentionally.

At Lux Watch Care, we design and curate accessories that fit naturally into that mindset — supporting your watches quietly in the background, rather than demanding attention.

Final Thoughts: Accuracy Is a Relationship, Not a Number

Mechanical watches reward understanding. The more you learn how they respond to wear, rest, and environment, the more predictable — and accurate — they become.

Accuracy over time isn’t achieved through one product or one trick. It’s built through small, consistent decisions that respect the mechanics on your wrist.

And when storage, rotation, and care are done thoughtfully, your watch does exactly what it was designed to do — keep time, reliably, for decades to come.