automatic watch that stops, the 4 main causes

Automatic watch that no longer works, Here are the main reasons : Watch shops often hear of a customer putting on a fully functioning automatic watch at the start of the day that suddenly stopped working at some point several hours later. In other cases, an automatic watch that stops may no longer display the time correctly in the morning because it stopped working at some point during the night. The following post explains the four most common reasons why an automatic or mechanical watch may suddenly stop working. In addition, it aims to inform you of the expected costs associated with the repair , so that you can estimate the corresponding effect on your wallet in advance. 1. A screw has come loose and is blocking the internal mechanism While this may come as a surprise, this is actually a fairly common problem, as even a steady hand movement can cause screws to loosen. We have customers for whom we have to tighten every screw periodically every 3 months because they left their watch on while mountain biking or golfing. To solve this problem, it only takes a few steps: first, the screw is removed from the mechanism, before being reinserted and tightened to restore functionality. The estimated cost of this operation should be between 15 and 30 euros, including water resistance tests. You can easily solve this problem with a kit by opening the watch like this for example: Click here to view the kit on Amazon 2. Dirt and/or dust is blocking the internal mechanism. An automatic watch that stops is often due to blockages due to dirt and dust that occur when an automatic watch has not been serviced for an extended period of time. Therefore, maintenance should always be performed if this problem occurs. This involves separating the watch movement into its individual parts, then cleaning and oiling each component. The costs associated with this operation are highly dependent on the type and brand of watch in question. As a general rule, the more complicated the mechanism, the more expensive it is. For a simple watch, the cost should be around 100 EUR/GBP. For automatic watches, expect a cost of around 150 euros, while chronographs can cost between 200 and 300 euros. However, as already mentioned, the price also depends on the brand, Rolex repairs start at around 275 euros. 3. The mainspring is broken. 90% of springs tear either because the material is subject to natural aging or because it has been subjected to too much tightening pressure. In automatic watches, a special mechanism ensures that further movements of the rotor are impeded to prevent over-tightening of the mainspring. If the watch is older, even this maximum tension the watch is designed for may be enough to break the mainspring. The repair consists of replacing the damaged spring. During the repair, always make sure that the following wheels remain intact. Replacement costs start at 60 euros but are highly dependent on the watch brand. As a damaged spring can cause problems with components of the gear wheel, the choice of the replacement spring must depend in particular on the value of the watch. 4. The automatic winding mechanism is faulty. A faulty winding mechanism can be caused by a number of issues; for example, the axis of the rotor can be broken following a violent shock. It is therefore difficult to provide reliable cost estimates. Also, especially when dealing with older watches (e.g. watches with the old "bumper" automatic mechanism), repair can be difficult because replacement parts are either expensive or difficult to obtain. to find. An automatic watch that stops can therefore come from several different “places”. automatic watch that stops, my last advice Have the water resistance of your watches checked by a specialist every year and have the mechanism tested every 5 or 6 years. This way you will avoid many problems. In the event of damage, we recommend that you immediately stop wearing the watch or even shake it (in an attempt to get it moving again). Instead, the watch should be taken directly to the watchmaker to avoid further damage. If you want to buy a watch for life, take a look at our guide to military watches