rolex watch winder
Last Updated: January 24, 2025By

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As a proud Rolex owner, you understand the importance of providing ongoing care to these precision-engineered timepieces to ensure their long-lasting performance. Among watch enthusiasts, there is often debate regarding the optimal number of turns per day (TPD) for a watch winder, specifically for Rolex watches.

In this blog post, we will closely examine whether 900 TPD is excessive for your Rolex and explore how a watch winder plays a vital role in preserving your timepiece’s performance.

Understanding the TPD Setting: 

Turns Per Day (TPD) refers to the number of rotations or movements an automatic watch needs to maintain optimal winding tension. In simpler terms, it represents the energy needed to keep your watch running accurately. Most automatic watches require a specific range of TPD to function efficiently and avoid damage to the mechanism.

Best Watch Winder Settings for Rolex Watches:

Rolex timepieces are renowned for their high-quality craftsmanship, which includes the mechanics that are responsible for accurate timekeeping. Each model in Rolex’s line-up has specific winding requirements depending on its design and complexity. Depending on your TPD setting, your watch winder will rest for a prescribed number of minutes between turns. In general, most winders will turn for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute and then stop. Exactly how long the winder rests is determined by the TPD setting.

For example, your watch might need to wind 10 times in 30 seconds. If it needs 650 TPD to function properly, the automatic winder would need to turn on 65 times per day. Since there are 1440 minutes in a day, you would divide 1440 by 65 and arrive at 22. That means the automatic winder will go through its full cycle every 22 minutes.

It’s really easy to wind a Rolex incorrectly if the watch winder hasn’t been set properly but if you manually wind the watch first and then put it into the winder, it will work out just fine – as your initial manual wind diminishes, the winder will take over to get it back to where it needs to be.

Recommendations Optimal Settings:

For most Rolex watches, a setting between 650 and 800 TPD is generally recommended. This range ensures that the watch remains wound without risking over-winding.

If using a watch winder set to 900 TPD, it is advisable to monitor your watch’s performance closely. If you notice any irregularities in timekeeping or winding, consider adjusting the TPD setting downwards.

watch winder settings

Which Winding Direction is Best for my Rolex?

The vast majority of Rolex watches are bi-directional, meaning they can be wound both clockwise or counter clockwise.  The table below shows some of the most popular models on sale today and as you can see, they all have the same winding specifications. Always make sure you use the manufacturers specification for the number of Turns per Day and the winding direction.

POPULAR ROLEX WATCHES AND THEIR WINDING SPECIFICATIONS:

Model Reference  TPD  Direction 
GMT-Master II 116719/126710 650 Bi-Directional
GMT-Master II 116710LN 650 Bi-Directional
Submariner Date 116610/126610LN/LV 650 Bi-Directional
Submariner (no date) 124060 650 Bi-Directional
Sea Dweller Deepsea 116660 650 Bi-Directional
Daytona 116520/116500 650 Bi-Directional
Yacht-Master 116655 650 Bi-Directional
Datejust II 116300 650 Bi-Directional
Datejust Lady 31 178240 650 Bi-Directional
Oyster Perpetual 36/41 126000/124300 650 Bi-Directional
Explorer 214270/124270 650 Bi-Directional
Explorer II 16570/216570/226570 650 Bi-Directional
Sky-Dweller 3269** 800 Bi-Directional

Should I worry if my Automatic Watch Stops Working?

The quick and reassuring answer is – NO! Life can get really busy and stressful and sometimes there are more important things to think about than winding your watch. Chances are, it will happen at some point – your watch will fully unwind and stop, but don’t panic, your watch isn’t broken. If it stops, it’s usually just a case of getting it wound back up again.

Here’s the science bit: The mainspring controls the watch movement and when it’s fully unwound it simply can’t keep the watch movement going.  When this happens, the escape wheel isn’t able to produce any power to work with the pallet fork. These are the components that create the back and forth motion. When this stops, the watch stops.

Conclusion:

To answer the question posed at the beginning, whether 900 TPD is too much for Rolex watches depends on the specific model in question. While 900 TPD may not be inherently harmful for all Rolex watches, it is advisable to stick within the recommended range of 650-800 TPD to ensure optimal performance and longevity of your timepiece.

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