Dr. Ito's thorough analysis of mechanical watches!! Vol.9 - You should not rotate the hands of a mechanical watch backwards!

監修者 Kenzo Ito

Hello everyone!

 

 

This column, now in its ninth installment, discusses mechanical watches from an engineer's perspective.

 

'Is it okay to rotate the hands of a mechanical watch backward?!'

 

Let's delve into this topic.

 

 

There's a common caution often heard: "When setting the time, move the hands in the forward direction (clockwise)." When assisting customers in-store, many express concern, asking, "Is it really not allowed to turn the hands backward?" But is this truly the case?

This time, to alleviate some of your concerns, I will explain step-by-step. Please read until the end!

 

 

Is reverse rotation a burden on the watch?

 

If you search online for "watch time setting reverse," you'll find results like these:

 

・Absolutely do not do it as it puts a strain on the mechanism.
・It's possible for a few hours.
・For watches with "hand jump" (針飛び), it's effective to advance the hands slightly past the desired time, then reverse them, and push the crown in.
・No particular problem.
※Hand jump (針飛び): A phenomenon where the minute hand shifts by a few minutes when the crown is pushed in after setting the time.

 

Which one is correct?
First, the opinion that it is "absolutely not allowed" is incorrect!

 

Based on the movements I have encountered as a technician, very few break when the hands are turned backward during time setting. Models with a common structure, such as simple two, three, or four-hand watches, have almost no risk of breaking when the hands are turned backward during time setting.

 

 

Is the information on the internet wrong?!

 

Regarding Rolex, the brand we handle most frequently, I honestly can't recall any models where turning the hands backward is prohibited.

 

In fact, an internet search reveals many comments like, "The gears of a mechanical watch are designed to rotate in one direction, and rotating them backward puts a significant strain on internal parts," and "It can cause damage to gears and surrounding components." To be clear, this is incorrect.

 

Some people may think that when the hands are turned backward, all the internal gears also rotate backward simultaneously, but in reality, only the gears near where the hands are attached rotate backward, while the others remain stationary. This means that the stress placed on the movement during time setting is not significantly different whether the hands are rotated forward or backward. Proof of this can be found in the instruction manuals of models without a quick-set date function, where it states that you can advance the date by moving the hands back and forth around midnight.

 

Furthermore, for models like the GMT-Master II that allow independent quick-setting of the hour hand, it is the official method of use to advance or reverse the hour hand by the time difference when traveling abroad. Therefore, turning the hands backward is not a problem for these watches either.

 

 

Models where hands should not be rotated backward

 

 

Up to this point, I've explained that turning the hands backward is generally not an issue, but there are some exceptions. The first one is "watches with retrograde hour and minute hands." These are designed with the assumption that the hands move in a specific direction, and turning them backward increases the risk of malfunction, so it's best to avoid it.

 

 

And then there's the Franck Muller Crazy Hours. The "Crazy Hours" watch, which shows the time with the hour hand jumping to match the irregularly displayed indices, is a very playful watch. However, it is also designed with the assumption that the hands move in a specific direction, so please avoid rotating them backward.

Additionally, caution is advised for models equipped with complex mechanisms such as "perpetual calendars" and "minute repeaters."

 

 

Summary

How was it? Basically, simple three-hand watches, for example, will almost never break just by turning the hands backward, so please feel free to use them. However, if you quickly quick-set the calendar immediately after turning the hands backward, there is a higher risk of malfunction depending on the time of day, so please be very careful.

Also, for some watches with complex display mechanisms, avoid turning the hands backward when setting the time; always set them in the forward direction.

I hope this article has provided you with valuable information and sparked some interest in luxury watches! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask, and we will be happy to assist you. We look forward to your visit and inquiries.

Stay tuned for the next installment! See you then!

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