How often do you need to wind up a watch, and do you just turn it in one direction/

mcdevito75 here,The Automatic feature in your WATCH consists of a counter-weight attached to the MAIN SPRING by a gear that allows a SLOW but steady wind of your watch with the motion of your WRIST, ARM. Once, only in HIGH END watches, today almost all watch manufacturers have this feature in some of their models. Everyone who owns an AUTOMATIC watch knows, you can START your AUTOMATIC watch by WINDING THE STEM and you can continue to wind the stem with no end. This will at least START your AUTOMATIC watch and, this is true to some extent BUT, does this apply to my watch you ask?, Here"s how to tell if your AUTOMATIC watch will START with a few winds of the stem or not. ------- Very Simply, Hold your AUTOMATIC watch to your ear and wind the stem, if you hear a sound as though something is DRAGGING or the stem feels slightly stiff one way you wind the stem and you hear a clicking sound when you wind in the other direction, then you have the TYPE of AUTOMATIC watch that will start with a few winds of the stem, approx, 20 turns or winds. If on the other hand you hear nothing when you wind the stem and the stem feels very loose when turnning then you have the TYPE of AUTOMATIC watch that winds only with the motion of your wrist / arm, to start this type of AUTOMATIC watch, simply hold the watch in your hand and rock your watch back and forth, say from the 12 O"clock to the 6 O"clock, and or, Hold your watch securely in your hand a make circular motions with your hand, any movement to get your watches counter-balance to turn and thus wind your watch. Approx. 1 minute of this extra motion will start your AUTOMATIC watch, then simply wear your watch and your wrists / arm motion will keep it wound.