A mechanical watch is not a phone. It does not need daily charging or software updates, but it does ask for a small amount of understanding in exchange for decades of service. If your Soren is your first automatic watch, this guide covers everything you need: how to wind it, how to set the time and date, and the few simple habits that keep it running well for years.
None of this is complicated. Five minutes of reading now will save you confusion later and help you avoid the small mistakes that put unnecessary wear on the movement. Both the Momentis and the Oceanic use the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, so this guide applies to both.
How an Automatic Watch Works
Before the steps, a quick explanation that makes everything else make sense.
An automatic watch is powered by a mainspring, a coiled spring inside the movement that stores energy. As you wear the watch, a weighted rotor inside spins with the motion of your wrist and winds the mainspring automatically. This is why it is called an automatic. As long as you wear it regularly, it stays wound and running on its own.
When the watch sits unworn, the mainspring gradually unwinds. The Sellita SW200-1 has a power reserve of around 38 hours, which means a fully wound watch left off the wrist will keep running for roughly a day and a half before stopping. This is normal and not a fault. When it stops, you simply wind and reset it.
That is the entire principle. Everything below follows from it.
Understanding the Crown
The crown is the small ribbed knob on the side of the case, usually at the 3 o'clock position. It is how you interact with the movement. On your Soren, the crown has distinct positions that control different functions.
Position 0 (pushed fully in): The resting position. On the Oceanic, the crown screws down for water resistance, so it must be unscrewed first before it will pull out. On the Momentis, the crown pulls out directly.
Position 1 (pulled out one click): The date-setting position.
Position 2 (pulled out two clicks): The time-setting position. In this position the watch "hacks," meaning the seconds hand stops, allowing you to set the time precisely.
Getting familiar with these positions is the foundation for everything else.
How to Wind Your Soren
If your watch has stopped, or if you are wearing it for the first time, you will need to wind it manually to get it started.
Step 1. If you have an Oceanic, gently unscrew the crown by turning it counter-clockwise until it releases and springs out slightly. The Momentis crown does not screw down, so you can skip this step.
Step 2. With the crown in position 0 (pushed in, but unscrewed on the Oceanic), turn it clockwise, away from you, roughly 20 to 30 times. You will feel a slight resistance, which is the mainspring winding. This is normal.
Step 3. The watch will start ticking. You do not need to overwind it. The movement has a mechanism that prevents damage from overwinding, but there is no benefit to continuing past the point where the watch is running comfortably. Twenty to thirty turns is plenty to get started.
Once the watch is on your wrist and worn regularly, the automatic rotor takes over and you will rarely, if ever, need to hand-wind it again. Hand-winding is mainly for starting a stopped watch.
A note of caution specific to this movement: the Sellita SW200-1's known weak point is the ratchet wheel under aggressive hand-winding. Wind gently and stop once the watch is running. If you wear the watch regularly, you barely need to hand-wind at all, which avoids the issue entirely.
How to Set the Time
Step 1. Pull the crown out to position 2 (two clicks out). The seconds hand will stop. This hacking feature lets you synchronise the watch precisely to a reference time.
Step 2. Turn the crown to move the hands. To avoid stressing the date mechanism, it is good practice to set the time by moving the hands forward (clockwise).
Step 3. If your watch has a date and you want the date to change at midnight rather than midday, wind the hands past 12 o'clock and watch whether the date changes. If it changes, you are at midnight and can continue to set your actual time. If it does not, you are at midday; continue around another full rotation.
Step 4. Set the hands slightly ahead of the correct time, then bring them back to the exact minute, and wait for a reference clock to hit the top of the minute before pushing the crown back in. This synchronises the seconds precisely.
Step 5. Push the crown back to position 0. On the Oceanic, screw it back down clockwise until snug to restore water resistance. Do not force it; it should turn smoothly.
How to Set the Date
Step 1. Pull the crown out to position 1 (one click out).
Step 2. Turn the crown to advance the date to the correct day.
Step 3. Push the crown back in. On the Oceanic, screw it back down.
There is one important rule here, covered in its own section below, because it is the single most common way people accidentally damage an automatic watch.
The One Rule: Avoid the Danger Zone
Never change the date when the time is between roughly 9 PM and 3 AM.
During these hours, the movement is mechanically engaged in preparing for and executing the automatic date change at midnight. The gears that turn the date are in motion or under tension. Forcing a manual quick-set date change during this window puts stress on these small components and, over time, can damage the date mechanism.
The safe habit is simple. Before setting the date, first move the time to around 6 o'clock, well clear of the danger zone. Set the date. Then set the time to the correct hour. This keeps the date change gears clear of the mechanism at all times and protects the movement.
This single habit prevents the most common avoidable repair on an automatic watch.
Keeping Your Watch Running Well
A few simple habits will keep your Soren accurate and healthy between services.
Wear it regularly. The best thing for an automatic movement is to be worn. Regular wear keeps the mainspring wound and the lubricants distributed evenly through the movement.
Consider a watch winder only if you have several watches. If you rotate between multiple automatics, a watch winder keeps them running so you do not have to reset each one. For a single watch that you wear most days, a winder is unnecessary. Simply wearing it does the job.
Keep it away from magnets. Phone cases, laptop closures, speakers, and magnetic clasps can magnetise the movement, which causes it to run fast. If your watch suddenly gains significant time, magnetisation is the likely cause and any watchmaker can demagnetise it in minutes.
Respect the water resistance. The Momentis is rated to 10 ATM and the Oceanic to 30 ATM. Always ensure the crown is fully pushed in, and screwed down on the Oceanic, before any contact with water. An open crown is the most common cause of water entering a watch.
Store it properly when not worn. Keep the watch in its box, away from temperature extremes, humidity, and strong magnetic fields.
FAQ
How do I wind my Soren watch for the first time?
If the watch has stopped, unscrew the crown first if you have an Oceanic, then turn the crown clockwise 20 to 30 times with the crown pushed in. The watch will start running. Once you wear it regularly, the automatic rotor keeps it wound and you will rarely need to hand-wind again.
Can I overwind an automatic watch?
No. Automatic movements have a mechanism that prevents damage from overwinding. However, there is no benefit to winding past the point where the watch is running, and the Sellita SW200-1 responds best to gentle winding. Twenty to thirty turns is enough to start a stopped watch.
Why does my watch stop when I do not wear it?
This is normal. An automatic watch is wound by wrist motion. When left unworn, the mainspring gradually unwinds over about 38 hours of power reserve, after which the watch stops. Simply wind it and reset the time and date to start it again. If you wear it regularly, it will not stop.
When should I avoid setting the date?
Never set the date when the time is between roughly 9 PM and 3 AM. During these hours the movement is engaged in the automatic date change, and forcing a manual date change can damage the mechanism. Set the time to around 6 o'clock first, then set the date, then set the correct time.
How do I set the time precisely?
Pull the crown out fully to position 2. The seconds hand stops. Set the hands slightly ahead, bring them back to the exact minute, and push the crown in as a reference clock reaches the top of the minute. This synchronises the seconds exactly.
Do I need a watch winder?
Only if you own several automatic watches and want them all running without resetting. For a single watch worn most days, a winder is unnecessary. Regular wear keeps the watch wound naturally.
My watch is running fast. Is it broken?
Most likely it is magnetised, which is common and easily fixed. Magnets in phone cases, laptops, and speakers can magnetise the movement, causing it to gain time. Any watchmaker can demagnetise it in minutes. If demagnetising does not resolve it, the watch may be due for a service.
The Bottom Line
Owning an automatic watch is simple once you understand the basics. Wind it to start it, set the time using the hacking seconds for precision, set the date while avoiding the 9 PM to 3 AM danger zone, and wear it regularly to keep it running. Keep it away from magnets and water beyond its rating, and have it serviced every few years.
Do these few things and your Soren will keep accurate time and last for decades. A mechanical watch rewards a small amount of care with a lifetime of service, which is exactly what makes it worth owning.
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