We will be interested in seeing your pictures. When I wind any spring driven clock, I ease the key into the click, That way, if the click did happen to fail, I have options on how to address the problem without getting hurt
Here is my take on that.
Click assemblies should work and work every time, all of the time. Part time click assemblies should not be allowed.
Some will fail. That failure is normally due to a faulty click, a bad ratchet wheel, a brass return spring, an ill fitted pivot rivet, general wear, a faulty return spring or some other maintenance factor. Sometimes the click assembly design is wrong from the manufacture date. Sometimes the clock frame is not stable enough to support a viable click assembly. If the materials and design are insufficient it is wrong, regardless where or who built the movement. I do not believe that normal winding practices cause click failure. A well designed, stable click assembly will compensate for any winding errors.
If a clock is put into service with a questionable click assembly it is almost inevitable the assembly will fail---maybe not the first day but it will fail. Think of that in terms of Russian roulette or walking in a mine field. It is a mortal sin to overlook a questionable click assembly as good enough. Are you a patch artist or a real, honest to goodness clock repair person?
Special winding gyrations are not necessary for a stable, well designed click assembly. So----If the click assembly is bad---fix it. Fix it properly and it will be dependable for a long time. The old adage holds, “do a complete job the first time.”
Importance? Yes, high on my list.
Dick