How To Buy A Watch Winder

Eventually, those fairly new to the game will come across the subject of watch winders, and the arguments both for and against them can both be equally compelling. So below, we lay out all the pros and cons, along with our recommendations for what to look for if you decide a watch winder is for you.

A watch winder is simply a device, either plug-in or battery-powered, that keeps a timepiece moving to replicate the effect of it being worn. This ensures that the mainspring stays wound. A good watch winder will have a silent motor and will allow you to adjust the turns per day (TPD) so that you can configure it to your specific watch.

Where the two factions tend to agree that a winder makes a certain amount of sense is in regards to watches that contain numerous complications. If a relatively simple time-only watch stops running, getting it going again is the work of a few seconds. In fact, for most horology geeks, manually setting and winding a mechanical watch is one of the great joys of ownership.

The costlier examples are generally more feature-heavy; some worthwhile, others a little gimmicky. Two of the most important attributes for a winder to have are the ability to rotate in different directions (clockwise, counterclockwise, and bidirectional), and some sort of timer or rotation setting that will allow the watches to rest periodically.

While this mechanism prevents your watch from overwinding itself, it is subject to wear and tear from overuse, just like any other part of the movement. Therefore, having too high of a rotation setting or worse yet, a watch winder that simply stays in constant motion the entire time, will simply put more wear and tear on the components of the winding mechanism and will ultimately do more harm than good, even if it is only on a minor scale. Therefore, many winders allow you to input a certain number of turns per day as a means to help safeguard the caliber from excess wear.

Properly configuring your winder for your watch will entirely depend on the type of watch you own. Many self-winding luxury timepieces, including all Rolex watches, will wind bidirectionally, which means that they will wind themselves both when moving clockwise and counterclockwise. However, there are many others, such as certain models from Jaeger-LeCoultre and Breitling that only wind in one direction, so you will first need to confirm the type of movement in your watch so that you can program its winding settings accordingly.

As for the number of rotations per day, this will also vary depending on your specific watch. Most automatic watches require somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 to 800 turns per day (TPD), but there are some models out there that require either more or less than this. For Rolex watches, you will want to choose a setting around 650 TPD with bidirectional motion. Luckily, this is a setting that you will find on the vast majority of watch winders available, so you do not need a highly advanced winder in order to properly set it up for your Rolex.

Similarly, most modern Omega watches also require a watch winder setting in the 600-800 TPD range with bidirectional motion. Certain self-winding vintage Omega models will require different settings, and anything with a hand-wind movement like the classic Speedmaster Moonwatch simply will not work, as watch winders only work for models with automatic-winding movements. However, for the vast majority of models, you will want 650 to 700 rotations per day, which guarantees that most watch winders on the market will have an appropriate setting for your watch.

Another budget-friendly option is a Versa watch winder. Readily available through a number of online sources, and with prices ranging from $40 for a single watch winder to about $120 for a 4-slot winder, Versa makes solid options for those who require the functionality of an automatic watch winder, but who do not necessarily want to pay a premium for it. While their construction is primarily plastic (for most models), you do get a reliable and silent motor, a respectable number of function settings, and a decent number of options as far as style and designs.

The aluminum and wood exterior is a symphony of high-gloss metallic piano lacquer, and the column houses an integrated B&Z sound system. For those with timepiece collections that deserve to be protected by only the very best, this could well be the ultimate watch winder.

Paul Altieri is a vintage and pre-owned Rolex specialist, entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of BobsWatches.com. - the largest and most trusted name in luxury watches. He is widely considered a pioneer in the industry for bringing transparency and innovation to a once-considered stagnant industry. His experience spans over 35 years and he has been published in numerous publications including Forbes, The NY Times, WatchPro, and Fortune Magazine. Paul is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research and developments in the watch industry and e-commerce, and regularly engages with other professionals in the industry. He is a member of the IWJG, the AWCI and a graduate of the GIA.Alongside running the premier retailer of pre-owned Rolex watches, Paul is a prominent Rolex watch collector himself amassing one of the largest private collections of rare timepieces. In an interview with the WSJ lifestyle/fashion editor Christina Binkley, Paul opened his vault to display his extensive collection of vintage Rolex Submariners and Daytonas.Paul Altieri is a trusted and recognized authority in the watch industry with a proven track record of expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence.

Something odd to me about winders is the dominant aesthetic seems to be either hyper gaudy (blue lights, black lacquer, as if a Vegas strip club) or so stuffy (mahogany and silk as if an expensive coffin).

The single watch winder in brown leather/textured fabric is an older model from Wolf Designs. While this exact one is no longer in production, the brand still offers a number of related models that offer very similar designs, and these are typically some of the most affordable options that the brand produces.

No personal experience with them, but as long as they have a good high-quality motor and a design that you like (and assuming it has the appropriate settings necessary for your watch), then it should be a solid choice!

As long as the winder is properly configured for your watch, your Rolex watches should stay running and maintain the proper time and date. With that in mind, if you do not wear them for more than a month, the date may be wrong due to the different number of days in each month. Only the Rolex Sky-Dweller will compensate for the different number of days (due to its annual calendar complication), and even it needs to be re-set on the first of March. Additionally, no mechanical watch, Rolex or otherwise will keep perfect time, so it will not be the exact time if you are comparing it to an atomic clock. However, if recently serviced it should only with a variance of several seconds per day, so if you notice it minutes or hours off each then day, then the watch likely needs repairs or servicing.

What a winder company may call their settings can vary from one manufacturer to the next but you want to aim for ss TPD setting of around 650 turns per day. If your winder gives you time-based options there should be a conversion chart in the manual with the approximate number of rotations it provides.

Although all winders work differently, rotating one full turn every 10 seconds sounds a bit slow. One possible cause for this may be that if the winder has an inexpensive motor, then the weight of the watch could be impacting its rotation speed, resulting in fewer rotations per day than what should occur. Additionally, it is also possible that the motor is starting to give out, and so it is not able to run at its proper capacity.

Bob's Watches is an independent watch dealer and is not sponsored by, associated withand/oraffiliated with Rolex S.A., Rolex USA, or any other brand listed on its website.Bob'sWatchesonly sells pre-owned watches and provides its own warranties on the watches itsells.The brandnames and associated model names for Rolex, OMEGA and other manufacturers are thetrademarks oftheir respective owners.

Simply put, a watch winder is a device that will rotate your watch a few turns each day. This allows automatic watches to keep running despite not being worn. The manner of rotation depends entirely on the brand or model of the winder. Furthermore, they come in various designs, sizes, and features.

The AOKELILY Automatic Single Watch Winder is perfect for your one-watch collection. As its name suggests, it can only wind one watch at a time. But despite its limited capacity, it uses high-grade PU leather that gives it a premium look and feels. This makes it a great way to show off your luxury watch.

Another great one-watch winder is the CHIYODA Single Automatic Watch Winder. This time, it is made of 100% handmade wood for an elegant design. On the outside, it has a high-gloss lacquered finish and an acrylic glass window so you can view your watch. Furthermore, its pillow has an 80mm diameter and can hold most, if not all, watches.

The winder is powered by a Japan Mabuchi motor, which is durable and silent. Moreover, it offers 12 rotation modes. These modes let you choose your preferred Turns Per Day (680, 1050, 1400, 2100) and direction (clockwise, counterclockwise, or both).

If you have more than one watch, then the JQUEEN Double Watch Winder will fit two of your treasured timekeepers. It is made with a premium ebony wood finish for that aesthetic look and despite its compact size, it can fit two oversized watches with no problems. 781b155fdc