The costlier examples are generally more feature-heavy some worthwhile, others a little gimmicky. Buying the best that you can afford is well-worn but still relevant advice. Winders can run anywhere between $50 all the way up to exorbitant prices with many, many zeroes attached to them. In that case, you may decide a watch winder is the way forward, but what should you look for in one and how much should you spend?įor the second point, as with anything horology-related, there is always a more expensive option, but you don’t always have to spend a small fortune to get yourself something serviceable. If you are lucky enough to own an extensive collection of automatic mechanical watches and tend to swap and change them fairly regularly, having them all ready to go at a moment’s notice – without the need to wind and set them first is obviously pretty convenient. Keeping those types of models running constantly is certainly beneficial.
#Rolex automatic watch winder box how to#
However, if a piece with a perpetual calendar or moonphase stops and has to be reset, it can take quite a long time to get right (assuming you even remember how to do it) and it can become an unrelenting pain in the backside – especially if you have multiple watches with these types of complications. In fact, for most horology geeks, manually setting and winding a mechanical watch is one of the great joys of ownership. If a relatively simple time-only watch stops running, getting it going again is the work of a few seconds. 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 you don’t wear your favorite piece except on special occasions, having it sitting idle means there is less of a chance for the gears to accumulate wear. So long as you commit to a strict servicing schedule, where oils are refreshed as a matter of course, having your watch constantly wound is not only unnecessary, but it could actually be harmful. Those against winders point to the effectiveness of modern synthetic lubricants, which are only really affected by things like age or temperature, rather than whether or not they are kept in motion. Additionally, there are other components such as the mainspring that are designed to flex, and leaving them in the same stationary position for too long has the potential to diminish their lifespan. If a watch is left dormant for too long, those oils can dry up, coagulate, or migrate, which can significantly hinder performance.
They are used to reduce friction across the numerous parts and prevent metal-on-metal contact to prolong the life of the components. The case for the former usually centers around the various oils and lubricants that are essential for the smooth operation of a watch’s movement. After configuring your watch winder by setting its direction of motion and the number of rotations per day, you then place your timepiece in the cushioned holder and it starts moving, gently rotating in either one direction or both depending on its settings, and it keeps your watch running until you are ready to wear it again.ĭepending on who you ask, a watch winder is either an indispensable weapon in a collector’s arsenal or a pointless expenditure for people with more money than sense. This means that if you only wear your timepiece on special occasions, it can be carefully “wound” while you are not using it, ensuring that it stays running and displaying the correct time and date.
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. This ensures that the mainspring stays wound. The time it takes for that to happen is known as its power reserve, and it varies across different models and brands, with some (such as the latest from the Panerai Luminor range) taking up to eight days to completely wind down.Ī 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. If the piece is left stationary for an extended period of time, the watch will eventually use up all the tension in the mainspring and the watch will stop.
That motion is transferred to a small weight in the internal movement that oscillates back and forth and puts tension on the mainspring. During normal wear and use, automatic mechanical watches are kept wound and running via the movement of the wearer’s arm.
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