What is a Watch Winder?
A Watch Winder is a device specifically designed for Automatic Watches. Watches which wind the mainspring via the natural motion of the wearers arm. If the automatic watch is not worn for a couple days, the power reserve will be depleted, and the watch will stop. To prevent this from happening, the wearer can place his Automatic Watch on the Watch Winder. The Watch Winder holds the Watch and moves it in circular pattern mimicking that part of the human motion required to power the mainspring.
I have a battery-operated Quartz Watch. Do I need a Watch Winder?
No. The Watch Winder has been specifically designed for the Automatic Watch; however the Watch Winder works for "batteryless" Quartz Watches for example the Omega-matic, Seiko Kinetic and other innovative watches. These watches use the same weight/rotor principle to generate electric power to run the quartz movement.
I have a manual wind mechanical watch. Can I purchase a Watch Winder too?
Most Watch Winders are specifically designed for mechanical Watches, and up until recently no Watch Winders were available for Manual Wound Luxury Watches; however in Basel 2000, Orbita unveiled a Watch Winder for Manual Wound Watches. Utilizing small collets that grasp the crown of the watch, the Orbita Sempre Winder winds the Watch just like you would wind it with your fingers.
I own one Automatic Watch. Do I need a Watch Winder?
No! If you only own one Automatic Watch, and wear it fairly often, then chances are you do not need a Watch Winder, unless of course you get one as a gift from Uncle Henry, and then you may need to display a desperate need for one on account of family peace.
I am an avid Automatic Watch Collector. Do I need a Watch Winder?
I would have to say yes, unless of course you desire to walk around with multiple watches on each arm.
Is it true that the oils can coagulate and clog the watch movements once the watch has stopped?
No! Most oils used today are less viscous than earlier oils, and thus are not prone to coagulation.
Why do I need a Watch Winder?a) If you almost never wear the watch in question, wind it up every couple of weeks and then let it run down; however, if you have an Automatic Watch you wear quite frequently but not continuously, and you usually have no time to keep reseting the time, then the Watch Winder may be a worthy investent.
b)Another instant in which a Watch Winders may be of use to you is if your watch has a perpetual calender (a complex complication that accounts for the differing lengths of months and leap years), and thus keeping it on the Watch Winder will save you quite a bit of time in resetting the date and time.
Why are Watch Winders quite expensive?
As I was shopping around for Watch Winders, I realized that for a simple rotating Watch holder, the prices range from anywhere between $200 and $8000.
Aside from the companies emphasis on quality, precision and exceptional luxury watch care, a Watch Winder is an item that is produced in limited quantities. It is a specialty item that does not have sufficient demand to be mass produced. A Watch Winder is not like your toaster that is a fixture in all households.
I have decided that I would like to purchase a Watch Winder. What types of Watch Winders are available?
1) Functional: These Winders wind one or more watches. The watches are held on the exterior of these gadgets. The more watches that are wound on this type of Winder greatly resemble a ferris wheel at your local County Fair. Watch Winders of this type are displayed on a table top or a high shelf.2) Elegant: These Watch Winders are encased in wood or leather boxes, some come with tight fitting glass doors so that the collector can view his watches while knowing that his watches are protected in a dust free environment. Dust can do great harm to the watch mechanisms. Depending on the size, some of these Winders can be placed inside drawers.
3) Multi-functional: As with Luxury Watches where there is no limit to the amount of innovative possibilities possibilities, Watch Winders can be purchased with heaters that maintain body temperature, extra storage space, atomic clock synchronized time displays, Illumination, new innovative Watch Winding materials.
I found this really cheap "no-name" brand Watch Winder. Do I really need a quality Watch Winder?
Well here is food for thought before you make any rash decisions" A BAD WATCH WINDER IS WORSE THAN NO WINDER. A Watch Winder is specially designed to mimic the motion of the wearers arm. A cheap Watch Winder most probably creates a single repetitive motion that may be detrimental to the watch. In addition the coarse plastic and sharp edges used to create the cheap watches may damage the watch. In addition the noise of grinding gears may drive you bonkers. The more expensive Watch Winders have solved the noise issue, and have created near silent Watch Winders.
If you desire to purchase a Watch Winder, do your research and make sure that you are purchasing your Watch Winder form a credible company.
A Watch Winder is a wonderful investment in that it gives you the opportunity to enjoy all the automatic watches in your watch collection without the headache of constantly resetting the time. All the Automatic Watches in your collection will be readily available for wear.
