Guide to Watch Winders

<p>Watch winders can be useful but are also misunderstood. Are they necessary for a watch collection? Do they do more damage than good? Automatic watches have a lot of moving parts and some argue that they are like a car and should be kept from sitting dormant for too long. Discover all you need to know about a watch winder in our guide.</p>
<h2>What Is A Watch Winder</h2>
<p>A watch winder is a device (usually a box or container) designed to keep an automatic watch wound when it is not being worn rather than letting the power reserve depelete. This helps keep the time, and any date functions set. If the watch is a <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/blog/mechanical-watch-guide.html">manual-wind</a>, a winder will not keep the mechanism wound. For a quartz watch, the winder is also not necessary due to the constant energy from the battery. Winders are becoming popular as people collect more watches and want to maintain the date and time settings while the watches aren’t being worn.</p>
<div id="attachment_1163276" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COveAifAivo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1163276" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-1163276 size-full" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/185222482_500139847804649_579092390489981777_n.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="Wolf 1834 Individual Watch Winder" width="1080" height="768" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1163276" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Source: instagram.com/wolf1834</em></p></div>
<h3>How It Works</h3>
<p>The winder will be battery operated or one that’s plugged into an outlet. The winder is designed to replicate the movement of the watch worn on the wrist, oscillating to keep the mainspring wound. You will find that some watch winders will constantly rotate, and possibly only in one direction. This can put even more stress on the movement if the movement winds bi-directioally as it would not mimic winding on a wrist.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163277" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/winding-a-bulgari-automatic-watch.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" /></p>
<p>A good watch winder will allow you to adjust how many times per day it turns (TPD), and is designed for intermittent rotation rather than constant. There are also going to be settings for uni-directional winding or bi-directional depending on the model. Watch winder brands such as <a href="https://www.wolf1834.com/faq/watch-winder-tpd-settings">Wolf</a> offer a guide to the TPD and the direction a model would need if on a winder.</p>
<h3>Does It Cause Damage?</h3>
<p>A good quality watch winder, thanks to the settings, should not cause damage to a complicated watch. If a watch is not in daily wear, it is suggested to wind it periodically to keep the oils from settling. More use, including on a watch winder, can eventually lead to more wear and tear. Watchmakers in service have only seen problems with watches that have only been on a watch winder for multiple years and no longer have any power reserve. A watch winder should not be in use infinitely.</p>
<p>One argument against using watch winders says that watch manufacturers have continued to expand on technologies used in the movements. Therefore, on newer model watches, modern lubricants are less likely to migrate or dry up as quickly as past variations.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163278" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Rolex-Yellow-gold-sky-dweller.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="Rolex Yellow gold sky-dweller" width="800" height="505" /></p>
<h2>Do You Need A Watch Winder?</h2>
<p>A topic always up for debate among the watch world and collectors is the necessity of a watch winder. A winder is recommended for watches with complex calendar displays.</p>
<p>If you only own one watch, or you only own simple time-only or simple date models, a winder is not needed as setting these manually is much easier. It is also beneficial to let a watch come to a complete stop. From a watchmaking perspective, keeping the watch at full power is not good for the movement either. A winding system in the movement has been designed to run 8-10 hours during the day and then sit overnight.</p>
<p>Is a watch winder necessary for a <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/rolex/">Rolex</a>? Not typically. Most Rolex models are simple time and date models and many modern versions feature a quick set date. If you own a Day-Date or Sky-Dweller, the choice of using a winder will be up to you as those are more complex functions.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163279" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/A.-Lange-Sohne-Saxonia-330.026_3.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia 330.026_3" width="800" height="417" /></p>
<p>Brands such as <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/a--lange-sohne/">A. Lange & Sohne</a>, have recommended the use of a watch <a href="https://www.alange-soehne.com/en/customer-service/handling-tips">winder</a>, citing a positive effect on lubrication and removing the need to set the calendar.</p>
<p>Many collectors like to have a ritual of winding their collection weekly while watching their favorite show. This allows the watches to deplete their power reserve and rest but then still be set and wound within a reasonable time frame for date functions. Some watches with longer power reserves can be wound even less frequently. As with all <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/automatic-watches/">automatic watches</a>, it is best to wind the watch at least 20 rotations before putting on the wrist, or a winder, to get the mechanism moving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>Watch winder images via <a href="https://www.wolf1834.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wolf1834.com</a></i></p>

WatchBox

Written By

Emily Smith

Emily joined the WatchBox team in 2015 and loves the history of watches and learning how they work. She has now started to build out her own collection, consisting of a vintage Omega and vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual, with her eyes on many other pieces. She appreciates the design and intricate details in watches and is always looking to learn more about the art.

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