101 on Watch Winders

Croton Imperial Dual Time Zone $229.00

At Zulutimezone many of the watches are powered by automatic winding like the handsome Croton Imperial Automatic.  
To keep the watch running one may need a watch winder.

What is a Watch Winder?

A Watch Winder is a device specifically designed for Automatic Watches.  The Watch Winder winds the watch when off the wrist.
Automatic Watches, invented by Perrelet in the 1770's,  are wound by the swinging motion of the wearers arm. This is achieved by a semicircular 'rotor', an eccentric weight that turns on a pivot, visible at the back of  the watch. The swinging motion of the wearer causes the rotor to swing back-and-forth on its staff. The staff is attached to a ratcheted winding mechanism. The motion of the wearer's arm is transferred into the circular motion of the rotor and via a series of reverser and reducing gears, winds the mainspring providing power to the watch.
 Modern Automatic watches contain two ratchets and wind the mainspring during both clockwise and counterclockwise rotor motions.

.  When the watch is not worn, the rotor does not move and although the watch keeps working for a certain period of time - depending on its power reserve capability - the power depletes and the watch eventually stops. (Most automatic watches have a power reserve of 48 or 72 hours. Some watches even have a 7 day power reserve like the IWC Portuguese Automatic, but those watches are few and far between.)
To avoid the watch stopping, it can be placed in a watch winder.  The watch winder mimics the swinging motion of the watch, rotating the rotor and thereby providing power to the watch  and preventing a lapse in timekeeping.
In addition the watch winder usually provides the watch with additional protection from dust and moisture.  Some watch winders even double up as a Safe. 

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  the quartz movement.

I have a manual wind mechanical watch. Can I purchase a Watch Winder too?
Manual wind watches do not have an oscillating weight usually because the company wants to maintain a slimness not  possible with a rotor, or if an intricate movement may be masked by the rotor.  These watches require manual winding at the crown.

 Most Watch Winders are specifically designed for mechanical Watches, and up until a decade ago no Watch Winders were available for Manual Wound Luxury Watches; however in Basel 2000, the company 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? Probably not. If  own only one Automatic Watch, and wear it fairly often, then chances are you do not need a Watch Winder.   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 resetting the time, then the Watch Winder may be a worthy investment.

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. In addition many watch winders are equipped to wind many watches at the same time and double up as a showcase.
Many watches equipped with complications such as a moon phase indicator or perpetual calender (a complex complication that accounts for the differing lengths of months and leap years) need more intense time, date and day/ night adjustments if stopped. 


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.




Can I purchase just any Watch Winder?


No. There are many Watch Winders out there, some are quite cheap as in the $100 range; however beware of gimmicks. Not all watch winders are of equal quality. A cheap watch winder may actually harm the movement of a watch with jerky motions. A luxury watch requires a good watch winder with smooth regular motions.

What is an example of a good watch winder?

The Italian Made Scatola Del Tempo Rotori, is an example of a good watch winder. The Watch Winder is capable of winding multiple watches at once depending on the model. The watch winder rotates clockwise and counter clockwise switching direction automatically. The case is aesthetically appealing with a warm Briarroot Wood Exterior and Leather and Jacquard Silk Interior. In addition, the Watch Winder can double as a Watch and Jewelry Storage Case capable of storing Strap Watch, Rings, Cuff links and Bracelets.


For avid watch collectors who like to make good use of their space can purchase a Bergamo 40 by Orbito equipped with a
watch winder module on command. The watch winder unit slides into oblivion transferring this watch






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.
Watch Winders are becoming more popular as the automatic mechanical trend is rising.