Automatic winders - Are they worth it?

[andy tims]

Prompted by Sonyman's thread of today I thought I'd try my first poll.

I try to keep my watch box somewhere it can't easily be found, just in case some thieving scum breaks in, but winders are usually out on display. Quite attractive they may be, but surely it's increasing the risk of loosing your collection?

I change my watch most days - setting the time & winding the watch takes roughly a minute & is quite therapeutic so the grab & go factor's not a big plus for me - Worst case, I'll wear the same watch as yesterday.

I'd have thought that in simple terms a watch worn once a week or so, could be serviced less often than one running constantly?

So personally I'm in the "waste of money, electricity & space" camp, but very happy to be convinced otherwise.

[jimboy]

You do have a good point, I follow the train of thought that says an auto needs to be kept going, like a car or a woman :lol: Watches may be cheaper though :blackeye:
I will be thinking hard though when the next auto comes along, maybe it should be a kinetic as they last 3-6 months. Although I do know from experience that kinetics DO need to be wound regularly.

[Mrcrowley]

I,ve used one for a while. However my AP doesn't seem to like it, or vice versa. Just hand winding every 48 hrs for now. If it still stops, will have it looked at.

[Backward point]

I have one - a cheap Time Tutelary which cost around £40 and winds two watches), with another identical one on order through Ebay, this time for £30. At any one time I have 5 - 6 autos.

I understand that leaving an automatic watch idle allows the lubricants to drain away from where they are needed, so on reactivation the mechanism can be running with metal-to-metal, unlubricated contact. Perhaps somebody with greater knowledge of the inner workings of watches can confirm or deny this?

The other benefit is that you can just grab and go, without having to set times and dates when the fancy takes you to change watches.

With regard to electricity usage, mine runs on 12v, so it's negligible.

Regards

Ian

[grey]

Bought a winder from a Coopers of Stortford offer about two years ago, for £29 or so. It runs one hour then stops for two (by design :)) and can be reversed.

It seems to work well with my old 6139 chronos and other 60s, 70s Seiko autos, which I put on it whenever I remember.

I have a Black Monster bought new in December 2006 which I have never worn (make me an offer :)). These take a lot of starting up from accounts I have read, and mine used to stop when I first started to put it on the winder. Now I give it an extended shake (you have to at my age :( ) and it then runs well.

The winder has been a disappointment on my kinetics - a 5M42 certainly didn't gain any energy storage even after prolonged winder activity; in honesty my 5M43 diver usually has '20 seconds' energy stored so it's hard to tell if the winder has any affect.

The other oddity is my 6309-7040 diver, which I have just got back from mrteatime and his local watchmender mate. After cleaning and regulation it runs with amazing accuracy all the time I wear it but stops when left overnight on the winder, or even when I wear it overnight. This latter I put down to the watch spending a lot of time upside down (arm under pillow) and not moving much, but why it keeps stopping when on the winder is beyond me.

Finally the winder made some grinding noises when I tried a quick reverse a week ago, and then stopped. Happily (and surprisingly) after giving it the time-houred take-apart, poke-about and re-assemble, it has started working again - but as before, only on my older non-diver Seikos.

Hope this helps.
Graham

[Chris B]

I used to use mine but it's only used as display case now,

I'd completely forgot how good it was to fuss with a watch when it hadn't been worn
for a while :D

[TheFlyingBanana]

I have winders, but then I have quite a few Autos - at least twenty at any one time. I usually keep a few on a winder as I find fiddling about setting dates annoying.

I am tempted by a nice wall-mounted case with winders, but whenever I think about buying one I tend to spend the money on another watch instead...

[village]

I've got a 4 watch winder which wasn't expensive but has several settings ...fully programmable and all that stuff.
It does the job ok but for no particular reason i've only been using one of the double windrs for the last few weeks. I have been wondering whether to get rid of it or not. Ho hum.

[magirus]

Winding and setting a watch that hasn't been worn for a while is a tactile pleasure for me. Winders? Wrists and fingers do it very well, amongst other things! :wink:

[Bloobird]

Got one for Xmas and it's proved worth it already, purely on the basis a number of my family now think I'm barking for asking for such a thing.

[Chucks]

"A waste of money, electricity & space" - couldn't have put it better myself lol!

[rdwiow]

Given the general accuracy of most watches, they usually need a slight time adjustment when taken off the winder, so it is probably just as easy to pick it up, wind and set really?
The only watch I leave on a winder is my Omega triple calendar just to keep day, date and month correct.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Bought by folks when they first get a nice automatic watch - after that they usually end up in the bin.

[melhick]

Had my winder now for about 4yrs,certainly don't use it all the time,just find it handy sometimes when switching from watch to watch.Originally bought it on the advice of an AD ,who said it was best to keep a quality automatic running continually,that opinion is certainly not shared by all and obviously leads to the next point ;that is,will a watch that is kept continually running need servicing more often?.If so this obviously benefits the AD :wink:

[quoll]

I did not have one for ages, just using a regular box for storage. Then I bought a Navitimer, which does not have a quickset date. Since I like to wear it in rotation, i had to go through the rigmarole of setting the date every week or so, which got to be a real pian.

I bought a cheapy off eBay

(like this one) http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ka003-b-SINGLE-A ... 3358b3ffee

and have found it does the job brilliantly. Doesn't look too pretty, but it works and my watch is fully wound when I need it.

[walkerwek1958]

Prompted by Sonyman's thread of today I thought I'd try my first poll.

I try to keep my watch box somewhere it can't easily be found, just in case some thieving scum breaks in, but winders are usually out on display. Quite attractive they may be, but surely it's increasing the risk of loosing your collection?

I change my watch most days - setting the time & winding the watch takes roughly a minute & is quite therapeutic so the grab & go factor's not a big plus for me - Worst case, I'll wear the same watch as yesterday.

I'd have thought that in simple terms a watch worn once a week or so, could be serviced less often than one running constantly?

So personally I'm in the "waste of money, electricity & space" camp, but very happy to be convinced otherwise.

Agree 100%. You've hit the nail right on the head. Total utter waste of time IMO.

Wear has got to be accelerated if the watch is constantly running...really seems a bad idea to me.

Paul

[Mrcrowley]

I have one - a cheap Time Tutelary which cost around £40 and winds two watches), with another identical one on order through Ebay, this time for £30. At any one time I have 5 - 6 autos.

I understand that leaving an automatic watch idle allows the lubricants to drain away from where they are needed, so on reactivation the mechanism can be running with metal-to-metal, unlubricated contact. Perhaps somebody with greater knowledge of the inner workings of watches can confirm or deny this?

The other benefit is that you can just grab and go, without having to set times and dates when the fancy takes you to change watches.

With regard to electricity usage, mine runs on 12v, so it's negligible.

Regards

Ian

Mine was £220-discounted as a former customer. As I said it was great till the AP arrived. Bearing in mind it has a 22k gold rotor i assume they are build for wrist more than machine?

[o u t a t i m e]

I love the look of big winders. My main one is a large vertical cabinet that spins 9 and holds another 12 in a drawer. I had another three winders that were a bit smaller, but they all stopped working properly (and they didn't like heavy watches from the start). Anyway, I like the fact that the autos are always ready (and for the perpetual calendar watches, the winder is a lifesaver). If I'm in the mood for winding, I wear one of the old manual winds... :wink:

[SternG]

I'm firmly in the "waste of space" camp. However, this

I understand that leaving an automatic watch idle allows the lubricants to drain away from where they are needed, so on reactivation the mechanism can be running with metal-to-metal, unlubricated contact. Perhaps somebody with greater knowledge of the inner workings of watches can confirm or deny this?

sounds worrying. I thought getting them up and running, at least for a while, every few weeks was good practice. Now I'm not so sure :?



Cheers

Stern

[pippin]

I have same concerns. I have a couple of automatics and a couple of manuals that I rotate. I usually let the ones I'm not wearing just run down on the theory that less use results in less wear and tear and greater service intervals. However, I have also heard the theory that watches need to be kept running, and I do worry that frequently pulling out the crown, winding autos to start them up and quick setting date may have its own wear and tear issues.

[SternG]

I have same concerns. I do worry that frequently pulling out the crown, winding autos to start them up and quick setting date may have its own wear and tear issues.

You're not helping mate :twisted: :twisted: :D



Cheers

Stern

[Saibot7]

for me its a kind of paradoxon using watchwinders. the fascinating thing with automatic watches is that they use mya wasted energy :D

[bonzo697]

Only got one auto and even on the winder it will eventually stop - so I don't bother with it.

[Neil.C]

I understand that leaving an automatic watch idle allows the lubricants to drain away from where they are needed, so on reactivation the mechanism can be running with metal-to-metal, unlubricated contact. Perhaps somebody with greater knowledge of the inner workings of watches can confirm or deny this?

And don't ever leave a watch in the crown down position or all the oil will pour out. :lol: :wink:

Watch lubrication is a science measured in infinitesimal amounts of different oils place on certain spots, it's not all sloshing around in there and won't run away. :wink:

[Neil.C]

Oh yeah and watchwinders......................complete waste of time and money IMO.

[miked10270]

I wonder if the design of winders is somehow flawed?

Rather than spinning the watch and interacting with gravity, would it be better if the watch were accellerated & decelerated laterally, possibly with a tray "wobbling" back & forth horizontally with the watch face-up on the tray?

Would that be more accurate in duplicating wrist movement?

Mike.

PS: Stop giggling at the back there! :D

[aldfort]

If you do buy one get a good one. I've just sent mine back as it has become noisy.

That said it did work and kept whatever watch that was on it wound.

Like everything else though different makes have different strength and weaknesses. Mine has great programmability so can be set to suit each watch but it's system for holding the watch is poor. I had to make a pad for the Breitling as the supplied one is too big for example.

Overall I've found it useful. Just have to see how I get on without it for a few weeks. :wink: