Watch Winder for Automatic Watch

[Modoc ED]

I got this Diplomat Watch Winder for Christmas. The pictured watch (Seiko Black Monster (automatic)) has been on it since Christmas Day and hasn't skipped a beat. It sure beats having to reset (time, day, date) and start the movement again after an idle period while wearing another watch. Now I think I'll get the Seiko Orange Monster since I'll be able to keep both watches running while wearing them alternately. Sorry the watch is out of focus. I took the picture while the watch was rotating. Does anyone else use these things?

 

[CWL]

I use them for mine and my wife's automatics. Keeping the movement active actually decreases problems from developing so winders are a very good investment for auto watch collectors.

 

[red1965]

I use them for mine and my wife's automatics. Keeping the movement active actually decreases problems from developing so winders are a very good investment for auto watch collectors.

Actually most makers of high end watches will tell you that having your timepiece in a winder does not help prevent any problems. Watches do just fine without the use of a winder. An improperly set winder can over tension some springs causing problems. I used to obsess over this till I had a conversation with a watchmaker. His advice was if your going to use a winder, make sure it is easily programmable and of high quaility. Most that are inexpensive can do more damage than the service they provide.

 

[CWL]

Actually most makers of high end watches will tell you that having your timepiece in a winder does not help prevent any problems. Watches do just fine without the use of a winder. An improperly set winder can over tension some springs causing problems. I used to obsess over this till I had a conversation with a watchmaker. His advice was if your going to use a winder, make sure it is easily programmable and of high quaility. Most that are inexpensive can do more damage than the service they provide.

Good to know but I've had timepieces fail because I wasn't operating the movements enough because they were allowed to stop. Watch winders are quite expensive, but they are far cheaper than the watches they are meant to wind and the cost to have them repaired.

 

[red1965]

Watches with complicated movements could possibily benefit from a winder I guess. I do agree that most winders are cheaper than the higher end watches. Most of my watches are far from high end. I own a couple of Ball watches, the rest are assorted quartz and digital. However, I did ruin a Seiko Monster by using a winder fairly similar to the OP's. It had no ability to to program the amount of time the watch was being wound, and overwound the mainspring. Thus my conversation with the watchmaker...LOL. He said that a good handwinding every other day was plenty to keep your timepieces running just fine. I had never thought about it, but alot of watches spend months or years on store shelves with no provision of being wound and work just fine. I do own a couple of decent winders, but I use them mostly for storage these days.
Just my opinion, I am not any authority on watches by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[CWL]

Watches with complicated movements could possibily benefit from a winder I guess. I do agree that most winders are cheaper than the higher end watches. Most of my watches are far from high end. I own a couple of Ball watches, the rest are assorted quartz and digital. However, I did ruin a Seiko Monster by using a winder fairly similar to the OP's. It had no ability to to program the amount of time the watch was being wound, and overwound the mainspring. Thus my conversation with the watchmaker...LOL. He said that a good handwinding every other day was plenty to keep your timepieces running just fine. I had never thought about it, but alot of watches spend months or years on store shelves with no provision of being wound and work just fine. I do own a couple of decent winders, but I use them mostly for storage these days.
Just my opinion, I am not any authority on watches by any stretch of the imagination.

Speaking of Ball watches, I happen to have this on my wrist right now!

Regarding overwound mainsprings, I'd never heard of that before with automatics. I figured all of them would include a tension release to prevent that from happening.

 

[rycen]

Speaking of Ball watches, I happen to have this on my wrist right now!

Regarding overwound mainsprings, I'd never heard of that before with automatics. I figured all of them would include a tension release to prevent that from happening.

Most if not all automatics do.

 

[Gollnick]

Watches with complicated movements could possibily benefit from a winder I guess.

It's more the owner of the complicated watch who benefits. Tripple- and perpetual-calendars and moonphase dials and such can be a pain to set.

I do agree that most winders are cheaper than the higher end watches.

But they're still annoyingly expensive for what they are. And that's really how they are priced, based not on their own cost or value but on that of the watches they will wind.

 

[CARRERA50]

Recently had a conversation w/ a watchmaker about winders and he thought them a mixed blessing. He likened their use to letting
your car idle perpetually without ever shutting it off; wear WILL occur and lubricants deteriorate over time no matter what you do.

That being said, I've had my 30 yr old GMT master and Orange Monster on winders for years w/out any ill results. I still believe
that any watch lubricant will get gummy of the piece is left unwound for over a year. And, like Gollnick says, they are absurdly
priced for what you're getting.

 

[roughneckrob]

I am alittle confused by this thread. Are you guys saying they are good or bad? I am getting both impressions here. I have a Submariner and a new Bell & Ross and I was considering getting a winder for them as they are always shutting down on me while I sleep.

 

[CARRERA50]

I am alittle confused by this thread. Are you guys saying they are good or bad? I am getting both impressions here. I have a Submariner and a new Bell & Ross and I was considering getting a winder for them as they are always shutting down on me while I sleep.

Both and neither. I think the best option is to simply wear the watch, but that can be impractical for a high-end piece.

 

[Grouch]

Unless you are VERY inactive, neither of these quality watches should be stopping while you sleep; they each have reserves of more than 24 hours. They may need to be serviced.

 

[Modoc ED]

However, I did ruin a Seiko Monster by using a winder fairly similar to the OP's. It had no ability to to program the amount of time the watch was being wound, and overwound the mainspring.

Why would you or anyone for that matter use a winder that can't be programmed? The one pictured above has four programs. They allow for clockwise rotation, counterclockwise rotation, various time allocations for such rotations, etc.. As I said in my OP, I put my Black Monster on the winder on Christmas day and it has been there since. It is right on time, and the day/date setting is correct and changing daily as it should. It has allowed me to wear my Casio watch which I had missed wearing. I've seen no signs of over-winding. Hey!! Anythings possible but I don't believe over-winding with this particular, probramable, winder is a problem.

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[bonzodog]

Iv'e used a programmable winder for years , no problem. Don't forget a mechanical watch still needs servicing.

 

[roughneckrob]

Unless you are VERY inactive, neither of these quality watches should be stopping while you sleep; they each have reserves of more than 24 hours. They may need to be serviced.

They are brand new. I work on an oil rig so I don't wear them while working which is about 14 hours a day not including my sleep time. I only wear it really about 4 hours a day unless I am on days off them I wear at least one of them all day in which they never stop even when I take them off at bed....Maybe its just my job thats causing them to stop.

 

[roughneckrob]

I just looked in my Bell & Ross manual and it says there is no mechanism in this watch to stop it from being overwound. It says when getting the watch going not to wind it more than 40 rotations this will give me a 40 hour reserve and damage can occur if it is over wound. Can you program these winders to account for this?

 

[CWL]

I just looked in my Bell & Ross manual and it says there is no mechanism in this watch to stop it from being overwound. It says when getting the watch going not to wind it more than 40 rotations this will give me a 40 hour reserve and damage can occur if it is over wound. Can you program these winders to account for this?

That's for manual winding via the knob, not the automatic feature. I have that warning on my Breitling & Zenith, but it doesn't refer to the autowind.

Think about it, you wear your auto for an afternoon's worth of sports activity, that premium timepiece isn't going to overwind & implode.

I looked up the term, of the mainspring release.feature, it is called escapement. Look that up for the details.

 

[roughneckrob]

That's for manual winding via the knob, not the automatic feature. I have that warning on my Breitling & Zenith, but it doesn't refer to the autowind.

Think about it, you wear your auto for an afternoon's worth of sports activity, that premium timepiece isn't going to overwind & implode.

I looked up the term, of the mainspring release.feature, it is called escapement. Look that up for the details.

Ahhh, I see. Your right.

 

[u2u]

Jump on a watch forum and ask if you should service a mechanical watch regularly or just "when it needs it", or go on a car forum and ask what oil is best for your car or what change interval to use... Everyone has an opinion but collectively they will be all over the map. I have considered this question for years and I think Gollnick is probably correct and as I own no true complicated watches I put my watch winder money into watches and knives! Nice thoughtful Christmas present though and if I received it I would be happy to put it to use. They provide convenience and are not prone to causing undo wear.

 

[lemmuhj]

ok...what's a good watch winder brand to look at? I'd like to get one but this thread is making me nervous about the prices....i never looked into them, so i have no idea.