Watch winders engender some interesting discussions in our store. We are often asked by customers if they really need a winder. They worry that a winder might “overwind” their watch, ask why they cost so much, and so on.
The quick answer is that you probably don’t need a watch winder but it may be a very convenient enhancement of your watch enjoyment. For instance, if you have a watch with a complication that needs some time and attention to set such as one that incorporates a moonphase or perpetual calendar then you may really appreciate having it on a winder for those times when you aren’t wearing it for a couple of days. Or, if you have a watch rotation and just don’t enjoy winding and resetting a watch that has been “resting,” a winder is for you.
Winders come in various shapes and configurations. You can find excellent winders to show off a prized timepiece. Or alternatively, you might be more concerned about security. In that case you can get a winder designed to be kept in a safe or one that masquerades as a piece of furniture, or that is encased in an actual safe enclosure.
We sell Orbita watch winders. They are well made, have a wide selection of models, and are made here in the US. Orbita has a very handy database of watches indicating the direction that they need to be wound and the turns per day that they require to remain wound. You can find their database here. By consulting this database you can be assured that you are doing the right thing by your watch when you program your winder.
Winders are not inexpensive but as with many things that are mechanical, you don’t get what you don’t pay for. We like the Orbitas because they are really robust and professionally put together. They are not just a box company that buys mechanisms from China that fail after a few months.
