For which type of watch do you need a watch winder?

Almost everyone has a watch. Where watches used to be one of the few methods of seeing the correct time, nowadays a watch is much more an accessory or status symbol. You can divide the type of watches into three categories in terms of technology; quartz watches, automatic watches and mechanical watches. Each of these types of watches has its own advantages and disadvantages. But the difference in technology is very important in daily use. Wearing a quartz watch is completely different from wearing an automatic watch because the energy supply differs.

In this blog we give a short explanation about these different types of watches and we discuss the question for which type of watches you need a watch winder?

Quartz watches

A quartz watch uses a small battery in the watch. The battery gives the watch energy to make it function. As a result, the time is accurately indicated and you only have to replace the battery when it is empty. A good battery can last up to 2 to 3 years, depending on the use and the functions/properties of the watch. With a quartz watch you actually have little to no worry about the watch, also in terms of maintenance.

A quartz watch shows the time very precisely. It is also little or not sensitive to shocks, which could cause the time to deviate. This is an important advantage over automatic and mechanical watches.

Another important advantage is that quartz watches, due to the simpler technology, are considerably cheaper than automatic and mechanical watches. The technology is relatively simple and is mass produced, so that the cost price, and thus the ultimate retail selling price, remains low.

Automatic watches

A watch with an automatic timepiece requires movement of the rotor (part of the timepiece) to activate and function the timepiece. The timepiece can also be wound manually by turning the crown.

By wearing the watch, the timepiece continues to be supplied with energy and continues to function endlessly, until the watch is no longer worn or wound up. In that case, the clock will stop and the watch will stop running. In other words, if you don't wear the watch for a period of + - 30-40 hours (this is the power reserve of most automatic watches), it will come to a standstill. When the watch has come to a standstill, you must first set the time, date and any other properties correctly and then provide the watch with energy again. You can do this by gently shaking the watch or by winding it through the crown. This is a disadvantage of automatic watches. While the technology is very authentic and original. Together with mechanical watches, automatic watches are the purest form of watch technology.

It is precisely this last element that attracts so many watch enthusiasts to buy an automatic watch. An automatic watch is pure, stylish and has a beautiful technique. That is why the very exclusive watch brands such as IWC, Rolex, Breitling etc etc actually only produce automatic (or mechanical) watches. Every watch collector and/or watch enthusiast has automatic watches in his or her collection.

Mechanical watches

The most original type of watch, in terms of technology, is the mechanical watch. This type of watch is actually the origin of all watches, after which automatic and quartz technology were introduced. The mechanical watch has a movement that is only supplied with energy by manual winding via the crown. A spring in the timepiece is tensioned by the winding and when it relaxes the watch starts running. An age-old and above all beautiful system. The technology is comprehensive and complex, which makes these types of watches more expensive compared to quartz watches.

Mechanical watches are still sold but are becoming less popular because an automatic watch actually offers the same with the added advantage that the watch obtains energy by wearing it. An automatic watch is actually a bit more user-friendly. However, the true watch enthusiast will certainly have a mechanical watch in his or her watch collection.

What type of watch is a watch winder suitable for?

After the explanation about the different types of watches, we now come to the question that this blog article is about. For which type of watch do you need a watch winder? To answer this question, we must first briefly explain what a watch winder is.

A watch winder is a device that has become very popular as an accessory for automatic watches. You place an automatic watch in a watch winder and it turns the watch gently, in a certain direction of rotation and with a certain number of revolutions per day. This gives the movement energy inside the watch (the spring is tensioned) so that it keeps running. You do not have to reset the time and date, because the watch does not stop running. A watch winder is therefore extremely handy and saves you a lot of time and effort. In addition, a watch winder ensures a good oil distribution within the timepiece by rotating the watch. This means you also maintain your watches well.

There are all kinds of different brands and types of watch winders. You can think of the Dutch brand Benson, Swiss Kubik from Switzerland or Orbita from the United States. Each brand has its own advantages, disadvantages and price level. But for which type of watches do you need a watch winder? This question is easy to answer; a watch winder is only suitable for automatic watches. The watch winder turns the automatic watches so that the spring inside the timepiece is tensioned so that the watch keeps running. Because the watch winder functions in a certain program of turning and resting, the spring will be tensioned and relaxed. Just like you would wear the watch yourself. A watch winder simulates wearing an automatic watch. This makes the use of a watch winder safe, convenient and also better for the preservation of your automatic watches.

A watch winder is not suitable for a quartz watch. A quartz watch uses a battery as energy supply and does not have an automatic movement that requires movement. Turning a quartz watch in a watch winder makes no sense. An important addition, a question we get more often, is that Seiko Kinetic watches are also not wound up in a watch winder. The Seiko system is not a pure form of automatic technology. The Seiko Kinetic watches have a kind of automatic movement that then stores its energy in a small battery. An ingenious and effective system, but not suitable for use in a watch winder.

A watch winder is also not suitable for a mechanical watch. Simply because a mechanical watch does not have a timepiece where the spring is tensioned by movement of the watch. The spring of a mechanical watch is manually tensioned by winding the crown. Turning a mechanical watch in a watch winder therefore makes no sense, the timepiece will not receive any energy.

A watch winder is the “must have” accessory for automatic watches. Using a watch winder is easy, functional and safe. In addition, rotating watches in a beautiful watch winder, from Bernard Favre, for example, looks beautiful. As mentioned, there are many different types of watch winders. You can opt for a simple but functional watch winder, or you can opt for a luxurious and stylish watch winder. Watch winders start from + - 100 euros and go up to 10,000 euros. The price strongly depends on the brand, the type of motors, the capacity of the watch winder (how many watches can be wound in it) and the use of materials.

So to answer the main question of this blog article. A watch winder is only suitable for winding automatic watches!