What properties does a good watch winder have?

A watch winder is used to provide automatic watches with energy when they are not being worn. An automatic watch has a timepiece that requires movement or manual winding in order to function. If an automatic watch is not worn for 32-48 hours, it will stop. The time display, date, but also other functions such as a moon phase and GMT function are no longer set correctly. To wear the watch you have to reset all these functions. Not only does this cost time, it is also inconvenient and can even lead to damage to the timepiece. The crown, with which you set the functions, is one of the most vulnerable parts of a watch. The connection between the crown and the timepiece is very thin and fragile.

If you have several automatic watches and you want to properly maintain the watches that you do not wear (so often), then you use a watch winder. But even if you have one automatic watch, it is advisable to use a watch winder. For example at night or when you go on holiday. This watch accessory certainly pays for itself because your automatic watches remain in perfect condition. So you save on maintenance costs. But this watch accessory is especially useful because you don't have to reset the settings of your automatic watches every time.

There are many different makes and models available. But how do you choose a good watch winder? What properties does a good watch winder have? In this blog article we will answer these questions, so that you can make a good choice based on knowledge.

Watch winder motors

A watch winder has a few very important parts. These parts make or break this watch accessory. For starters, the engines are of enormous importance. In addition, the functionality, the use of materials and the finish are important. A good watch winder must offer excellent quality on all these properties. Let's start by discussing the motors.

The motors of a watch winder are, as it were, the heart of this watch accessory. The motors ensure that the watches are rotated and thereby obtain energy. There are many different brands and types of motors. A good motor is durable, virtually silent and ensures even rotation. What we often see with cheaper watch winders is that the motors quickly break down or start making an increasing amount of noise in a short time. Chinese motors in particular have a relatively bad reputation. These are mainly used in watch winders of insignificant and unknown brands. You can buy these brands on Bol.com, Amazon and Alibaba, for example. Cheap usually becomes expensive.

Excellent quality motors come from Japan (Mabuchi), Germany and Switzerland. The Japanese motors used in the Benson watch winders have an excellent price/quality ratio. These motors are durable, virtually silent and run very smoothly. Because the price is favorable compared to German and Swiss motors, the watch winders in which they are used are often very affordable and you buy a lot of value for money.

Motors from Germany and Switzerland are comparable in quality. They may be slightly quieter than Japanese motors but otherwise comparable. The fact that they are made in Germany and Switzerland means that they are considerably more expensive. As a result, the watch winders in which these motors are used, such as Chronovision and Swiss Kubik, are also considerably more expensive than brands that use Japanese motors. However, this price difference can be of minor importance for watch enthusiasts, for example when your watch winder is close to your bed and you want this watch accessory to make virtually no sound.

A completely silent watch winder motor does not exist. You will always hear a certain amount of sound. This sound level can be limited by the design and materials of the watch winder. We will write a little more about this later.

If you want to buy a watch winder, always consider which brand and type of motors it has. Based on this, you can make a well-considered choice so that you can enjoy your purchase for longer.

Capacity

With most brands you can choose a different capacity. There are watch winders in which you can wind one automatic watch, but there are also models in which you can wind 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 or even 16 watches. A good watch winder with a higher capacity has a separate motor for each watch. This gives you flexible settings and the motor is only loaded by one watch instead of two or even more watches. We often see with cheaper watch winders that two watches are placed on one motor. Keep in mind that you then have to place two automatic watches in the watch winder that are wound in exactly the same way. If one watch has to be wound clockwise and the other counterclockwise, one of the two watches will not receive any energy. It will then stop.

We always advise you to choose a watch winder where each watch has its own motor. You are then completely free to set each watch entirely to your liking. This benefits the excitement of the watches. You can also choose to turn off a specific engine and turn on others. Flexibility is very important with this watch accessory.

If you want to buy a watch winder, think carefully about how many watches you want to wind. It makes no sense to buy a watch winder that is too small or too large. For example, if you have 3 automatic watches, you can choose a model for 2, 3 or 4 watches (depending on your future plans). Then do not buy a watch winder for 6 or more watches. You simply have too much capacity. On the other hand, don't buy a model in which you are short of space. Then you still have downtime for one or more automatic watches. We advise you to carefully consider what you need and to include the near future in your choice. After all, if you regularly buy or sell watches, the situation can change.

The rule is that a watch winder with a larger capacity is more expensive. This is because there are more motors, but also because the technology is more complicated because everything has to be operated independently of each. In addition, the cabinet or housing is also larger. This affects material costs and labor hours. These factors all play a role in relation to the price.

Functionality

A watch winder must wind automatic watches safely. Because watch brands use different types of timepieces in their watches, each of which has different winding requirements, a good watch winder must have an adjustable direction of rotation and number of revolutions per day. Suppose you have an automatic watch that is wound clockwise at 900 TPD (turns per day). You must then set the watch winder clockwise (clockwise) to 900 revolutions per day. If you set the watch winder to counter-clockwise and 600 TPD, the timepiece in the watch will not receive any energy. The result is that the watch comes to a stop or stops.

In other words, there are many different watches and timepieces. To ensure that you can wind all these watches, regardless of brand or model, in one watch winder, it is important that you choose a model of which you can set the direction of rotation and the number of revolutions per rotor. This makes you flexible and you can set the watch winder for each automatic watch exactly in such a way that it obtains optimal energy.

By functionality we don't just mean setting the direction of rotation and the number of revolutions per day. By this term we also mean how you set these properties. Various brands use rotary knobs, an app or Bluetooth, while other brands use a modern touchscreen. The touchscreen is our preference. Simply because a touchscreen offers a very good overview of all rotors and the selected settings. In addition, you can select the desired settings with one or two presses on the touchscreen. You can compare it to the operation of your telephone.

Some watch winder brands opt for settings that have already been set. This is handy and sufficient for most automatic watches, but it also offers less flexibility and options than a watch winder where you can set everything yourself per watch. We therefore prefer a model where you can set everything yourself. Normally you only have to do this once for your watches and you are ready within 5 minutes. It's simple and fast.

When we talk about functionality, you can also think of other properties that a good watch winder has. A good example is LED lighting so that you can see the watches well in the dark. A power winding function is another good example. With this function you give the watches extra energy in a very short time. This is useful if you want to wear a watch quickly and do not have time to wind it in your watch winder for a longer period of time. An advantage that the Paul Design watch winders offer is a remote control. This allows you to remotely adjust the settings exactly to your liking, without having to operate the touchscreen. This is a handy extra, but not really necessary.

A good watch winder offers you the opportunity to adjust the settings exactly to the needs of your automatic watches. This allows you to optimally wind any automatic watch and you can enjoy this watch accessory and your automatic watches the most.

Material usage

If you look at the price ranges of watch winders, you will see that the cheaper models are often made of plastic or aluminum. These materials are relatively cheap and easy to machine, making them well suited for the production of watch winders. However, there is an exception, Swiss Kubik produces aluminum watch winders, but they are certainly not cheap and belong to the better models.

Disadvantages of plastic and aluminum is that they cannot absorb noise from the engines well. This allows a watch winder made of plastic or aluminum to make more noise. However, this need not be the case because a good engine already has a low noise level of its own. A good example of this are the Swiss Kubik Startbox and Masterbox watch winders.

In the higher price segment we often see watch winders that are made of wood. This material has many advantages. It is a very beautiful and natural material, it absorbs sounds and is very strong and durable. However, wood is also more expensive than plastic and aluminum. To make a watch winder from wood, many more operations are required, which means that the price is often significantly higher. Nevertheless, a wooden watch winder is definitely our preference. It offers excellent properties for a good model. Brands such as Benson, Paul Design and Heisse & Söhne are good examples of brands that produce beautiful wooden watch winders that are extremely suitable for powering automatic watches.

The Bernard Favre Planet watch winders from Switzerland deserve special attention. These models have a glass dome that gives you a beautiful view of the rotating automatic watch. The bell jar is very strong and can be placed over the watch winder as protection against condensation and dust. This brand combines beautiful materials with a very special design. It is not without reason that Bernard Favre is a favorite among watch fans.
Above we have discussed the materials from which a watch winder is made, but there are also many materials that are used as finishing and decoration. For example, you can think of leather. Various watch winders are provided with a beautiful leather covering so that the model looks attractive. A good example are the Benson Swiss Series watch winders. In addition to high-quality Swiss technology, these models also offer a very nice leather finish on the outside. This creates a combination of excellent technology and a beautiful exterior.

Design

Watch winders come in all kinds of designs. A distinction that you often see is the difference between a classically designed watch winder and a modern designed watch winder. A classic model is characterized by a traditional and sober design and a more minimalistic operation, such as push-and-turn buttons. A modern model is characterized by clean lines and contemporary technology, for example with an app function or touchscreen.

The design determines in principle is independent of the mode of excitement. However, the design is very important because the appearance of a watch winder must also appeal to you. Why would you buy an ugly watch winder for your automatic watches when you can also purchase a beautiful one. Most watch collectors buy a model that matches their watch collection. If you have several classic automatic watches, you will buy a classically designed watch winder faster. For example from the American Orbita. This brand produces high-quality models with Swiss technology and a modest design. If you have more modern watches, a modern watch winder is a better fit. For example a Swiss Kubik or Chronovision watch winder. 

In addition to the distinction between classic and modern, you also have differences in shape and style. Some watch winders are square or rectangular in shape, while other models have more round shapes. One model is very simple and effective, while another model offers much more with, for example, a lockable door, extra storage space and/or a drawer for other jewellery.

One point is important with regard to the design. A more special design often has a higher price than a more simple design. This type of watch winders is easier to produce. If we look at models with a lockable door, lid and extra storage options, then many more working hours are involved. This means that the retail price will also be higher than a simple concept. This is interesting for the watch collector who is looking for a good watch winder, because those who want a simple design can find an excellent watch winder for a very interesting price. If you are looking for a model that has a beautiful design and offers all kinds of extras, count on a higher price. The watch winder can certainly be seen as an eye catcher and interior piece.

In addition to the design, the color also plays a role. Most watch winders are sold in a black or brown color. Why? Because this best suits the interior of the watch collector. Fortunately, there are many brands that produce models in many other colors. You can think of white, red, blue, green and even gold. This means you can always choose a watch winder that fits your automatic watches and interior perfectly.

Finish

A watch winder is an accessory for winding automatic watches. Where a watch is a piece of jewelry that often involves emotion, a watch winder is in principle not. But we see more and more that the owner of a beautiful collection of automatic watches also wants a beautiful watch winder with all the trimmings. A beautiful design, the right color and many functionalities have therefore become increasingly important. As a result, the finish of this watch accessory plays an important role. By finish we mean how far the producer has gone to create the most beautiful and best result. You can think of various layers of paint, special accents in terms of colours, decoration and properties that are very useful that the brand has thought of, but which are not immediately noticeable. For example, a watch holder that clicks into the watch winder so that the automatic watches cannot fall out.

The finish also partly determines the price. The better the finish, the higher the price. Cheaper watch winders are often less beautifully finished and mainly intended for winding an automatic watch. Models in a higher price range often have a very nice finish, making the watch winder not only functional but also optically attractive.

The Bernard Favre and Orbita brands have a very high level of finish. Nothing is left to chance. These two brands provide a fantastic design, high-quality technology and beautiful finish. These watch winders are therefore top products for which you pay a hefty price. They are certainly worth this, but for someone who purely wants a watch winder for winding automatic watches and who does not place so much value in the design and finish, such a brand is not interesting.

There are also various brands such as Benson, Paul Design and Heisse & Söhne that offer a high level of finish at an interesting price. This gives you the best of both.
When you want to purchase a watch winder, you have to decide for yourself whether you go purely for functionality or whether you want to combine functionality with a beautiful design and beautiful finish.

Conclusion

A good watch winder meets certain conditions. The engine is the heart and is therefore extremely important. Do not save on the engines because cheap is often expensive. If the motors are defective, the watch winder is actually useless because it will no longer supply energy to the automatic watches. Our advice is to choose a model with Japanese, German or Swiss motors. Avoid models with a Chinese motors. If the manufacturer or seller does not want to tell you which brand and type of motor is in the watch winder, then you know enough. If the manufacturer or seller does not know, this says a lot about the knowledge and experience in the field of this watch accessory. You should then ask yourself whether you want to buy from this seller.

The functionality of a watch winder is extremely important as we have noted. Do not save on this because you sacrifice flexibility and eventually you will experience that the watch winder may not be suitable for all automatic watches. A watch winder of which you can set the direction of rotation and TPD yourself is absolutely preferable. You can then easily wind any make and model of automatic watch.

The use of materials and the finish largely determine the quality of the watch winder. Solid and durable materials ensure that you can enjoy this watch accessory for years to come, so that your automatic watches are always neatly wound and run on time. Good materials often go hand in hand with good engines because a brand also realizes that you deliver the best product with this combination.

A good watch winder does not necessarily have to have a beautiful design. There are several brands that have very simple designs but deliver good quality. You pay a price for design. If the watch winder is purely intended to wind the watches and if it is, for example, in a cupboard or safe, it makes no sense to buy an expensive model with a beautiful design. If you can appreciate a beautiful design and if you want to wind your watches in a beautiful copy, you can indulge yourself with various brands that produce beautiful watch winders.

Our last advice is to always compare well. Be informed if you are unable to find a solution. A good seller has experience and knowledge about his products and can tell you exactly what you need and especially what you don't. In this way you make a well-considered choice that you will enjoy for years and more importantly, which provides your automatic watches with energy in a safe and professional way. As a result, your watches will always be ready to wear and will indicate the correct time and date. Convenient and better for the automatic watches!