A watch winder is a device which is used to keep automatic watches (also known as self winding watches) running when not worn. It is a convenience device more than anything. If you have a watch you hardly ever wear, all you need to do is wind it up every couple of days/weeks and let it run down. You would probably be better off doing this manually.

Watch winders are very expensive devices, and can range between $200 and $8000. But why do they cost so much? Part of the reason is because of the quality craftsmanship involved, their precision, and their knowledgeable design. The other main reason is because these are specialist items that are manufactured in low quantities.

Automatic Watches

An automatic watch is quite clever in the way that it works because it winds itself using a moving weight inside the watch. The weight swings (or rotates, depending on the watch) when it is worn, and this is what turns the winding mechanism inside the watch.

Simply put, if a watch is not worn, then it will “run down”; in other words, it will stop working. However, watches that have watch winders can keep working, even when not worn. They do this by holding the watch, and moving it in circular patterns to imitate human motion. This operates the self-winding mechanism.

So what is the best watch winder?

Swiss companies such as Penelop make good winders, and are ideal for those who collect swiss watches and want to keep everything truly Swiss. However, some watch winder makers advertise themselves as Swiss when all they have are Swiss mechanisms or Swiss Silsuede interiors. Check with the manufacturer if it is a true Swiss winder or not, if the country of origin is important to you.

There are three main types of winders that you can buy: functional, elegant, or extravagant. The choice you make depends on your needs and tastes. A functional winder can wind one or more watches. They need to be placed on a flat surface so they can hold the exterior of the watch.

An elegant winder is normally enclosed in a box, and, as well as being functional, are nice to look at. Many are made of polished wood or leather. A lot of people choose to put them in display cabinets or on mantelpieces. This is where the Swiss watcher winder makers excel in the market, as the Swiss have long be known for their excellent craftwork and designs.

An extravagant winder has all the functionality and elegance of the other two watch winders, but go above and beyond the call of duty.

Some have heaters to keep the watch near body temperature. Others have built-in storage drawers. And others still have atomic-clock-synchronized time displays. There is much debate in the watch making world about which brands are the best watch winder.

However, many enthusiasts agree that ERS is a good choice, as they are an award-winning company. They have been running for over 15 years, and have distribution centres in Canada, the USA, and Asia.

Everwell, a Hong Kong-based watch winder manufacturer, is also a good choice for those looking to buy quality made winder, as is Wolf Design Watch Winder. However, if you are looking to choose a Swiss winder then a Penelop watch winder would be the best choice.

They have a variety of benefits including (but not limited to), the ability to wind up to four watches at a time (on the standard version alone), an extremely handsome case, and the fact that the watch is set on a vertical plane, which makes sure that the rotor of the watch perfectly activates the wind-up mechanism.

Conclusion

One thing you should is that a bad watch winder can be worse than no watch winder at all. A winder is usually restricted to a very limited number of directions and types of movement. This means that a poorly designed winder might cause unwanted wear on a watch's mechanisms from excessive and repetitive movement. So, think twice before you try to make your own winder out of spare parts in the garage! You would be better off buying the real deal.

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