Watch Winder Guide

What is a Watch Winder, and, are all watch winders the same? A watch winder is a device designed to wind up an automatic watch when it is not worn by the owner; so that the watch is ready to be worn by the owner any time. NOT all watch winders are the same. Before buying a watch winder, one should consider the following: 1. An automatic watch winder should provide the three full turning directions so that, no matter what types of watches youI have now or in the future, the watch winder will fit the specifications. The 3 turning directions are: Clockwise, Counter-clockwise, and Alternate. "Alternate" means the watch winder will automatically turn clockwise and counterclockwise alternately. Watch brands such as Rolex requires this Alternate turning mode. 2. An automatic watch winder should provide the industry standard "Turn-and-Rest" programming. That is, it should turn for a period of time, then rest for a period of time. This cycle should repeat automatically until the watch is fully, or close to fully wind up. There should be little or no human intervention required. That is, an automatic watch winder should be controlled by an IC electronic programming, to control all the above functions. The above are the minimum requirements one should consider when buying a watch winder. Without the above functions, you might run into the risk of over-stressing your watch; and reducing the long term mechanical life of your fine timepiece. Other factors to consider are the material used to construct the winder. Is it made of real wood, or cheap thin particle board? Not all wood are the same grade or of the same quality. Many inexpensive cheap winders are made of thin untreated particle board, which is not durable and is easily deformed or broken. If you own an expensive timepiece, it is not recommended to use those inexpensive lower quality winders. Remember, cost should not be the only considerations when buying a watch winder. After all, you have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars invest in a fine timepiece. You should investigate thoroughly when buying a watch winder, and to make sure the winder is indeed compatible with your automatic watch, and won't harm your watches in the long term.