Watch Winders FAQ

Freqently Asked Questions about automatic watch winders


What is an automatic watch winder?

Watch winder is a device with an electrical motor which will automatically wind your watch when you are not wearing it. It will maintain your watch in working condition so that it is ready for use at any moment.

On top of that, the watch winder provides a uniform distribution of oil inside the watch. That is, your watch movement will always stay oiled even if you do not wear it for a long time.

Why should one use the watch winder?

Automatic watches have a limited power reserve, so if you stop wearing them and winding them up, they will run down in two or three days. This depends on the watch brand and on movement (caliber) used.

When your watch stops, you must reset time and wind up your watch. If your watch has additional functions (such as, calendar, lunar calendar, perpetual calendar), their resetting may take up quite a lot of time and require certain skills. Additionally, watch movement should work continuously in order to secure movement lubrication.


How does watch winder work?

A watch is placed into a special cup which makes a certain number of rotations with a certain amount of time, slowly spinning in both directions. As a result, your automatic watch will never stop and lubricating oil is uniformly spread throughout the watch movement.

Main winder functions

1. Provides convenience and saves your time, also ensuring you, the watch owner, with a peace of mind and making you feel confident that your watch is ready for use at any moment, even if you wear it rarely.
2. Reduces the wear of watch winding mechanism and thus prolonging they life cycle.


How can the watch winder prolong the life of my watch?

When a watch slows down or stops, the lubricating oil inside it will stay in one place, create clumps and lose a certain viscosity level. As a result, it will be more likely that some moving parts will not be oiled anymore at the moment when the movement will start functioning again.

How long can this device function when powered by batteries?

Check if your winder has battery (accumulator) operation function.
When using batteries, they are estimated to provide normal operation for 200 days with 1150 revolutions per day (data provided by ABEST/BOXY). Battery operation period depends on their quality and the mass of your watch.


Is it necessary to remove the batteries when the device is powered from the mains?

The device is designed to avoid battery discharge when using the adaptor, yet we still recommend that you remove the batteries when connecting the device to the mains. Also, please take into account that the adaptor does not have the function of charging rechargeable batteries (if you use them).

Would it be possible to wind all automatic watches using the winders that you offer?

Almost all. However, there are no rules without exceptions. In 2007 SEIKO released the its SEIKO/KINETIC line of watches. Instead of using the regular battery, this line uses a rechargeable battery energized with a mechanism which is activated by the linear and not by the angular (spinning) kinetic energy of the arm movement.


What is the maximum watch mass for using the watch winder?

Maximum authorized mass is 560 grams (data provided by ABEST/BOXY). Usually, the net mass of watches with a leather watch band is between 100 and 120 grams; with a metal watch band – between 160 and 180 grams.

What is the maximum width of the watch band that can still be used in the device?

33 mm (data provided by ABEST/BOXY). Usually the width of the watch band (strap) can be between 16 and 20 mm.


Is it possible that the automatic watch winder could "overwind" my watch?

No. Today practically all automatic watches have an option, which will switch off the wind-up mechanism as soon as the mainspring is fully wound.
Still, when choosing a winder you should go by the recommendations of your watch manufacturer. You should know in which direction your watch must be wound and how many rotations per day are recommended in order to keep it in good working condition. It should be taken into account that if your watch is spun much more than it is supposed to, it may result in the excessive wear of the movement.