Watch winder vs premature thread wear on crown

[cjmaud]

I know there are numerous articles on the benefits/cons of watch winders, and I am generally of the opinion to NOT use one (plus I enjoy setting and winding my watch). I rotate watches daily, so they always end up losing power and stopping before I pick it back up later in the week.

I recently had one of my my watches sized at a Fine Watch Repair shop, and I was told it was better to use a winder so to not wear out the threading on the crown, which is expensive to replace, if I am having to set/wind my watch every 5-7 days. Any opinions on the validity to this? I only own Rolexes and APs at the moment.

[WatchTimes]

If I owned some major complication perhaps Id get a winder but I don't even mind setting my DD when I haven't worn it for a while.

Only watch I wear and never set the date is my 1675 as its not quickset but I don't wear it that often and when I do I rarely care about the date or can find it elsewhere if I need it.

[worldofoyster]

no single rolex needs a winder

[padi56]

Originally Posted by cjmaud

I know there are numerous articles on the benefits/cons of watch winders, and I am generally of the opinion to NOT use one (plus I enjoy setting and winding my watch). I rotate watches daily, so they always end up losing power and stopping before I pick it back up later in the week.

I recently had one of my my watches sized at a Fine Watch Repair shop, and I was told it was better to use a winder so to not wear out the threading on the crown, which is expensive to replace, if I am having to set/wind my watch every 5-7 days. Any opinions on the validity to this? I only own Rolexes and APs at the moment.

Well been wearing Rolex watches for over 50 years and a few of them were manual wind with screw down crowns and got wound up daily for decades without any problems.And even with automatics not a problem to wind when ever you want to manually wind.And things like crown tubes are always changed at normal RSC service included in the service cost,and crowns to are just serviceable items to you do not want a machine winder.

[L8r]

A watch winder is an interesting concept.
I've worn a Tudor Submariner and a DJ on and off for nearly forty years, and they were used when they were given to me. I'll pick one up, give it a couple of few shakes, set the time, and I'm off to the races.
I do get them serviced once in a blue moon, but no one has ever said I might be wearing out the threads. I never thought of finger-tight as being an issue. Well, I suppose Clark Kent my have an issue.
Or just maybe someone has a watch winder to sell.

[Krash]

I can’t comment on your question about re-setting/rewinding watches every 5 to 7 days. But I’ve been interested in getting a winder for a while now. Maybe someday I’ll pull the trigger.

I’m always more inclined to put a watch on that’s already running. If it’s not, then I’ll just dismiss it. When I was working, this was especially true. But now that I’m retired, I still find myself in this same mode.

A winder would solve this issue for me.


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[brandrea]

I hope manual winding isn’t bad for my Speedy

[IFlyPlanes]

If I'm not going to wear a watch for a few days, I'll put it in a winder. If I'm not going to wear a watch for a few months, I'll wind it manually when I need to.

[Kevin of Larchmont]

It’s hard to imagine that one could wear out the threading on the crown/crown tube with regular ordinary use. And even if it is a thing they are easily replaceable items during a service. Just wind with care and wear the watch.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by cjmaud

I know there are numerous articles on the benefits/cons of watch winders, and I am generally of the opinion to NOT use one (plus I enjoy setting and winding my watch). I rotate watches daily, so they always end up losing power and stopping before I pick it back up later in the week.

I recently had one of my my watches sized at a Fine Watch Repair shop, and I was told it was better to use a winder so to not wear out the threading on the crown, which is expensive to replace, if I am having to set/wind my watch every 5-7 days. Any opinions on the validity to this? I only own Rolexes and APs at the moment.

Let me guess, the "fine watch repair shop" had winders for sale?

If you are unscrewing, setting, and screwing down your crown 50 to 55 times a year, unless you have no mechanical sympathy whatsoever, it is likely that your crown and tube threads will last well beyond any recommended service interval.

In short, whoever told you that is wrong

[Harry-57]

If a properly screwed in and out crown can shed its thread in normal use, even over many years, it's a pretty rubbish watch. The seals are a different matter but they will decay over time regardless. If living in a correctly set winder, even over many years will prematurely wear the movement it's a pretty rubbish watch. To avoid stripped threads and knackered movements just buy a good quality watch like a Rolex.

[KatGirl]

To my way of thinking, it’s common sense. Why put wear and tear on the movement when unnecessary? The crown tube issue and thread wear sounds made up. I have some very nice winders, but haven’t used them, in years. I should sell them. I enjoy setting and winding my watches, when I change them. It’s part of the joy of my hobby.

Kat


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[VonSomething]

Rolex watchesaren't made to be worn daily. It's better to keep them hidden in a desk drawer and only wear them occasionally to prevent any potential wear.

How many rotations does a winder make per day? 500-800? How many rotations do you think a watch gets on a person's wrist? Definitely more than that. Yet yall want to argue that winders are bad for your watches. Using your own logic you shouldn't wear a watch too often. In fact, better stick to a maximum wear of 4 hours per day.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by VonSomething

Rolex watchesaren't made to be worn daily. It's better to keep them hidden in a desk drawer and only wear them occasionally to prevent any potential wear.

How many rotations does a winder make per day? 500-800? How many rotations do you think a watch gets on a person's wrist? Definitely more than that. Yet yall want to argue that winders are bad for your watches. Using your own logic you shouldn't wear a watch too often. In fact, better stick to a maximum wear of 4 hours per day.

I wholeheartedly agree. If a Rolex can be worn everyday, it can handle a winder. Not sure what all the fuss is about.

If it can’t handle a winder, then how could it handle being worn everyday?


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[~Ocho1~]

Both sound silly to me. I've use a winder for a few years now. I like to just grab & go which ever watch I want to wear that day. Never had any problem with any watch.

I also hand wind some of my watches & really don't see how you can wear out a crown, as long as you don't cross thread it.

[omar10213245]

if you like the idea of using a watch winder, go for it. but they are absolutely 100% not a necessity for you in any way, and that includes in guarding against the "wear and tear" of a crown.

personally, the only way i'd even think of considering a winder was if i'd purchased a perpetual calendar complication or something, where it's important to keep it properly synced up.

[paul cbc]

I have a manual wind 6694 Rolex Oysterdate from 1970.
Rolex made manual wind watches with screw down crowns from the early 1950's through the 1980's.
I think they have the crown tube wear and tear reliability figured out as these watches would be winded on a daily basis.

As others have noted, unless you are hamfisted or very unfortunate, it is difficult to cross thread/damage. Wear, hand wind, or watch winder as you prefer.

[luk4s83]

There's an argument about watch winders in online watch community pretty much since forever. I don't think there's good answer. I'm not sure about Rolex, but there are several automatic movements, like ETA 2824-2 that are notorious from having issues caused by handwinding. On a flip side, watch winders always work on some sort of a pattern, so they will cause uneven wear. Letting your watch sit for weeks or months isn't good either. I guess the best way is to wear a watch daily or in a small rotation, but that's pretty hard if your collection got out of hand lol.

[gerrya]

Originally Posted by VonSomething

Rolex watchesaren't made to be worn daily. It's better to keep them hidden in a desk drawer and only wear them occasionally to prevent any potential wear.

How many rotations does a winder make per day? 500-800? How many rotations do you think a watch gets on a person's wrist? Definitely more than that. Yet yall want to argue that winders are bad for your watches. Using your own logic you shouldn't wear a watch too often. In fact, better stick to a maximum wear of 4 hours per day.

I totally agree. Been using winders for 30 years. I've had my Explorer II for 10 years and maybe it's gone a month without running, still hasn't been serviced. But I bet when they open it they are going to have to vacuum the metal shavings from the winder usage. When I'm heading to work and I'm deciding what watch to wear, I would be grabbing the running one. Winder makes it easier choice, there all running.

[luk4s83]

Originally Posted by gerrya

I totally agree. Been using winders for 30 years. I've had my Explorer II for 10 years and maybe it's gone a month without running, still hasn't been serviced. But I bet when they open it they are going to have to vacuum the metal shavings from the winder usage. When I'm heading to work and I'm deciding what watch to wear, I would be grabbing the running run. Winder makes it easier choice, there all running.

Do you track accuracy? Is it pretty much the same as it was when your Explorer II was new?
It's different if you have a few watches on a winder and still wear them regularly, and it's different if you keep a watch on a winder for months without wearing it at all.

[JSol1]

I’ve never cared for or used Winders…until today. Just got back from the AD and came home with my first Annual Calendar…a Patek 5396.
I will be putting this one on a winder. I own 7 Rolexes and wear them all in rotation and manually wind the 2 GMTs when not wearing.
Patek provides a winder for all of their PPs when purchasing, but sadly not for the ACs, so I will be purchasing a programmable winder for my new addition.

[gerrya]

Originally Posted by luk4s83

Do you track accuracy? Is it pretty much the same as it was when your Explorer II was new?
It's different if you have a few watches on a winder and still wear them regularly, and it's different if you keep a watch on a winder for months without wearing it at all.

Sure do, even have a timegrapher, when new it was +2, now its -2/day. And yes, most they go is 3-4 days then back on wrist

[luk4s83]

Originally Posted by gerrya

Sure do, even have a timegrapher, when new it was +2, now its -2/day. And yes, most they go is 3-4 days then back on wrist

That's a good approach. I hoarded way too many cheap watches. Love them all, but it's nearly impossible to keep all of them running regularly :)

[Pepperjack]

I have estimated thousands of Rolex services for my shop. The threading on the crown and tube is quite robust; I could probably count on one hand the number of times the crown was required solely due to the threads being stripped. More often than not, the required replacement is due to heavy dents, age, cross threading, or straight-up missing.

TAG Heuer crown threads on the other hand ...

On the topic of winders, I would highly recommend them for those that wish to wear the watch daily but aren't active while doing so. Wearing the watch does not necessarily wind the watch.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by cjmaud

. . .
I recently had one of my my watches sized at a Fine Watch Repair shop, and I was told it was better to use a winder so to not wear out the threading on the crown, which is expensive to replace, if I am having to set/wind my watch every 5-7 days. Any opinions on the validity to this? I only own Rolexes and APs at the moment.

Many, many Rolex watches are not perpetual, including all Daytonas until the Zenith movements. These watches are unscrewed and wound every single day they are worn and go for decades without issue.

As to winders: A watch continuously running is incurring maximum wear, a non-running watch is incurring zero wear. By the reasoning you cite, you are wearing out everything and not just crown threads.

[Gearjockey]

I change time zones frequently, and I was resetting my submariner every time.
I was more worried about the mechanism inside to change the time than crown threads.

That being said, I purchased a GMT master and although I don’t go hard on the mechanism, I still unscrew and screw in the crown quite frequently.

Guessing those were made to hold up to that use more. Who knows.

[gerry100]

Be your own winder

[Dave O]

Originally Posted by luk4s83

Do you track accuracy? Is it pretty much the same as it was when your Explorer II was new?
It's different if you have a few watches on a winder and still wear them regularly, and it's different if you keep a watch on a winder for months without wearing it at all.

Originally Posted by Tools

Many, many Rolex watches are not perpetual, including all Daytonas until the Zenith movements. These watches are unscrewed and wound every single day they are worn and go for decades without issue.

As to winders: A watch continuously running is incurring maximum wear, a non-running watch is incurring zero wear. By the reasoning you cite, you are wearing out everything and not just crown threads.

I've been using watch winders for over 20 years, and have gone 15 years before needing a service. Accuracy has been good as well as you can see by my watch tracker app. I have 12 watches in rotation (10 automatics) and want them ready to go when I decide what watch to wear that day.

[pedersenkl]

No right or wrong answer here.

I use an Orbita winder, not because I cannot wind and set my own watches, but because I like the convenience of picking up one or switching during the day ….and just going.

[hartsy]

I was gifted a very nice winder but dont see myself using it until I have more than 1 watch I would wear daily. I do worry about how much stress the "pillow spring" of the winder would pit on my bracelet at times though