Watch Winders

[Mattybayston]

Hi all, I have my Rolex datejust and just wondering about watch wonders to keep it going while I don’t wear it. Are there good and bad watch winders? Are there specific things to look out for specific for a Rolex movement?

If not wearing the watch other than special occasions, is it better to leave the watch to go flat and wind when needed or keep on a winder to keep it going?

Sorry for the novice questions.

Thanks for any advice

[amphr1]

If you don't wear it, don't wind it. Just wind it once a month to keep the lubricants from settling.

[TexEd]

Originally Posted by Mattybayston

Hi all, I have my Rolex datejust and just wondering about watch wonders to keep it going while I don’t wear it. Are there good and bad watch winders? Are there specific things to look out for specific for a Rolex movement?

If not wearing the watch other than special occasions, is it better to leave the watch to go flat and wind when needed or keep on a winder to keep it going?

Sorry for the novice questions.

Thanks for any advice

I personally do not use them anymore; did originally when first starting out but only for a couple of months. I store them in a nice presentation/storage case. No big deal setting one when ready to wear it. Just my .02

[Tools]

A watch that is always running is incurring maximum wear of the moving parts.

A watch that is not running is incurring zero wear on the parts.

[Oldbigmouth]

Originally Posted by Tools

A watch that is always running is incurring maximum wear of the moving parts.

A watch that is not running is incurring zero wear on the parts.

Exactly!

[Brew]

I would just wind when necessary.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Lew Archer]

If you do get a winder, I've had good luck with Wolf.

If you're rarely wearing the Datejust, probably no reason to get a winder. It's not a chore to get it set properly on those occasions you choose to wear it. I use my two wolf winders for a couple of watches that, for different reasons, are a bit of a chore to get back into action. For example, an old Omega Speedmaster, with day of the week, date and month functions, that's hard to wind manually. All those functions can be tedious to set, and the difficulty of manual winding doesn't help. So, with a winder, the watch is more or less ready to go.

I say more or less because, overtime, the watch will gradually lose time. So, if I haven't worn it for quite a while, when I take it off the winder, I will still need to adjust the time. However, adjusting the time by a few minutes is far less of a hassle then starting from scratch...winding it up, setting the day, date, etc.

Some winders are set up to turn in one direction, some alternate directions, and speeds may vary. The Wolf I use is a single unit, goes for around $300, and the direction alternates and the speed is pre-set.

A last thought--I prefer to use strap watches on the winder, because the little pillow that the watch goes on, especially when brand-new, tend to be a bit too thick for a watch with a bracelet--at least for me, since my wrists are thin. Others may not have this issue. But, I had a watch with a bracelet on a winder and it was a chore to get in fastened around that pillow. And, after some time, it did seem the bracelet stretched, at least just a bit. I would have the same concern about a watch with a leather strap that has a deployment clasp, since it's fitted much like a bracelet. In fact, the leather in that case would be far more likely to stretch. So, by strap, I mean the old type with a traditional buckle, where you can loosen the strap to fit easily. Some have devised various tricks to compress the pillow (the issue surfaces in watch rolls, which some here use for storage). There are threads that discuss these methods, if it becomes a concern for your DJ.

There's no necessity, mechanically, from all I've read, to keep an automatic watch going. Concerns about lubricant settling seem to be without merit, or at least overstated, but the monthly wind as one member suggested here up certainly wouldn't hurt. If you follow the maintenance guidelines and get the watch serviced periodically, depending on your level of use, I wouldn't worry about the watch being not in use for long periods. Likewise, if you wear the watch everyday, or keep it on a winder, periodic service will address ordinary wear. However, you may want to follow the manufacturer's service recommendation more precisely, if the watch is constantly running. I'm not a watch maker, by any stretch of the imagination, so when in doubt...ask one! A call to a Rolex Service Center would likely yield the most up to date and accurate technical information. I've had good experiences with the Rolex service center in Los Angeles.

Good luck!

[214270Explorer]

The never ending winders versus none.

Wearing it on your arm is the BEST winder.

Leave it run down if you are not going to wear it for a while.

Watch winder money is better spent elsewhere.

[js613]

Originally Posted by Lew Archer

If you do get a winder, I've had good luck with Wolf.

If you're rarely wearing the Datejust, probably no reason to get a winder. It's not a chore to get it set properly on those occasions you choose to wear it. I use my two wolf winders for a couple of watches that, for different reasons, are a bit of a chore to get back into action. For example, an old Omega Speedmaster, with day of the week, date and month functions, that's hard to wind manually. All those functions can be tedious to set, and the difficulty of manual winding doesn't help. So, with a winder, the watch is more or less ready to go.

I say more or less because, overtime, the watch will gradually lose time. So, if I haven't worn it for quite a while, when I take it off the winder, I will still need to adjust the time. However, adjusting the time by a few minutes is far less of a hassle then starting from scratch...winding it up, setting the day, date, etc.

Some winders are set up to turn in one direction, some alternate directions, and speeds may vary. The Wolf I use is a single unit, goes for around $300, and the direction alternates and the speed is pre-set.

A last thought--I prefer to use strap watches on the winder, because the little pillow that the watch goes on, especially when brand-new, tend to be a bit too thick for a watch with a bracelet--at least for me, since my wrists are thin. Others may not have this issue. But, I had a watch with a bracelet on a winder and it was a chore to get in fastened around that pillow. And, after some time, it did seem the bracelet stretched, at least just a bit. I would have the same concern about a watch with a leather strap that has a deployment clasp, since it's fitted much like a bracelet. In fact, the leather in that case would be far more likely to stretch. So, by strap, I mean the old type with a traditional buckle, where you can loosen the strap to fit easily. Some have devised various tricks to compress the pillow (the issue surfaces in watch rolls, which some here use for storage). There are threads that discuss these methods, if it becomes a concern for your DJ.

There's no necessity, mechanically, from all I've read, to keep an automatic watch going. Concerns about lubricant settling seem to be without merit, or at least overstated, but the monthly wind as one member suggested here up certainly wouldn't hurt. If you follow the maintenance guidelines and get the watch serviced periodically, depending on your level of use, I wouldn't worry about the watch being not in use for long periods. Likewise, if you wear the watch everyday, or keep it on a winder, periodic service will address ordinary wear. However, you may want to follow the manufacturer's service recommendation more precisely, if the watch is constantly running. I'm not a watch maker, by any stretch of the imagination, so when in doubt...ask one! A call to a Rolex Service Center would likely yield the most up to date and accurate technical information. I've had good experiences with the Rolex service center in Los Angeles.

Good luck!

I use a watch winder for my chronographs and my DD, to avoid the hassle of setting the day, date, month, moon phase, etc. if I don't wear one of them for several days. The winder I have runs intermittently and allows me to set the direction and number of turns per day independently for each watch. I wind less complicated watches by hand as needed.

[doboy007]

Originally Posted by amphora001

Just wind it once a month to keep the lubricants from settling.

Don’t believe this is true, at least not monthly.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Mattybayston

Hi all, I have my Rolex datejust and just wondering about watch wonders to keep it going while I don’t wear it. Are there good and bad watch winders? Are there specific things to look out for specific for a Rolex movement?

If not wearing the watch other than special occasions, is it better to leave the watch to go flat and wind when needed or keep on a winder to keep it going?

Sorry for the novice questions.

Thanks for any advice

Just one question.
How often or infrequently do you anticipate wearing the watch?

If you anticipate wearing it once a month or perhaps more often, then I would dispense with doing anything other than adopting a simple manual winding as required with a set and go approach.
If it's a case where you are anticipating wearing it less frequently than once a month i would be inclined to adopt the same approach anyway

Seriously though, winders are best suited for watches that have complications like perpetual calendars, and so forth.
Try not to overcomplicate your ownership experience and enjoy your watch. Don't over think it all

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by doboy007

Don’t believe this is true, at least not monthly.

I have to ask
What do you believe to be true?

[doboy007]

Originally Posted by Dirt

I have to ask
What do you believe to be true?

Just don’t buy the monthly part. Every several months or quarterly should be more than enough. I’ve had my watches sitting around for little over a year and still keeps great time. Before COVID, lot of Rolex models were sitting around unsold, you think AD’s wound them up?

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by doboy007

Just don’t buy the monthly part. Every several months or quarterly should be more than enough. I’ve had my watches sitting around for little over a year and still keeps great time. Before COVID, lot of Rolex models were sitting around unsold, you think AD’s wound them up?

Thanks for the clarification

[Boaters]

Orbita is a great winder ... Battery or AC makes it so nice love mine good luck. Oh by the way welcome to the forum..

[Polar Bear]

Unless we're talking perpetual calendars or vintage watches without a quick set date, winders don't make much sense, when you think about it

If you only wear it once every couple of weeks/months and keep it on winder, you're likely going to have to eventually reset the time when you go to put it on as it wont be right anyway.

If you're so busy that the 10 seconds it takes to wind and set your watch is important to you, then the time it takes you to remove the watch from the winder will bother you just as much

There's also the issue that you cant really put a winder in a safe (unless you've got DEEP Pockets) so now you're faced with the choice of leaving it on your nightstand on a winder or leaving it somewhere secure when not on your wrist.

I don't buy the "a winder wears out parts" argument as watches are designed with daily wear in mind. Vintage Rolex were meant to be worn daily and serviced irregularly (if ever) so unless we're talking about some super delicate movement, making it live the life it was designed to live doesn't sound like an issue. This is especially true with Wolf winders where you can set the turns per day to a rate when the movement is never fully wound if you choose too

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

I don't buy the "a winder wears out parts" argument as watches are designed with daily wear in mind. Vintage Rolex were meant to be worn daily and serviced irregularly (if ever) so unless we're talking about some super delicate movement, making it live the life it was designed to live doesn't sound like an issue. This is especially true with Wolf winders where you can set the turns per day to a rate when the movement is never fully wound if you choose too

Perhaps one could re-phrase that

A watch that is not used, is not wearing out.
A watch that is kept on a winder is the equivalent of being used.
With regard to service requirements of old.
The standard industry recomendation was always every 3 years or until the watch was acting up somehow.
Then it changed to every 3-5 years or when there was a problem.
Then it became 5-7 years or when there was a problem.
Now it could be 8 or 10 years depending on usage.
What I regard as my finest watch is listed by the manufacturer as every 3 years and the manufacturer of my next watch used to be 3 years but have recently changed to 3-5 years.
I've met people who have gone 20 years on a vintage Rolex.
It varies

[Flintstone]

I trust my AD who has introduced me to this hobby/obsession. He believes in watch winders and so do I. Besides the mechanical aspect, it’s a way to display your watches and keep them safe. I also find the sound of the watches in motion to be soothing.

[HACKNSACK44]

I use a Wolf winder for my 114060. In my situation (paralyzed) I'm unable to wind and set it so a winder works great for me. Now if I do need to adjust it for whatever reason my wife helps me out.

[toolr]

I've been using winders for 14 years without issue.

[Billfish]

I think watch winders rank up there with golf club iron covers

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Mattybayston

Hi all, I have my Rolex datejust and just wondering about watch wonders to keep it going while I don’t wear it. Are there good and bad watch winders? Are there specific things to look out for specific for a Rolex movement?

If not wearing the watch other than special occasions, is it better to leave the watch to go flat and wind when needed or keep on a winder to keep it going?

Sorry for the novice questions.

Thanks for any advice

The only winder any Rolex needs is the ones attached to your arms called wrists.I sometime wonder how the hundreds of thousands of Rolex owners managed in bygone days without the aid of machine winder things,phone apps timegraphers and the rest of todays watch toys.Perhaps then they bought there Rolex watches to be worn and enjoyed like it should be today.

IMHO automatic watches are designed to be worn by people only, and not on a expensive box machine winder, and while on a machine its in the same position for hours,days or even weeks,months .Now most people move in a huge diversity of manners, causing a fairly even distribution of motion of the watches winding mechanism and escapement positions.Now because a watch winder is normally limited to a very small number of directions and types of movement normally just back and throe.

IMHO a badly designed winder could in theory damage a watch and cause wear from excessive and repetitive movement on the same plane and axis to the escapement wheel pinions.And today because the oils used in most modern watches today including Rolex, and when properly serviced are not very prone to clotting or coagulating like the old mineral oils. So its not a problem to just rest a watch for a month or longer then just wind reset and go, must take all of 30 seconds to do.

But if stored for longer than a month I would recommend to just give them a small wind to keep the tiny amount of oil around the movement.Think of it this way if you had a choice of two watches one thats been on a winder for a few years.Or a watch that was new old stock unused unworn which one would you choose.

While there is no significant evidence that a good watch winder will either save or harm your watch.Over the 30 plus years of dealing with RSC Bexly and talking to the various watchmakers there, who did not recommend watch-winders for any of the Rolex line up.Its quite funny now that Rolex brought out a Rolex branded winder but made by a third party,its simple today many watch winders = big £££$$$ and huge profits.IMHO many watch-winders today have a high quality finish on the outside (to justify the extremely high price),but hiding some very cheaply mass-produced insides. .

[Bizcut1]

I've used watch winders for thirty years. No problems and very convenient.

Rolexes, Omegas, etc etc

[Mattybayston]

Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback. I’m not able to wear it everyday due to working environment so think it will be in the safe and adjusted when needed

[Rolexophile]

Let me warn you to AVOID WOLF at all costs.
The flimsy latch on my winder broke the other day - this resulted in my platinum and gold treasures to be strewn all over the place once the glass panel plopped open.
OK, time to reach out to Wolf to see what the procedure is to fix the latch. Six emails over the past 8 days and not a word. It's gotten to be a joke but the biggest joke is the hype surrounding Wolf and their total disregard to their clients and their product/ integrity.
If you happen to get a watch winder be sure it is NOT A WOLF!
If anyone has any tips on how to get their help or attention- please, let me know

[toolr]

Originally Posted by Rolexophile

Let me warn you to AVOID WOLF at all costs.
The flimsy latch on my winder broke the other day - this resulted in my platinum and gold treasures to be strewn all over the place once the glass panel plopped open.
OK, time to reach out to Wolf to see what the procedure is to fix the latch. Six emails over the past 8 days and not a word. It's gotten to be a joke but the biggest joke is the hype surrounding Wolf and their total disregard to their clients and their product/ integrity.
If you happen to get a watch winder be sure it is NOT A WOLF!
If anyone has any tips on how to get their help or attention- please, let me know

Not understanding how the glass panel popping open will result in watches falling out. The cuffs are locked in each winder head, or , friction fit on the older models of years ago.

[Geckobros]

I use my dual winder for convenience. Set up a couple of watches on the winder and grab and go. Rotate the two when the mood strikes and I'm set again. Sometimes a watch goes on a hot streak and the winder sits unused for weeks. I could live without it but I prefer not to. Now if I only owned one watch...

[doboy007]

I broke out my Wolf winder that I got on sale for 70% off few years ago and decided to use it sporadically to help keep my watch alive. Just 3-4 hours here and there.

[HideMyWalletPlease]

I was gifted a wolf by my AD. I hated messing with it decided that I don’t like winders. If I ever buy an annual or perpetual calendar then it guess I would get a great winder too.

[Harry-57]

I have been through a few and have landed on Swiss KubiK Masterbox for their build quality, watch holder design, size, and ability to run for years on a battery. They are also configurable but I leave them on the default setting.

I understand that Orbita are also of very good quality. Wolf are not, but the essentials seem to keep working despite the wonky build quality. Wolf frequently run sales and some of them are for big savings. End of the year is a good time to watch out for. If you can get a Wolf for 50-75% off it's worth buying.

Barrington are best avoided. Boxy Winder are good for the price and use a good modular system. But like Barrington, the cuffs hold the watch in place by friction and are made of cheap foam which fall to bits in regular use.

The reason I first got a winder is because I left a Tag Heuer in a drawer and forgot about it. When I remembered it and put it on the movement was crunchy. It was smooth as silk before I put it away. I put it on a cheap plastic winder from Amazon and after two weeks it was free and working smoothly again. And keeping good time again. Everything mechanical now goes on a winder, although I sometimes forget to switch the winder on! And if I'm away or for some reason not going to wear a watch for weeks, they stay off. Might as well give the watch a rest and save the winder battery.

Putting a watch in a winder, providing it is wound properly, is the same as wearing it daily or 24/7. How rubbish would a watch need to be to wear out in 5,10, or even 20 years from daily wearing?