In the intricate world of watch ownership, the debate over the necessity of watch winders has sparked conversations among enthusiasts, collectors, and experts alike. Today, we'll dive into the insights shared by experts from various perspectives, drawing inspiration from discussions from prominent figures like Teddy Baldassare, and The New York Times.
What do watch winders do?
Watch winders has a rotating motor that gently roates automatic watches when it's not on your wrist. Automatic watches need winding every two to three days (depending on your watch model), and when they stop, you have to reset the time and wind them up again. It is primarily designed to save time and trouble for people who own automatic watches, especially those with extra features like perpetual calendar, date or moon-phase display.
Common reasons to get a watch winder
1. Save yourself the trouble of fixing the time when the watch runs out of power reserve
Watch winders keep the power running in automatic watches by maintaining the rotating movement.
But how bothersome is it actually, when your power reserve runs out?
For perpetual calendar watches, like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, this requires a unique pusher tool that need to be worked from the sides of the watch casing. You need to push individual buttons for the month, the date and the moon-phase using the supplied pick and instructions, every time the watch runs out of its limited 40 hour power reserve.
For other automatic watch owners, such as date watches like the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80, this may require cycling the crown up to 30 times to get it to the correct date.
So, if you are the type of person who wants to simply pick up your watch and go, putting your watch on a winder will be useful.
Source: Watch Collecting Lifestyle
2. Stylish Decoration
Personally, I never liked putting my $1,100 Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 on my desk, often collecting dust. It was certainly one of the more valuable items I have in my room, yet it often looked the most upsetting.
Beyond functionality, a watch winder can be a stylish display piece. A good looking watch winder that houses a beautiful timepiece enhances the mood of wherever you put it. Now that I put my watch on the Cyclops Watch Winder, my desk certainly feels more lively.
Source: The Watch Box Co.
3. Storage and protection from humidity and dust
Watchmaker expert in Teddy Baldassare's interview says best practice for watch storage is to keep away from "humidity, extreme temperatures". He states that "humidity [variance] in the summer.. can introduce itself into your watch". This may be relevant for people living tropical areas, such as coastal regions like Sydney or San Francisco.
I also found that dust collected on a sapphire glass face of a watch does not look good.
A winder with a closed cover can act as a storage unit that protects your watch from direct exposure to the air, humidity and dust. Better to be safe than sorry.
What Does a Watchmaker Say?
Teddy Baldassare's interview with Carson Barnes (watchmaker) states he is "50/50 [on having a winder]... you kind of have to be careful about what winder you use, because you can't overwind it... automatic watches do have a slipping bridle to help it not overwind, but ultimately on a winder, it can rub the inner walls of the barrel and wear it down." Consider getting a winder that does not run continuously to save it from being overwound at all times.
The watch expert's best advice when using watch winders is to let it "wind up and let it run down at least once a month". Using a watch winder may help with this if you don't wear a watch as often.
Source: WatchPro
Final Verdict: Do you need a watch winder?
Watch winder's main benefits are to save yourself the trouble of readjusting time on out-of-power watches. Other reasons include being a lively decoration, and protecting your watch from elements such as dust.
To me, a watch winder is a beautiful display accessory on my desk and a utility tool that keeps my watches on time, free of dust and looking great. I turn it on once or twice a week, when I know it's running low on power and I don't plan on wearing it anytime soon. So yes, it has become a big addition to my watch world.
Watchmakers say you should practice good habits when owning one - don't let it overwind for days in a row. For watches that are not worn as often as they should, using a winder to let watches wind up and down from time to time is appropriate practice.
Decision is up to you - check out one of the most affordable and quality watch winder in the market today.
Sources
New York Times: "Does My Watch Need a Watch Winder? The Debate Continues", Alexandra Cheney