Watch winder

[Gr4y 9]

I’m thinking about purchasing a Watchwinder and wondered who uses one, I’ve read that there are a number of benefits and not to mention keeping the watches set to correct time.

Are there any disadvantages to using one rather than just keeping watches in their boxes

For those who use one, which do you use and let’s see some pics 

[neogeo999 27]

2 hours ago, Gr4y said:

Are there any disadvantages to using one rather than just keeping watches in their boxes

Without a doubt, they shorten the intervals between services, it's basically like wearing the watch every single day.
it's a bit like leaving the car parked with the engine always running...

[Gr4y 9]

That was my thinking however some of the online reviews of the winders seem to say it helps with keeping the watch movements lubricated

[neogeo999 27]

41 minutes ago, Gr4y said:

That was my thinking however some of the online reviews of the winders seem to say it helps with keeping the watch movements lubricated

Well, lubrication can be achieved by charging the watch once every few months... and is only useful if the watch has not been worn for several months. 

[Zarbus 138]

Here are my thoughts:

Pros:

• Watch winders are useful if you have a watch with a crazy complication that takes lot of time to adjust. In this case, you don't want the watch to sit unwound for a few days as it is a pain in the ass to reset.
• Also I can see some use if you have let's say 2 watches, and you always wear watch #1 Monday to Thursday, and watch #2 Friday to Sunday. In that case you can just pick the other watch without having to wind it.

Cons:

• As mentioned before, keeping the watch wound reduces the time between services. Also you want to make sure that your winder doesn't keep winding, otherwise your main spring will be fully wound 100% of the time. Cheap winders just keep winding. Better winders have cycles (they wind your watch for a few hours, and then they stop to let the main spring unwind).
• Mechanical watches are not accurate anyways. So if you're OCD like me, you will adjust the time anyways when you pick your watch. You might as well wind it
• If you have a collection of many watches, you will need as many winders. That's not practical. If you have 10 watches and 1 winder are you really going to monitor how long they stayed in the winder and switch them? If you have 10 watches and 10 winders, sure...
• But winding doesn't take a lot of time and it's part of the game  Imagine having a race car... Waiting while your engine is warming up is part of the fun. In any activity that involves lubrication, foreplays are important 

 

What makes sense to keep the watch lubricated and avoid oils to dry is to make sure that your watch is wound let's say at least once a month. Also I have read that wearing it is important, as the heat from your body will help with the texture of the oil 

[Hot Little Xixi 12]

I keep my reps on winders because I don't know which one I'll want to match with the outfit I'm wearing that particular day. I have them all regulated to +3 to +5 SPD so I only have to stop them for a few seconds before wearing them if they've been sitting on the winder for more than 4 or 5 days. It's a real pain in my hot little ass to have to set a watch that's been laying stopped, plus I'm not a fan of manually winding automatic watches and eventually causing damage.  

I do have a question about winders. My winders have each section of two watches set to a particular winding direction. My 2813 and 3804 movements wind CCW but my 2824 and 2836 movements wind both ways.  If I put a 2824 movement on the winder set on CCW, would it still wind properly since the rotor winds either way, or would it need to wind in both directions to be wound properly?

Edited May 3, 2023 by Hot Little Xixi