Watch Winders
From LoveToKnow Watches
Watch winders have become popular gadgets among those who love mechanical watches. While quartz watches have become wildly popular ever since they first arrived on the watch market, many people remain loyal to the mechanical type of watch. These are the watches that must be wound in order to keep ticking, rather than operating on battery or light power. Many people prefer the craftsmanship of mechanical watches, while others are drawn to the look of the mechanical watch. Over time they might find themselves amassing a collection of unique mechanical watches, and keeping all those watches wound can become troublesome. That's where the watch winders come in.
What are Watch Winders?
These gadgets were specifically designed to keep mechanical watches wound so that owners can avoid the task of constantly resetting watches. While it might not sound like to much work to simply reset the time, for more complex watches this can include resetting the calendar and even the phase of the moon. The watch winder solves this problem. When the watch is not being worn, it is strapped to the winder which contains a motor. The winder turns the watch throughout the day, just enough to keep it wound without over winding it, so it is kept up to date and ready to be worn whenever the owner wishes. Winders can also be used with automatic or self-winding watches, which otherwise must be worn in order to keep the spring wound and the watch operating.
Adjustability
It all sounds simple enough, however, watches differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, so the winders must be adjustable to take into account those differences. Some watches wind in one direction, some in the other direction. Some require several turns a day, others just a few. While watch winders are carefully designed, the watch owner must know his or her watch well in order to be able to set the watch winder correctly and avoid damaging the watch. If unsure how many turns the winder should give the watch each day, contact the watch manufacturer, which will usually be happy to provide the needed information.
Cost
A watch winder is considered a luxury, and as such they don't come cheap. Manufacturers know that they are selling to a relatively small group of people who love mechanical watches and are willing to spend a little extra to save themselves the nuisance of winding and resetting those watches. Just as someone can buy an inexpensive watch at the supermarket if all they want is to know the time, but another person will pay a premium for a handsome watch with superior craftsmanship, there is a wide range in the price of winders. Lower end winders will run around $100, but higher end models that can wind several watches at the same time, contain more features and are more aesthetically appealing can cost several hundred dollars. Some run into the thousands.
Finding Watch Winders
Educate yourself and shop around to find the winder that best fits your requirements. It's a good idea to know which watch or watches you're buying the winders for, and find a model that fits the watch. The internet is a good place to gather information about the different brands of watch winders, such as MTE, Time Mover and Scatola del Tempo. Winders can also be purchased from online websites, although, as always, be careful to deal only with established, reputable sites. Oftentimes winders can also be found where luxury timepieces are sold.
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