There are a few different methods in which watches can work these days and this includes battery operated watches and also mechanical watches, which can be self winding or manually wound. The great majority of mechanical watches that are sold these days are self winding and these can also be known as automatic watches. When worn, these use the natural movement of the arm to wind the watch. They typically store enough energy to keep running for a period of time when taken off, although to keep the watch in good working order an automatic watch winder can be used when the watch is not being worn.
Automatic watches are similar in style to the more traditional manually wound mechanical watches, with the addition of small weights. These weights get pulled by gravity in a clockwise and counter-clockwise motion as the wearer swings their arm and this motion is enough to keep the watch wound and working. However, when the timepiece is taken off and the motion stops, the watch will typically use the energy that has been stored until such time that this runs out. However, it is possible to keep a self winding watch going even when not being worn and an automatic watch winder can be used for this purpose.
An automatic watch winder is a simple device that is designed to mimic the movement a wrist watch will be subject to when worn on the arm. In this way it keeps the watch wound and ready for use even if it is not worn for a period of time. Typically most self winding watches include a device that prevents them from being over wound and therefore they can be left in a watch winder without danger of damaging the watch.
If you have one or more self winding watches an automatic watch winder can be a good investment. It means the watch is kept in good condition and working at all times, such that when you need the watch it is ready for use. If a mechanical watch is left not working for too long it can cause problems and therefore having a watch winder available can be a good idea if you do not wear your watches on a daily basis.
There are a number of manufacturers that produce automatic watch winding devices with some of the best of these including Orbita, Scatola and Steinhausen. Orbita, for example, produce a range of automatic watch winders and they have models that can accommodate from 1 to 40 watches at a time. Costs for these can vary from around $200 for their 1 watch Casetta model into the thousands of dollars for some of their larger models.
If you are looking for a more basic, affordable model then an automatic watch winder can be found on the market starting at prices of around $50. The Diplomat Burl Wood Double Watch Winder is an example of this and costs $60. It is capable of holding two watches and has an attractive wood exterior with an off-white leather interior.
If you don’t wear a self winding watch on a daily basis it can easily lose power and stop working. An automatic watch winder is designed to help with this and will keep a self winding watch working, in good condition and ready for use at all times.