Turn, Turn, Turn: Part II

Determining which winder is right for your watch!

[dropcap]I[/dropcap] often hear from clients that they are having trouble with their watch winder, that it’s not keeping their watch running. The most common assumption when this happens is that there is a problem with the winder. People will say, “but my watch will run if I wear it, and after a few days on the winder it stops.” But this is not necessarily the winder’s fault.

First, making sure that your watch is properly orientated on the winder is just as important as ensuring that the winder is actually turning. If those two things are set up and working properly, I am ninety-nine percent sure that reason for the issue is that the wrong winder was purchased.

Wrong winder, you say? How can that possibly be? Are you trying to swindle money out of my watch-buying budget by selling me another winder? No. I’m absolutely not. The fact of the matter is that watches and winders all work differently. It’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario.

Some automatic movement watches wind directionally, some are bi-directional, and others are only clockwise or counterclockwise. That is the first factor in whether or not your winder is right for your watch — if the type of winding your watch needs is what the winder does. The other factor is the amount of daily rotations that the winder is capable of performing. Some default to 600 turns per day, so if your watch needs 950 rotations a day, it will only be a matter of time (no pun intended) before the winder stops winding.

To make sure you are purchasing the proper winder, you need to know the direction and turns per day that your watch requires. This isn’t always the easiest information to find but Orbita Watchwinders has a database that can help you. You can search by manufacturer and/or movement type to get the answers you need.

Once you have the information, you will know if a non-programmable winder with specific capabilities will work for your watch. Many companies such as Orbita, Wolf Designs, and Kubik offer highly programmable, yet easy to set winders if you can’t find a winder that is built for your watch’s needs. Prices range from $299 and up for a single winder that will work for any automatic watch on the planet.

There is a winder out there for your watch — it’s just a matter of finding the right one.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Price “Princeton Watchguy”