Now that we know what a watch winder is and how it works, we can explore the topic a little further. Let’s take a look at the answers to those frequently asked questions.
Is it safe to leave a watch on a watch winder for days or weeks at a time?
Many people don’t wear their watches every day, and even more people collect watches and want to give them all adequate wrist time, so this question pops up often. The answer is yes. Watch winders include an internal gear, called a ‘clutch’ that will disengage when the spring has been fully wound.
Will a watch winder cause the watch to wear down quicker?
When it comes to whether or not using a watch winder will wear the watch down quicker, the answer is that the watch won’t wear down any quicker than if it were on the wrist. Some even argue that a watch winder can make for smoother performance and an increased lifespan thanks to reaching its adequate TPD regularly.
What separates a good watch winder from a bad one?
Watch winders are typically considered expensive, so a cheap watch winder is an indication of an inferior quality product. A good watch winder will feature an ultra-quiet motor, multiple rotation settings, a high level of precision, and a decent warranty. Any watch winder that doesn’t possess the features as mentioned above could be classed as a “bad one.”
What are “winding cycles”?
Also known as turns per day, a winding cycle is the number of turns that the internal rotor needs to make to keep the watch properly wound. The majority of automatic watches require a winding cycle of 500 to 800 turns daily, but many modern automatic watches have longer power reserves and require over a thousand turns per day.
Is it possible to overwind a watch using a watch winder?
By its very design, a watch winder should not be able to overwind a watch. However, if the winder itself is continuously in use and not adequately maintained, the slip-clutch could be damaged. And if the slip-clutch is damaged, then overwinding of the watch could occur.