Do you use a winder?
OK, for those crunchers who own automatic watches (which I assume to be a fair share of WC members), I’d like to know how many of you regularly use an automatic winder?
To clarify the last poll option: some might feel that the whole idea of using coal-generated electricity to power their anachronistic analog mechanical device is just too painfully ironic to bear. It's like paying someone else to run on your exercise treadmill, or installing a giant electric fan to propel your sailboat (yes, I know the physics of that doesn’t work, but I stand by the analogy). Of course that's not necessarily my opinion, I'm just throwing it out there!
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Jeff Wolf
Wearing watches 60+ years, always loved looking at and owning these little machines, but just recently fell into the idea of collecting. Reading articles and viewing watch videos non-stop lately, incl...
Member since
Last active: 17 hrs ago
7.25” / 18.42 cm
Seems sensible, no irony there!
And the options are never just "yes/no/sometimes" it always has little extra sentiments from the OP on them
There really is no need to use a winder for a normal automatic watch. In fact, the only watches that do need one are those with high complications like a perpetual calendar.
Im not a purist I don’t think. Just haven’t ever needed one
I used to. But after watching soft videos on what watch actually need winders, i have them turned off and use to for display and storage
Im not a purist I don’t think. Just haven’t ever needed one
Fair enough. I suspect most people who selected that option actually felt that way. In truth, I was attempting to stimulate lively discourse as opposed to creating a scientific poll.
I only use a winder for my quartz watches.
None of those options match me lol but voted for c. I I'm not a purist. If I had a perpetual calender etc I would use it. But for me I just don't see the need in general. Only have two autos, one daily (so no need) and one dress watch (so not worth, I only wear it once a week at most)
I voted (no), but not because of purity. I personally think you should own a winder if you own a watch with full year calendar and lunar complications. It is not logical to set it up every time you want to ware it and you won’t wear it that much for multiple reasons.
Putting all yoyr watches on wimders mean that they are running 24/7. That does not hurt the movement but is not like letting it rest eather. The watch will need servicing earlier. And you will have to adjust it anyway as it is not running on 0.0 seconds/day accuracy.
Leaving your watch unwound for more than 2 weeks starts risking the oils to dry too.
So what I do is wind up the one that I’ll wear and on a weekend or maybe the other wind them all up.
They make good gifts for watch crunchers. Doesn’t really serve any purpose, but they look cool. Just not something I’d spend my money on. Hence why they make great gifts lol
I've 3 to 4 watches I wear a lot & setting is a pain
I've a 2 watch winder that, in rotation, covers all my needs
Why not?
I enjoy giving it a shake and setting the time of the watch i have chosen to wear every morning. A winder would deprive me of that pleasure.
There is no point in using one for me. I only have two autos that are divers and I actually find picking the watch up when it dosnt have power, setting it and winding it to be very romantic and satisfying. Not too mention winder or no winder any auto is going too have to be corrected somewhat frequently if you are trying too have it match atomic time.
I'm no purist, but I also...
Don't own a watch I'd want/need a winder for.
Would rather spend money on watches instead of winders. That's what butlers are for.
Useful on Travelers GMT during a rotation etc.
You forgot the “I want one, but I want another watch more” option 😅
IMO- No need.
I prefer to wear them on my wrist and I do not have, nor would I have, perpetual/annual calendars (they are not of my interest)
You left off option E, which is the cheat code: Quartz time, don't mind.
Great informational question!
Look man, I don't necessarily care that new people just post/ask what's been answered/discussed many times over.
This forum is 2 years and a bit old. I did it, others did it after me, you've done it and each generation after will do it. Each generation of users kind of have to do it; just like each newbie collector kind of has to learn on their own what to do & what not to do in their collection experience.
The new could realize the question has likely been asked and by the same token, the old guard can just realize this is just how it's gonna be, just like in every forum before.
Just have fun & cut each other a little slack. Chill.
No worries, I'm chill! You see, on another forum that concerns a totally different hobby (reef keeping), I'm the old guard, having been involved for about 20 years. So I fully understand how things work. Similar dynamic everywhere.
Great informational question!
Thanks!
Yes, why not, put them on their lowest spin setting and use a smart plug so you can schedule them to be on for just a couple of hours a day and it’s no different to them being on a wrist but they are always ready to go.
No, but not because i'm "a purist" like your poll option suggests. More that I just don't need all my watches running constantly, and I don't have anything sufficiently complicated (perpetual calendar) which I would want to keep running.
I love to sit down with my mechanical's every night and caress them as I breathe new life into them with my slightly sore fingertips
I love to sit down with my mechanical's every night and caress them as I breathe new life into them with my slightly sore fingertips
My favorite response so far!
Well bully for you. That's me told then 👍👍🤣🤣🤣🤣😍
I dont use one, I don’t really see the point of them. Also, I try to hide my predilection towards buying dumb shit, I feel like a wall of spinning watches would leave me with my ass out in the wind
What’s a winder?
Now that it’s been 2 days since the question was initially posed, I thought I’d briefly summarize the responses. There were 491 votes as of 23:00 hours GMT, Saturday, February 24. Approximately 30% of the respondents indicated that they use an automatic watch winder either regularly or occasionally (the split was about half and half), while approximately 70% indicated that they didn’t feel the need for a variety of stated reasons. These results are comparable to those of a previous poll conducted 6 months ago (watchobsessed), but differ from those of a third poll conducted a year ago (marianivan10), in which only 19% of respondents indicated that they used winders. Those two postings contained the only previous WC polls on this topic that I could find by searching #polls, #watchwinders, #winders, and #winder.
The most common reason for not using winders was not owning a watch with the type of complication that can require extra time and effort to reset the watch if it was to stop (e.g., a perpetual calendar, a travelers GMT, or moon phase). Less common reasons included concern that excessive use of a winder could cause movements to experience unnecessary wear and tear, the idea that money spent on a winder could be put toward watch purchases, and enjoyment of the watch-setting ritual itself.
Some winder-users who don’t necessarily own high complication watches indicated that they like the convenience of always having their watches on standby ready to go, while one respondent pointed out that a winder can be helpful for rescuing a vintage watch that is running suboptimally.
Ten commenters gave the topic a thumbs up, while several were clearly less than thrilled due to the frequency with which this question tends to reappear in the WC forum. Some poll respondents who did not use winders indicated that neither of the two mildly facetious poll options C and D were a good fit for their responses.
Thanks to all who participated! I enjoyed interacting with and learning from you.