A cheap watch winder can potentially damage your watch, mainly due to poor quality and improper settings. Here are the key points to consider:

Risk Factors with Cheap Watch Winders:

1. Low-quality winders may expose your watch to excessive vibration or uneven rotation, which can strain delicate internal components and cause accelerated wear or misalignment.
2. Cheap winders might lack proper anti-magnetic shielding, risking magnetization of the watch’s movement. Magnetization can seriously affect accuracy and damage the mainspring.
3. Fixed or incorrect rotation settings (turns per day, rotation direction) on inexpensive winders can lead to overwinding or underwinding, disrupting the watch’s internal lubricants and potentially causing wear.

Why Proper Quality and Settings Matter:

1. High-quality watch winders are designed with adjustable settings to match your watch’s specific needs (correct turns per day and rotation direction), preventing overwinding or unnecessary wear.
2. Good winders use smooth, gyroscopic motion and include anti-magnetic features to protect the movement.
3. Most automatic watches have a slip clutch mechanism that prevents overwinding damage, but this protection can be compromised if the winder’s operation is erratic or excessive.

General Consensus:

1. Using a high-quality, properly adjusted watch winder is generally safe and can help keep your watch running, maintain accuracy, and keep lubricants evenly distributed.
2. However, cheap or poorly made winders can cause damage through vibration, magnetism, or improper winding cycles.
3. It is important to follow manufacturer recommendations for your watch and choose a winder that matches your watch’s specifications.

Summary:A cheap watch winder can damage your watch by causing excessive vibration, magnetization, or improper winding if it lacks quality construction and adjustable settings. To avoid damage, invest in a high-quality winder tailored to your watch’s needs and use it according to manufacturer guidelines.