Automatic watch winders generally do not cause a watch to slow down if used properly. They are designed to simulate the natural motion of the wrist to keep the watch wound, avoiding it from stopping and losing accuracy. A good watch winder will have features like controlled rotations per day (TPD), directional settings, and automatic stop functions to prevent overwinding or excessive strain on the watch’s movement.
However, constant motion from a watch winder can cause some wear over extended periods, as it keeps the watch fully wound without allowing the mainspring to unwind naturally, which can sometimes affect timing precision. Some wearers have noted that a watch running continuously on a winder may gain or lose time differently than one worn on the wrist because the watch’s regulation is optimized for wrist movement rather than continuous winding. Using a quality winder and setting it to the proper specifications for the watch can minimize these effects.
In summary, a well-chosen and properly set watch winder should preserve a watch’s accuracy and prevent slowing down. If a watch does slow or gain time abnormally on a winder, adjusting the winder settings or giving the watch some rest from constant winding may help maintain optimal performance.
