You might need a watch winder to keep your automatic watch wound and on time, eliminating the need to reset it every time you wear it—especially if you rotate between multiple automatic watches or own a complicated model like a perpetual calendar. While not strictly necessary for basic automatic watches that are worn daily, a winder offers convenience by preventing complex functions from needing to be reset and may help distribute the watch's internal lubricants over time.
Why a Winder is Useful
- Convenience for Automatic Watches: Automatic watches only stay wound by the motion of a person's wrist. If you take the watch off for more than a day or two, it will stop running.
- Complex Movements: Watches with complex features, such as annual or perpetual calendars, time zone displays, or moon phases, require a winder to keep these functions set. Resetting them every time you wear the watch can be a time-consuming hassle.
- Managing Multiple Watches: If you have more than one automatic watch and enjoy wearing them in rotation, a winder keeps each one powered and ready to wear without constant manual setting.
- Lubrication: Proponents suggest that the consistent, gentle movement from a winder helps circulate the oils within the watch's internal mechanism, which can be beneficial.
When a Winder Isn't Necessary
- Manual or Quartz Watches: Winders are not needed for manually wound or battery-powered quartz watches.
- Daily Wear: If you wear your automatic watch every single day, the natural motion of your wrist will keep it wound, so a winder is an unnecessary accessory.
- Simple Automatic Watches: For a basic automatic watch that is easy to set, a winder may not be essential if you don't mind the occasional manual winding and date setting.
A watch winder is not a must-have for every owner of an automatic watch but is a helpful accessory for managing multiple automatic watches or complex models, providing convenience and potentially aiding in the long-term health of the timepiece.
