Do automatic watches need a winder? Explaining the pros and cons

Automatic watches wind their mainspring as you move your wrist, but if your watch stops, a watch winder can help. This article explains the advantages and disadvantages of watch winders, which automatically wind the mainspring just by setting them in place.

It is important to avoid damaging the movement

　Because mechanical watches are small, analog watches powered by a mainspring, their power reserve is much shorter than that of battery-powered quartz watches. Although eight-day and ten-day watches have been developed in recent years, most still only last two to three days.

　One of the most troublesome aspects of using an automatic watch is winding it up when it stops. For collectors who own multiple mechanical watches, simply getting them all running can be a real pain. Even if you fully wind your watch, it will stop after a few days.

　For this reason, watch winders, which automatically wind the mainspring, are now commonplace. Using these machines, also known as winding machines, is convenient because it eliminates the need to worry about automatic watches stopping, even if you don't wear them often.

　In addition, since the machine is constantly moving, there is the added benefit of less concern about the oil used in the machine solidifying.

　However, there are some points to be careful of. Over-winding can damage the movement. Specifically, the gears and shafts used to wind the mainspring can wear out and deteriorate, causing a decline in the performance of the entire mechanism.

　In my opinion, it's fine to use a winder on any watch that requires a lot of effort to reset once it stops (such as a date display or moon phase display). Automatic watches with annual and perpetual calendars in particular require a winder, as they require a lot of time to set the hands.

There are also winders to prevent excessive winding.

　While many winders simply rotate the watch in a certain direction, some have been developed with special features to minimize damage to the movement.

　A good example is Bernard Fabre's Double Axis Planet Watch Winder. It powers the watch on two axes, and the winder's rotation direction, speed, and runtime can be selected from nine programs to prevent overwinding of the mainspring. Programs can be changed by operating a switch on the bottom of the device with a special tool.