Storing Auto Watch When Not Wearing

[treve]

Hi, which is the correct way to keep an automatic watch whilst not wearing it....on a turntable to keep it wound, or in it's box (stopped). I've had conflicting advice and would appreciate the collective knowledge of members of this site. Kind regards, Treve

[Gotwatch]

If you wear a few watches regularly, a winder is a nice accessory. If seldom worn, it will not hurt the watch to let it run down between wearings. If you choose a winder, don't buy cheap. The cheap ones just continue to rotate and eventually wear out the friction of the mainspring. The better winders are programed to wind, rest, then wind again trying to simulate actual wrist movement. Expect to spend a tidy sum for the better ones.

[anilv]

Winders are only useful for watches that have a lot of complications...moon phase, leap year.

They usually cost a bomb so the price of a high-end winder is negligable.

What I usually do is have my man give my perpetual calenders a few shakes after he brings my breakfast in bed....but before he lays out my clothes for the day. Note: the toilet seat warming is left to Hector as I prefer his ..er.. temperature.. more to my liking.

Anil

[Gotwatch]

Winders are only useful for watches that have a lot of complications...moon phase, leap year.

They usually cost a bomb so the price of a high-end winder is negligable.

What I usually do is have my man give my perpetual calenders a few shakes after he brings my breakfast in bed....but before he lays out my clothes for the day. Note: the toilet seat warming is left to Hector as I prefer his ..er.. temperature.. more to my liking.

Anil

 

Hector sounds very useful although I would prefer someone named Sarah or Laura. :)

 

Stu

[anilv]

Agatha and Bambi have the task of warming the beds..

[Gotwatch]

Agatha and Bambi have the task of warming the beds..

Perfect! :startle:

[anilv]

Hi Treve,

 

sorry for the thread hijack... anyway a bit more insight into keeping watches wound.

 

Watches are mechanical devices.. no matter how new the watch and how good the quality of the oils/grease used.. there is still mechanical interaction between parts and there 'will' be wear.

 

Assuming you wear the watch in question once a week. Realistically I would expect the watch to run for 24 hours, given a few turns of the crown to get it started, there would be some residual power when you put it back in the box. This means your watch is running one day in seven.

 

So letting it run down between use will mean you are now spreading one years of worth of wear on the winder over the seven years the watch spend in the box.

 

If you have a watch which is reluctant to start up after sitting in the box, this means the oils have dried up and it needs a service and possibly a new mainspring.

 

Anilv

[Geo]

Totally agree Anil, I couldn't have put it better myself.

[WillFly]

I've never understood the need for watch winders. When a watch runs down - whether automatic or manual - it just runs down. We don't worry about manual watches being at rest - so why worry about autos?

 

Should we be worried that the mechanical parts of an electrically driven watch keep on going for ever, or at least until a battery change - wearing out even - shock, horror! :sleep:

[ro63rto]

I've noticed that the majority of people I know who have bought auto winders are those that have made the transition from quartz to automatics.

Maybe they miss the "put on and go" feature of their old quartz watches?

[anilv]

'Put on and go' works fine as long as you're 'putting' and 'going' every day....

Anilv