Recommended budget watch winders

[sibeer]

Now that I am up to three autos I really need something to keep them all ticking. Anyone got any experiences of cheap multi watch winders that they care to share?

[walkerwek1958]

Watch winders?.....are you sure you want your watch running 24/7, fully wound, ensuring maximum rate of wear on everything?

Can`t think of a better way to attain the maximum wear rate on the barrel walls......the spring's always fully wound and slipping, which is bound to accelerate wear.

The only advantage is the minor convenience of not having to reset a watch that hasn`t been running for a few days.

The only use I`d have for one is to provide a further check on the performance of a watch after I`ve serviced/reassembled it. Wouldn`t entertain one otherwise.

Paul

[adesmith]

Watch winders?.....are you sure you want your watch running 24/7, fully wound, ensuring maximum rate of wear on everything?

Can`t think of a better way to attain the maximum wear rate on the barrel walls......the spring's always fully wound and slipping, which is bound to accelerate wear.

The only advantage is the minor convenience of not having to reset a watch that hasn`t been running for a few days.

The only use I`d have for one is to provide a further check on the performance of a watch after I`ve serviced/reassembled it. Wouldn`t entertain one otherwise.

Paul

The flip side to this argument is the wear and tear from constantly pulling the crown, setting the time, flicking through the dates at an accelerated rate etc.

Personally I have a 2 winder cheapo from the bay. £40 or something. Its loud ish though so you need to put the cheap ones in another room from where you sleep.

[sibeer]

My understanding is that unless in regular use the watches are prone to gumming up of oils.

[blackal]

Time Tutelary around £43 on Amazon for a double winder

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Tutelar...4444459&sr=8-7

The winding is on a timer, so don't listen to the scare stories about "fully wound" watches. As another poster has said - it will keep your watch ready to wear, without rapidly adjusting the date.

A

[aldfort]

Most people only have one watch so it's pretty much fully wound all the time. A watch is designed to be used in this way so the chance of a winder doing significant damage through increased wear is more like urban legend IMHO

The lubricants gumming up if the watch is not used is, similarly, ill founded as well. Might have been true years ago but not with modern lubricants.

I have yet to find a good watch winder, most of the expensive ones have very cheap insides. There are some good, well engineered German ones but they are not cheap. I use a cheapish Axis had it two years and it works fine.
Get one with a programme so it's not running all the time.

[Spendor]

I bought a Birkenstock off of amazon last year - around £180 for duel winder with 3 settings in a carbonfibre finish. no problems so far.

[geordie]

No winder = no obsessing over a watch losing a few seconds a week.

I wear mine in loose rotation of roughly a week each depending on my mood, and tbh unless it hasn't got a quick set date then it's no hardship giving a watch a quick wind or a shake and setting it.

Means you can give the watch a fondle and a look over as well.

/2p

[tomsdad]

I thought about getting a winder a while back, but eventually dismissed the idea. I only have two auto's that aren't quick-set date, a 6309-7290 & 1680, so I simply make sure that my next rotation of each coincides with the last shown date. Very straight forward, and has worked out just fine thus far.

[blackal]

No winder = no obsessing over a watch losing a few seconds a week.

I wear mine in loose rotation of roughly a week each depending on my mood, and tbh unless it hasn't got a quick set date then it's no hardship giving a watch a quick wind or a shake and setting it.

Means you can give the watch a fondle and a look over as well.

/2p

The other significant advantage of a winder - is if your watches have screw-down crowns. The cost of a new insert/crown far outweighs the cost of the power-winder, I would suggest?

The above, was the principal reason for me - using winders.

A

[Barton Red]

You may get lucky with a cheap winder - I wasn't!

I had two off ebay - the first was a beautiful piano black affair which cost £150 or so - lasted about a year. The second was a weird carousel thing which for some reason didn't keep all my watches 'charged' - The Pam & Breitling just didn't seem to like it, Rolex, Oris & IWC were fine.

I gave up on them in the end, I'd rather put the money towards another watch

[sibeer]

Time Tutelary around £43 on Amazon for a double winder

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Tutelar...4444459&sr=8-7

The winding is on a timer, so don't listen to the scare stories about "fully wound" watches. As another poster has said - it will keep your watch ready to wear, without rapidly adjusting the date.

A

The reviews for these seem very mixed bag. They seem to be the dominant cheap brand though.

[The_Perfect_Sandwich]

The reviews for these seem very mixed bag. They seem to be the dominant cheap brand though.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but the reason I stumbled across this is because I bought one of these Time Tutelary winders and I wish I hadn't (so I'm searching for advice on a better one).

To be fair, the thing works. But you can hear it working from across the room, and it ticks occasionally.

It's made of thin, creaky plastic: it has the same feel as the speakers that came with my first stereo. Similar look as well, now I think of it. Honesty, I wish I'd spent more money in the first place. Buy cheap, pay twice.

[Dan88]

I bought one from eBay a couple of weeks ago for £119. Looked OK in the photos, but wasn't expecting much. Well it turned up, and it was stunning. Teak wood on the outside, faux leather and velvet on the inside. Winds 8 watches, and space for another 12 in the display compartment. Was absolutely over the moon with it.

Now, the only problem is, it doesn't actually wind my watches anymore. The motor broke after 48 hours. The company have apologised profusely, but have promised to send me a new motor out by today, and a hefty discount. Plus if that doesn't work, a full replacement/refund. I didn't want a refund because it looks so good and the company have been very reasonable. I'll post some pictures up tonight of my great value, non winding watch winder, and let you know if the new motor works.

[Beaunidle]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but the reason I stumbled across this is because I bought one of these Time Tutelary winders and I wish I hadn't (so I'm searching for advice on a better one).

To be fair, the thing works. But you can hear it working from across the room, and it ticks occasionally.

It's made of thin, creaky plastic: it has the same feel as the speakers that came with my first stereo. Similar look as well, now I think of it. Honesty, I wish I'd spent more money in the first place. Buy cheap, pay twice.

I've managed to cobble one working one out of two, and ameliorated the grinding noises by packing the gearbox with white lithium grease - but I have to say they are very, very low quality shoddy items.

[aldfort]

If anybody finds a reasonably priced, well engineering watch winder then do post details.

The cost and the finish on the outside is NO Guarantee of the quality of the working bits on the inside. Cheapo Axis or similar are just as good inside as expensive models.

[RobDad]

Similar experience of a time tutelary winder bought from Amazon. Cheap rubbish, in fact you be hard pushed to find something else so poorly made in 2016. This thread has reminded me to throw mine in the bin - I never use it, as I don't like the concept of leaving the house with it plugged into the mains, feels like a fire hazard (I'm probably being silly but after all the stories of badly made Chinese 'hoverboards' catching fire I'd rather be cautious!)

[soapy]

a cheap watch winder is a very big mistake to make.

[manganr]

Watch winders?.....are you sure you want your watch running 24/7, fully wound, ensuring maximum rate of wear on everything?

Can`t think of a better way to attain the maximum wear rate on the barrel walls......the spring's always fully wound and slipping, which is bound to accelerate wear.

The only advantage is the minor convenience of not having to reset a watch that hasn`t been running for a few days.

The only use I`d have for one is to provide a further check on the performance of a watch after I`ve serviced/reassembled it. Wouldn`t entertain one otherwise.

Paul

Now I don't know much about movements but are you suggesting a Quartz watch will wear out quicker than an auto because it's constantly running?

[Dave+63]

Now I don't know much about movements but are you suggesting a Quartz watch will wear out quicker than an auto because it's constantly running?

No he's not. The inner workings of a Quartz watch are nowhere near as complicated as an automatic.

[manganr]

I appreciate that but the fact that they are constantly moving suggests more wear and tear? no?

[Ian.]

I've got a Barrington single watch winder. I'd love to recommend it as the customer service and finish is great. Unfortunately it makes a racket on part of the rotation. I can tell when it's on over the TV. I'm sure they'd replace it but it's the inconvenience of shipping it back etc.

On the plus side the rest of the rotation is quiet!

You can also set the rotation speed and direction of rotation or alternate directions.

[PhilipK]

Whatever winder you go for, do not, under any circumstances, entertain the possibility of buying a Ferocase. (You can search for "Ferocase" on here if you want to know why, but bottom line is cheaply made, shoddy construction with zero customer support and fantasy land pricing - and they try to stomp on negative reviews. All in my opinion, of course!)

I've been happy with the cheap Time Tutelary that I bought. It lives in the bedroom and doesn't disturb either me or Mrs K.

[The_Perfect_Sandwich]

Anyone else had an actual good experience with a winder?

It seems like you either need to spend thousands or face bitter disappointment. Is there a reliable midrange?

All I want is something for around £200 that'll quietly wind 4-6 watches for without breaking for a few years, maybe with a storage drawer for manual and quartz.

That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, but apparently it's crazy talk.

[Dan88]

I bought one from eBay a couple of weeks ago for £119. Looked OK in the photos, but wasn't expecting much. Well it turned up, and it was stunning. Teak wood on the outside, faux leather and velvet on the inside. Winds 8 watches, and space for another 12 in the display compartment. Was absolutely over the moon with it.

Now, the only problem is, it doesn't actually wind my watches anymore. The motor broke after 48 hours. The company have apologised profusely, but have promised to send me a new motor out by today, and a hefty discount. Plus if that doesn't work, a full replacement/refund. I didn't want a refund because it looks so good and the company have been very reasonable. I'll post some pictures up tonight of my great value, non winding watch winder, and let you know if the new motor works.

Just had my last battle with buyfromozone _uk on eBay. Company sent out a replacement circuit board and motor, and adaptor which was wrong in the first place.

Motor was the wrong size, circuit board didn't work and the adaptor was the wrong type. I told them I wanted a new winder or full refund. They offered me full refund if I sent the winder back in original box. Doh, I threw it away when the winder was working ok.

Sooooooo, after umpteen emails, they offered me 50% off. Now I have a very nice watch box for 60 quid.

[mk1974]

I bought a lovely looking winder off ebay,it was a 6 winder and it looked great but the settings had a mind of there own,it was new but cheap ,if you were an electrian it probably would be an easy fix ,but I'm not so it's somewhere in the garage