Watch Winders

[neal702]

I am new to this forum , and new to Rolex watches in general, I recently
bought a GMT II series M , and am wondering if their is any benefit to
my Rolex to put it on a watch winder when not in use ...


Thanks in advance
Neal

[snow_rocks]

welcome to the forum.

2 schools of thought.

let your wrist be the winder, or put it on a winder.
either way is not going to hurt the watch.

[mainspring]

Hello
Just bought GMT II. My other watches are automatics.
1. Is it better to keep watches running with the aid of a winder, or can I let them just wind down and reset as needed? Some blogs worry about "congealing oil".
2. My Breitling requires 800tpd CW, Rolex only 650tpd Bi, is it alright to use the higher one directional setting required by the Breitling to keep both watches running.
What a conundrum. JU

[sakuraba]

This thread is gonna open up a can of worms!

Let me get my opinion in before everyone else does.

I don't think winders are necessary. However, in the year or so that I have owned an Orbita, I have found them to be very convenient and elegant. I no longer know if I collect watches or winders.

IMO get a winder if you like to just pick up your watch and go. If not, save your money towards buying another watch. It doesn't hurt your watch to just sit there.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by neal702

I am new to this forum , and new to Rolex watches in general, I recently
bought a GMT II series M , and am wondering if their is any benefit to
my Rolex to put it on a watch winder when not in use ...


Thanks in advance
Neal

IMHO automatic watches are designed to be worn by people only.And people move in a huge diversity of manners, causing a fairly even distribution of motion of the watches winding mechanism. A watch winder is normally limited to a very small number of directions and types of movement normally just back and thro.IMHO a badly designed winder could in theory damage a watch and cause wear from excessive and repetitive movement on the same plane and axis.Now because the oils used in most modern watches today and when properly serviced are not very prone to clotting or coagulating like the old mineral oils so its not a problem to just rest a watch for a month or longer.
So IMHO watch-winders are not needed with any watch with just a simple date complication.

While there is no significant evidence that a good watch winder will either save or harm your watch.Over the many years of dealing with Rolex Bexly and talking to the various watchmakers there, who did not recommend watch-winders for any of the Rolex line up.Its quite funny now that Rolex have brought out a Rolex branded winder,its simple today watch winders = big £££$$$ and huge profits.IMHO many watch-winders today have a high quality finish on the outside (to justify the extremely high price),but hiding some very cheaply mass-produced insides. .
__________________

[Nods]

The watch winder will neither help or hinder your watch! It is about convenience, If you have several mechanical automatic watches, and you don't want to reset a watch that you have not worn for a week or so. Get a winder. If you find that you don't mind, or even enjoy, winding up and setting a watch you have not used for a while, then save your money and put it towards your next Rolex!

[SDDS]

Originally Posted by Nods

The watch winder will neither help or hinder your watch! It is about convenience, If you have several mechanical automatic watches, and you don't want to reset a watch that you have not worn for a week or so. Get a winder. If you find that you don't mind, or even enjoy, winding up and setting a watch you have not used for a while, then save your money and put it towards your next Rolex!

[maverick]

If you want one get a good one and they are not cheap. I have an Orbita which is one of the best. But it is hardly used any more. =) maverick

[boyntons2]

I have 3 rolexes that I keep on 2 Brookstone watch winders. I do it for both convenience and so I don't have to unscrew the crown that much. I usually set them on 30 day months. Also I found the Brookstone winders very reasonably priced.

[Sparky CRNA]

I have seen the Brookstone winders and wondered about their quality for the price. How many "turns per hour" are they?

I will say that I do not have one yet and my (now 4 Rolexes) get wound each time I change watches and I have noticed any ill effects from that.

They are very convenient for not having to wind and synchronize date time/24 hour time also.

I will be getting one at some point..the key is to be forward thinking enough to get one with enough slots to take into account FUTUR purchases!

Sparky

[Tools]

Originally Posted by mainspring

Hello
Just bought GMT II. My other watches are automatics.
1. Is it better to keep watches running with the aid of a winder, or can I let them just wind down and reset as needed? Some blogs worry about "congealing oil".
2. My Breitling requires 800tpd CW, Rolex only 650tpd Bi, is it alright to use the higher one directional setting required by the Breitling to keep both watches running.
What a conundrum. JU

Welcome Mainspring..

Sometimes a post within a thread gets lost... You can post your own.,.

1. It is not "better" to keep a watch running, although it can run nonstop for years. A running watch is grinding and working, and will eventually wear out. As for "congealing oil", this is a thing of the past. modern lubricants are synthetic and do not really wear out, but, the small particles from the watch moving and grinding will contaminate the oil and make it more of a sludge, so from that perspective, it is better to let the watch sit idle.

2. A Rolex will wind in either direction, so if you have your Breitling winder set for 800 CW, then it will also wind the Rolex.. you don't need to go in both directions.. 800 as opposed to 650 won't hurt it either.. it cannot be over-wound.

[jjbodean1970]

i have 3 automatics on my orbita quattro, i find it is a necessity for me

[Matc]

I only have 2 watches: an Omega SMP and my beloved SS Daytona. I bought an Orbita Belino winder and I love it. My daytona spend 5 days a week on the winder and then it's used most weekends. The convenence of the winder is fantastic.

As for brands, I found the orbita belino to have the most features for the price (bi direction, turns per day, battery and hard wired). Also, it cost me half the price of winders sold in australia and it is far better quality.

[R S]

Have an Orbita 3 head, but switching over to Wolf Designs(rechargeable) 4.0. You can buy them 1 at a time and they're connectable. Are they necessary? Probably not, but they are nice to look at.

[sakuraba]

Originally Posted by R S

Have an Orbita 3 head, but switching over to Wolf Designs(rechargeable) 4.0. You can buy them 1 at a time and they're connectable. Are they necessary? Probably not, but they are nice to look at.

Those Wolves are nice!

[RolexPete]

I alternate between my 16030 DJ and my 16610 Sub. When one is on my wrist, the other is on the winder. I have it set up to turn on 3 times during sleeping hours to do 600 revolutions during the night in two different directions. I also have a two-watch attachment to put on the winder if I were to need to put two watches on it.

I do have a Rolex 1002 but it is a tad small for me and has no date, so it is not in my regular watch wearing rotation. It will probably end up on my son's wrist when he graduates from high school. Or my daughter if she wants it (she graduates first).

[Metalheart]

After reading this thread I am inclined to buy a nice watch holder case instead of a winder. After all, these marvels need to live in a nice home of their own!!

[powerfunk]

Watch winders and old thread bumps -- two of Padi's favorite things!

[Whorology]

I think winders are great for timepieces with complications which are difficult to set manually. Otherwise I prefer not using a winder.

[Starbucksboss]

Originally Posted by Nods

The watch winder will neither help or hinder your watch! It is about convenience, If you have several mechanical automatic watches, and you don't want to reset a watch that you have not worn for a week or so. Get a winder. If you find that you don't mind, or even enjoy, winding up and setting a watch you have not used for a while, then save your money and put it towards your next Rolex!

Exactly...simple as this...nothing more nothing less. Want one get one...if not don't ...don't let any scare mongering about extra wear and tear put you off its completely mis leading.( most folks have one watch and wear it constantly...do their watches wear out faster...of corse not , you would have to account for this 'extra' wear over decades for it to be remotely of any significance.)

[funnyman7915]

I have owned my Rolex (date just) for over 25 years and until last week it kept shitty time .I had it cleaned by a real pro The cleaning took 3 weeks and cost 800 dollars and the old watchmaker recommended a watch winder .I searched amazon and googled Wolfe and voila I am using a Wolf .I have used it every night from about 8 pm until 7 am on their clockwise counter clock wise setting ( C) which has a liberal sleep time with no rotation .Their specs suggest each 6hr cycle has 45 turns with 60 minutes of turns then 90 minutes of rest in 4 cycles . The watch keeps perfect time .I set it to my cell phone and it hasn't lost a beat since I have had it cleaned and used teh watch winder .I am convinced that Rolex should put more emphasis on a winder when one buys the watch

[Lordofrolex]

Wolf, great watch winder

[T. Ferguson]

The possible benefit is simple - maybe convenience. If you wear it daily and are moderately active it's not going to stop ticking anyway so a winder is probably unnecessary. It also depends on how much you consider it inconvenient to have to wind and set a watch.

The downside is wear and tear - if you believe a watch that is running will incur wear over time versus one that is sitting idle. I do believe this. Still, just like the benefit of convenience, it depends on your wearing habits. If you wear it every day then it is always going to be running anyway, so a winder, while probably unnecessary, won't really cause any additional wear and tear.

That is it in a nut shell. Some people will tell you winding and setting a watch will cause additional wear and tear on the crown versus a winder. My experience is the only crown problems I've had were from non-use. There are definitely two camps on the winder wars. I don't use one, but simply don't have the need. I don't have any grand complications (perpetual calendar, etc.) and my wearing habits are such a winder would result in my watches running a significant amount of time when not on my wrist, so I don't use one.

Whatever works for you.