Call all owners of automatic watches

[warmodder]

If you only have 2 watches, it shouldn't be a problem to just wind the crown before you go to bed at night and you haven't worn the watch all day.

That said, why is there so much hate on nice watches? Nobody cares that your casio keeps better time.

 

[0roo0roo]

ebay?
~25 bucks

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
Are you having trouble keeping two watches wound? The one you wear during the day should get more than sufficient movement to stay wound I would think. The night one maybe less so if you're not consistent about it? My automatic watch I have taken off for 2 days or so and have come back to it still ticking. It would seem like if you had just two automatic watches you would be able to keep them wound just from use.

I wouldn't think a winder would be necessary till you have 5-6 watches.

That's why I wear the automatic as the day watch since it seems it needs more wear time to keep going.

I use the kinetic as the night watch and for going out......it just needs a couple of shakes and it's good to go. And the face design is suited for nighttime anyways.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
buy a tabletop display novelty gadget that moves around a bit.
stick it on a lamp timer

this is what i'm trying to figure out, too. I have 3 autos - I can't keep them all wound all the time.

The nice watch winders cost $200 or more.

The $30 to $70 winders at Amazon...I'd like to see them in-store in-person to make any judgments.

 

[Lounatik]

Originally posted by: PhoenixOrion

Originally posted by: robphelan

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
buy a tabletop display novelty gadget that moves around a bit.
stick it on a lamp timer

this is what i'm trying to figure out, too. I have 3 autos - I can't keep them all wound all the time.

The nice watch winders cost $200 or more.

The $30 to $70 winders at Amazon...I'd like to see them in-store in-person to make any judgments.

I would at least give the 30.00 one a shot rather than get a silly 200.00 one and have it crap out just like the cheapo one.

BTW this is going to be my next watch purchase. I have heard that it is a hard one to come by, especially in the stainless. So I might spring for their F1 model in stainless.

Peace

Lounatik

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
Is it bad to let an automatic drain its power? I have a decently nice Tag Carrera Twin Time Automatic, but I seldom wear it when I'm home, it's usually just reserved for nice nights out and when I'm on the road. For instance, I haven't put it on in the 2 some weeks that I've been home from LA.

I've heard a lot of stories from watch owners that it's bad to let them wind down, but from chatting with people who repair watches, the advice I've gotten is, "I've never repaired a watch where I thought, 'if only they'd kept it running all the time, it wouldn't have broken'." I'm inclined to believe that there's nothing at all wrong with letting a watch wind down.

ZV

hmm...urban myth then?

i've always heard of 'don't let it wind down, moving gears keeps everything lubricated.'

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: jagec
$6.43 was for the whole watch, not the battery.

I see lots of 5-packs of watch batteries for $3-5 on ebay. So that's $30 watch winder vs. 150 years of batteries.

Ahh, didn't catch that. Still, like I said, you don't buy a mechanical watch to save money.

ZV

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Originally posted by: Lounatik
I am going to get a winder from Amazon. Their prices are excellent, and you wont have to spend 200.00 on one. Watch winders

They have some really nice ones for well under a hundred bucks.

Peace

Lounatik

I didn't have to get one after all.
Santa Claus got me this. Good thing I waited.......I wasn't expecting someone would get me a winder for Christmas.

 

[ScottMac]

You have to be careful, especially with the cheap watch winders. They *will* over-wind the watch ... even watches with "overwind protection" ... they'll keep the spring wound tight for the duration of their ride. Reversing direction is not enough, you need to be able to adjust the period of when it'll wind, and for how long to accommodate the specific watch.

For one or two watches, it's not a big deal, as mentioned, just manually wind the watch every day or two. I have more than one or two watches, most of them are autos.

"Good" winders are over a thousand dollars. Good winders for a lot of watches are several thousand dollars (I've seen some for US$14,000.00).
When you're talking about watches that are US$20K - $200K, a couple thousand for a good winder is a good investment. When you start adding "complications" (features) to the watch, it can take a while to get everything re-set after it totally unwinds. So it's also a great convenience.

The watches are not harmed by letting them stay un-wound, but they should still be moved occasionally to keep the lubricants well-distributed.

I tried a cheap winder ($200.00), six months later I had the four watches that were riding on it in for new springs and overhauls .. they were all dead (a B&M, Bell & Ross, Brietling Navi, and a Rolex DateJust).

Be careful ...

Good Luck & Happy New Year

Scott

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: jagec
$6.43 was for the whole watch, not the battery.

I see lots of 5-packs of watch batteries for $3-5 on ebay. So that's $30 watch winder vs. 150 years of batteries.

Ahh, didn't catch that. Still, like I said, you don't buy a mechanical watch to save money.

ZV

I think what he's suggesting is that a really nice (but battery powered) watch makes more sense.

I agree with you though, this isn't about what makes sense!