Do I Need to Use a Watch Winder?

You might be surprised that this is a bit of a controversial question. For those of you who don’t know, a watch winder is an electronic way to move your watch as though it were on your wrist if you’re not wearing it for a length of time. This has the effect of keeping the watch’s self-winding mechanism working, keeping the parts lubricated, and keeping everything from seizing up. That’s the theory, anyway. Some people believe winders are a waste of money. A number of sources suggest the benefits of a winder can be accomplished simply by wearing the watch once every four or five months. Further, the argument is that there is micro wear and tear on the gears with the movement that wouldn’t be there if you just wear the watch for that length of time.

What are your thoughts on this? You may have read my earlier post recommending regular wear as a way to keep your Rolex running smoothly. That’s still my favorite way to accomplish that.

***Side Note*** Some winding systems can be immediately dismissed. If they move the watch the same way every time, they don’t actually simulate wrist movement. If they only move the watch in one direction, it will disproportionately create wear on one side of the mechanism and only lubricate that side effectively. If you use a winder, you want one with multiple directions of movement.