[Don Nghia]

Hi Guys
I have a Moonphase watch but do not wear it usually and only keep it for weekend !

However the problem is Unlike other automatic/day date complication. I have to Reset the Moon-phase Complication everytime I wear it (And have to go to Moonphase website to know how is the moon TODAY)

Therefore, I decide to put It on a Winder. However, People keep telling me that If I let the watch run continuously on the winder, It will cause the watch movement parts to tear and wear quicklier, which make the watch go closer and sooner to its next Service.

Is it True? Should I keep it in a safe box or a Winder?

P/S:Another Issue, I have my Father Rolex Datejust on the Winder as well. He asked me to do that because some watch-maker tell him if he don't put the Date-Just on the winder but a safe and not wear it for a long Time (He usually not wear it for months), The Movement-oil will dry and the overhaul/Service fee will be very high for a Rolex !

So why the ... is the opinion so Opposite? What it is True and Right things to do?

WIS please help me

 

[Mike_Mac]

Watches are designed to run. It’s what they do. If serviced on a regular interval, there will be very little wear. And the oils don’t dry out in anything near the recommended service interval, especially in a sealed environment (a modern watch.

That said, if the watch has complications that are tedious to reset, keep it on a winder.

 

[joepac]

My take on it is this... What if you wore the watch everyday like they are designed to do? Would that wear out your watch?

I have had watches on my winder for almost a year. I rotate them frequently but only have 6 slots so not all my watches stay wound. But I have not had any of them break or wear prematurely, at least so far. My winder is a variable winder that stops and starts at intervals and rotates clockwise/counter clockwise throughout the day.

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[X2-Elijah]

Yes, watch winders damage the watches.

There are two common ways this happens.

1) Watch winders are using electric motors, which rely on induced electromagnetic field. Watches don't do well with electromagnetic fields, on account of the balance spring potentially becoming magnetized and changing it's timekeeping ability.

2) Watch winders are often using cheap and unreliable electric motors. They short out, a small fire starts, and your safe, or watch cabinet, or room burns down. Oopsie. Watches don't do well in conflagrated state.

Så.

Be safe. Be smart. Don't use a watchwinder.

P.S. Wasting electricity is not cool. If you wanted to do that, just go and get a quartz watch. Automatics are supposed to be special due to not relying on electric parts, so why would you ever want to strap them to an electric device?

 

[timefleas]

While cheap watch winders have been shown to damage watches (mostly through rubbing/banging and basically poor design of the rotating mechanism), a decent winder will neither incur magnetization nor cause the movement to wear out--they will do what they are designed to do--keep your watches wound so that you you can pick one up, go out the door, and not be concerned whether it will run down or not. I've used winders for a couple of decades with zero issues to date.

 

[murokello]

Yes it does. But not more than keeping the watch running by using it.

 

[handcrank1]

Yes, watch winders damage the watches.

There are two common ways this happens.

1) Watch winders are using electric motors, which rely on induced electromagnetic field. Watches don't do well with electromagnetic fields, on account of the balance spring potentially becoming magnetized and changing it's timekeeping ability.

2) Watch winders are often using cheap and unreliable electric motors. They short out, a small fire starts, and your safe, or watch cabinet, or room burns down. Oopsie. Watches don't do well in conflagrated state.

Så.

Be safe. Be smart. Don't use a watchwinder.

P.S. Wasting electricity is not cool. If you wanted to do that, just go and get a quartz watch. Automatics are supposed to be special due to not relying on electric parts, so why would you ever want to strap them to an electric device?

Rubbish

 

[marcusp23]

Yes, watch winders damage the watches.

There are two common ways this happens.

1) Watch winders are using electric motors, which rely on induced electromagnetic field. Watches don't do well with electromagnetic fields, on account of the balance spring potentially becoming magnetized and changing it's timekeeping ability.

2) Watch winders are often using cheap and unreliable electric motors. They short out, a small fire starts, and your safe, or watch cabinet, or room burns down. Oopsie. Watches don't do well in conflagrated state.

Så.

Be safe. Be smart. Don't use a watchwinder.

P.S. Wasting electricity is not cool. If you wanted to do that, just go and get a quartz watch. Automatics are supposed to be special due to not relying on electric parts, so why would you ever want to strap them to an electric device?

You're kidding

 

[joepac]

Yes, watch winders damage the watches.

There are two common ways this happens.

1) Watch winders are using electric motors, which rely on induced electromagnetic field. Watches don't do well with electromagnetic fields, on account of the balance spring potentially becoming magnetized and changing it's timekeeping ability.

2) Watch winders are often using cheap and unreliable electric motors. They short out, a small fire starts, and your safe, or watch cabinet, or room burns down. Oopsie. Watches don't do well in conflagrated state.

Så.

Be safe. Be smart. Don't use a watchwinder.

P.S. Wasting electricity is not cool. If you wanted to do that, just go and get a quartz watch. Automatics are supposed to be special due to not relying on electric parts, so why would you ever want to strap them to an electric device?

C'mon...

Edit: well actually I take it back X2. U might be RIGHT! I used my phone's Compass which has an EMF sensor and put it on the backs of my watches Some of my watches-about 7, had elevated readings of >60microT (micro Tesla?) the watches all run fine though and one of my watches that have been running weird has normal Readings (~44 microT). I then checked the motor areas of my winders and the readings were very high (~145 microT) so I dunno what this data means. But I am going to rethink my position on winders. And going to buy a demagnetizer now.

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[Zeroedout]

Sorry to go off topic....but just out of curiosity, what’s going on with that winder? It almost looks like it’s got some kind of corrosion/corrosive material all over it. Do you keep it in the bathroom (those look like curlers)?

Edit: maybe it’s just the vinyl/leather deteriorating from the pillows?

 

[Dan T.]

I let my automatics run all the way down. When I want to wear one, I just give the crown a few spins, and I'm off. I suppose with day/date (or date only) complications this can be irritating, but I don't seem to mind setting everything - makes me feel more connected to it. Never had issues in nearly 30 years of doing it this way.

I only have one winder, and I leave my cheapest automatic on it, the SNK809. It's a beater watch on a beater winder, so if it messes things up, I'm not going to cry. I do it like this because I only wear that watch in true "beater" activity, and I'm usually in a hurry with that sort of thing (yard work, backpacking, kayaking, golf, etc.).

OP: just do what feels right.

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[achilles]

Nothing wrong in using a watch winder. But stay away from cheap ones found on eBay and such. Go for the good ones like Wolf, Orbita etc. If you can spend so much money on a good watch, I'm sure you can spend some money to get a good winder that maintains your watch power reserve.


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[sticky]

In theory a watch on a winder will wear more quickly than one in a safe but the difference would be so tiny that I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[chillwill120]

A watch that runs non-stop will need service sooner than one that gets a rest from time to time. Why not just give the watch a rest if you're not using it?

 

[TwentiethCenturyFox]

No worries or issues with my several Orbita Sparta watch winders.

 

[Don Nghia]

Ok after this thread of mine I am even more confuse.

Some of you say there is a problem when make the watch run 24/24 when do not use (the guy above also post a youtube video for that)


Others said that it is still ok as long as I have a good winder. But what different from good and ok watch winder when they still make the watch run all day?

Now even in WUS have 2 opposite Idea, I know why out there people also have different opinions...

 

[Chris Stark]

Anything that's mechanical and runs 24/7 will wear out sooner than something that's mechanical and doesn't run 24/7 -- pretty simple to figure out since both friction and gravity are involved.

The question is: If the mechanical device is serviced regularly what is the reduction in lifespan of something running 24/7 vs something not running 24/7?

And ultimately: What is the difference if not serviced regularly?

I never had a watch winder and never will. I think half the enjoyment of watch ownership is winding and setting it when necessary. If peoples' schedules
are so busy that they have no time for this I have no answer.

 

[joepac]

Ok after this thread of mine I am even more confuse.

Some of you say there is a problem when make the watch run 24/24 when do not use (the guy above also post a youtube video for that)

Others said that it is still ok as long as I have a good winder. But what different from good and ok watch winder when they still make the watch run all day?

Now even in WUS have 2 opposite Idea, I know why out there people also have different opinions...

Read my edited post above and X2's post about how winders *can/might* magnetize watches.

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[Zeroedout]

OP, I’m still curious about the condition of that winder...and if you keep it in the bathroom?

 

[gangrel]

OP, just recognize there is no consensus.

Having it running 24/7/365 is fine, it's the presumed use pattern. That's what the service interval is based on. Well, fine, but fundamental logic says, if it's not running, there's no wear. So if you want to stretch the service interval, that should be entirely plausible.

The only time I strongly advocate a winder is with any full calendar...triple, annual, perpetual. That's because resetting the calendar is annoying. If not, then there's no great reason IMO to have it running. You have to reset it anyway, most likely, so it's not like it's grab and go off the winder. And if you do have to reset it, then...what value is being added by the winder? OTHER than on the calendar movements. OK, yes, I ignore dates on my watches; I'm happier with no-date pieces. If you're the other way...got to have date, and that date has to be *right*...then the winder will minimize your hassles.

Power consumption? Fire risk???? Get real. These are ludicrous concerns. You want to save power, change all your bulbs to LEDs. Perhaps update appliances if they're old. A typical room doesn't need four 150-watt equivalent bulbs running. Run properly full dishwasher, washer, and dryer loads. LOTS of things can save meaningful amounts of power. But a watch winder??? The motor MAY be running for a total of an hour a day, and the draw is NOTHING. The output of my Versa's power adapter...is 0.5A at 4 volts. Ergo...2 watts. EEK. It would need to be running for 20 days *constantly* to burn 1 kilowatt hour. Oh, gee, 10 whole cents.

The magnetization seems dubious. Not impossible, just dubious. Anything could've led to that reading.