Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I was shocked when I read the reviews and saw how many reviewers had given it one star and blamed the winder "for not winding my watch".It is unfortunate people just don't understand how these are supposed to operate and yet they probably own some very nice and expensive time pieces.I own three winders two SWI six-slot and this one also made by SWI.This one works almost as well the only function it lacks is the ability to set the duration (how long or how often it rotates) of the rotation cycle.But that really is a minor point for a single portable winder and when used properly it would take weeks to a month to notice this effect.
In reading the reviews of the people that give it one star is was clear they don't fully understand how the "winder" or how automatic watches function.Short of your watch not fitting or the winder not having enough power to rotate your watch due to weight (highly doubtful)or it hitting and not rotating fully.If it is not "winding" it is "operator error"!
Please in an effort to help people that do not understand automatic watches and "winders" then I hope I can shed some light on how they are supposed to work.
First the word "winder" is really not fair since the "winder" is NOT designed to wind watches.That is correct, they DO NOT wind watches.They are designed to maintain or try to maintain the amount of spring tension that was in the watch when it was stored in the winder.The point of a winder is to "exercise" the internal components of your automatic watch and as a bonus it also keeps your watch from stopping so the next time you want to use it it is still keeping time.
You need to know the rotation of your movement, does it "wind" clockwise, counter-clockwise or both.This is single most important setting to know and by referring to your movements documentation you need to select the correct setting.Also the duration (if that setting is available on your winder) most often is a trial and error setting (please do not set it to maximum) as this can cause damage, you have to adjust this setting by trial and error over time.
Once you have determined the correct rotation make sure your watch fits without any interference and does not bind.You must have a full 360 degree rotation.As long as you are winding in the right direction and making full 360 degree rotations at a 90 degree angle the winder is doing its job PERIOD!!
So, now what else should you know?First before you store your watch you need to always manually wind your watch or had been wearing that watch before you place it in the winder.Some movements DO NOT allow for manual winding (some Seiko movements) and you must spin the rotor by hand by shaking the watch for a few minutes to wind it up.As I said, the intent of the winder is to maintain the level the watch was at when you placed it in the winder.If you put a "dead" watch in a winder it would not wind the watch up.On the other hand a fully wound watch should last for a month or more before eventually needing to be worn or manually wound again.
If you happen to own a watch with a "power reserve" you can use that to adjust the "rotation duration" setting for that watch.Even a fully wound watch stored for a long period will eventually (or should) eventually unwind and stop at some point.The reason for this is, a cheap winder that continues to keep winding or over-winding watches can damage/prematurely wear the movements clutch.Most of the newer automatic watch movements have a "clutch" that protects the mechanism from being over-wound and damaging the main-spring.You don't want a winder that keeps forcing the clutch to be engaged since it causes premature wear on the movement and you do not want the main spring "tight" all the time it causes the spring to develop a memory and causes the spring to not unwind-wind fully if stored wound-up for long periods.So if the winders (some of the cheap ones will over-wind movements) do not engage the clutch that means it is not going to keep winding the watch and over time (weeks, months a year ,etc) it will eventually become unwind-wound and stop and IT SHOULD, but it should be a slow long process once you get all the settings correct.
Also the winder must be on its side (yes people stand them on end and then wonder why they don't work).It is preferable to be at a 90 degree angle to the floor.If you place the winder on end it will not rotate the rotor and the higher the angle of the rotor or movement the less effective the winder becomes.Without gravity the rotor will not wind and only spin if left on end. When on your wrist the motion of your wrist moving is what cause the rotor to spin.You cannot duplicate the motion with the winder, so it relies on gravity to do all the work. As the watch turns in the winder the heavy end of the rotor stays toward the floor and the watch winds.
I do not know how so many people can claim the winder doesn't work when as long as it is rotating the watch in the right direction at a 90 degree angel it is at the worst going to take several days for that watch to fully unwind and stop under the worst conditions.A fully wound automatic watch just sitting still will take about 30 to 45 hours to unwind and stop.So any amount of "winding" by a winder will increase that time (the whole point of a "winder").Most winders typically wind for 30-60 seconds every hour or so and reverse direction if set too every few rotations or hours.That is how a winder working properly works.
Now that you have an understanding you have to realize that unless the watch is not rotating at all or rotating in the wrong direction then it will be working and slow down the normal unwinding of the watch and that is all it is supposed to do.
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Product Description:
Keep your automatic watch running and ready for wear with this stylish, compact single watch winder that's perfect for bringing along on your travels. Featuring a boxy, rectangular shape, it features a padded leather exterior in black and a round see-through window at the top. You can program the amount of time the watch winder will operate, and its silent motor is powered by either the included AC adapter or batteries. The single watch slot has a removable cushion to fit most size of watches. It measures 4 by 4 by 6 inches (LxWxH).
If you don't wear your automatic watch every day, a watch winder is a very good investment. Automatic watches operate on the principle of winding themselves using a moving weight inside the watch. If the watch is not worn for a long period, then it no longer receives this kinetic power and will run down. A watch winder moves watches in circular patterns to mimic the human motion that keeps the self-winding mechanism working, and an automatic watch usually requires just 30 minutes or so of winding each day.
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