Automatic watches are popular among collectors who admire the traditionalism and artisanship, but not the upkeep, of mechanical watches. However, when not in very frequent, if not every day, use, these watches wind down and eventually lose power. For collectors who don’t wear all their automatic watches often, the constant need for time resetting can become tedious.

Enter the watch winder: this machine is built to keep an automatic timepiece wound even when it’s not being worn. It moves the watch in specific patterns so that the weighted movement winds itself and never loses power: this way, the watch continues keeping impeccable time without interruption. Then the watch can be taken out and worn immediately whenever the owner sees fit without the timepiece having to be rewound and reset.

A watch winder can be a significant investment, so we’ve put together this checklist to help you decide whether a watch winder is really right for you.

1. Do you have one or more automatic watches that you don’t wear regularly?

Automatic watches were made for very frequent, almost everyday use, since their mechanisms are powered by the kinetic energy provided by the movement of your wrist. The automatic watch that you don’t wear regularly will wind itself down, lose power, and stop telling time until you wind it back up.

2. Do you spend a significant amount of time resetting automatic watch(es) that have wound down on their own?

Winding and setting an automatic watch is not at all difficult, but if you have to wind it every three or four days, it can get annoying, especially if you have two or more in rotation that need frequent winding. Some collectors enjoy the time they spend winding and caring for their watches, but others prefer the convenience of picking up a watch and wearing it without having to set it.

3. Would you spend at least $200 for a machine that could save that time for you?

While you could find a cheap watch winder for about $60, you’d run the risk of the machine breaking down within a month of use, or, in the worst-case scenario, the machine ruining the motor of your watch by moving it incorrectly for long periods of time. As such, you’d really need to make an investment into a watch winder to make sure it’s keeping your timepiece in good shape.

The price point for a good watch winder fluctuates based on the quality of the machine, the number of watches it can wind at once, and whether it has a warranty or not, since they need to be serviced every once in a while. A basic winder that can store one watch, is of decent quality, and has a limited warranty will run for about $200. Meanwhile, a luxury winder with enough storage for 12 watches, custom spin settings, lots of extra space and accessories, and an international warranty costs $9,000.

If you choose to spend for a watch winder, the price point will really come down to how much space and how many accoutrements you need.

If you answered NO to two or more of these questions, then you probably do not need a watch winder. However, if you answered YES to most of these questions, then you should consider looking into investing in one.

Interested in automatic watches? Contact our concierge service here for some guidance about which model is best for you, or peruse some of our suggestions below.