Interest in a watch winder?

[Rez Exelon]

I recently got a 4 watch winder, but wifey is not convinced that I should keep it. And by not convinced, I mean that I got a pretty solid "it's too big and I don't want to look at it".

Any of you all folks possibly interested?
https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Winder-Storage-Backlight-Control/dp/B07QP7T1R8

 

[dlbleak]

What are the dimensions? I recently got a 4+6 but I like your upright model.

 

[Rez Exelon]

14h x 9.5w x 7d. In other words, too big to fit on the closet where I wanted.

 

[skyhawk1]

I have had several and none of them lasted more than a year or so. Not like yours tho

 

[Rez Exelon]

I do have another one that is smaller and is a twosie...it's nicer with analogue controls and has worked well. That one gets to stay since it fits in a little built in cubby in my shelf space. To be fair most of my watches I wear routinely are eco drive so I sometimes let the mechanicals just wind down. I should probably know if that's bad or not but I've not looked too far into the matter.

 

[Shadowrider]

snipped... I sometimes let the mechanicals just wind down. I should probably know if that's bad or not but I've not looked too far into the matter.

I'm wondering about this too. I wouldn't think it would hurt a mechanical, but I have my dad's Seiko Kinetic that I only wore occasionally after having @thor447 go in and replace the rechargable battery in it and get it back to great working condition. They don't like to not be worn and charged regularly, as now it won't take much of a charge at all. Lesson learned, but I wish I had known before hand. A winder would have kept in going for a good long while I think.

I just ordered another Seiko automatic that's almost a dead ringer for it's replacement.

 

[torment]

I have a wolf one. expensive but it works perfect and built well.

 

[Rez Exelon]

Maybe @thor447 needs to drop some knowledge on whether the mechanicals and the solar need regular charging with us

 

[Shadowrider]

Maybe @thor447 needs to drop some knowledge on whether the mechanicals and the solar need regular charging with us

I'm planning on keeping my ecodrive charged!

 

[thor447]

Maybe @thor447 needs to drop some knowledge on whether the mechanicals and the solar need regular charging with us

You can ask 100 watch people about winders and you'll get 50% pro and 50% against. Here's the nuts and bolts of it though....

Speaking purely mechanically, and in my personal opinion, unless you have a complication that is a PITA to set like an annual calendar, perpetual calendar, etc., a winder isn't really necessary. Back before the development of synthetic lubrication, a winder served a vital purpose. By keeping the watch running constantly, it prolonged the life of the old style (natural animal & vegetable) oils, and kept them from congealing and degrading as quickly. With synthetic lubricants from the 70's and onwards, and especially with the stuff used today, that is absolutely no longer an issue. The oil life is extended and does not break down nearly as quickly or with the lack of use like the old lubricants did. In fact, outside of the convenience factor of always having a wind in your watch whenever you are ready to use it, what they really do is just put additional wear on the watch. Now over a couple of years that doesn't make too much difference, but multiply that by the amount of time we own a watch and it'll likely cause for a couple of additional services needing to be done over the lifetime of the watch. It is just a compromise of not having to wind your watch at the expense of additional wear. Inactivity doesn't hurt a watch like it used to, simply due to the lubricants being used today.

I have 1 simple winder, and only really use it to keep a watch wound after it has been assembled and used to test timekeeping over a period of days or weeks.

Winders are cool though. If I had a perpetual or annual calendar complication on a watch I'd likely keep it on a winder. Since I don't, I haven't seen a need to get one personally. I enjoy the 30 seconds of winding and setting the time when I put on a watch that hasn't been worn in a couple of days.