Did You Know?

Learn how to choose and care for watches.

What is a Watch Winder?

Now that I have a Rolex, I need a watch winder.

What is a watch winder?

Certain watches do not need to be wound because they wind themselves when they are moving on your arm throughout the day. When you don’t wear those watches they tend to stop, so a watch winder, which simulates that natural motion keeps automatic watches operating.

The internal parts of automatic watches are designed to follow the pull of gravity. Therefore, they don’t have gears that must be wound with a spring. Instead, their tiny weights get pulled by gravity as you move and swing your arm, so little by little these weights are twisting around both clockwise and counter-clockwise, until your watch is wound up. Watches like this are called automatic or self-winding types, as opposed to quartz, kinetic, or mechanical watches.

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How Watches Work

In addition to their exterior beauty, watches are also an incredible feat of engineering and craftsmanship. This section contains an overview of the major parts of a watch, as well as an explanation of how watches operate.

Many complicated parts must all work in tandem in order to not only tell time, but perform a myriad of other functions. These could include a chronograph, altimeter, alarm, day/date calendar, moon phase, and slide rule bezel. Below are descriptions of the major internal and external parts and their functions. For more detailed explanations, visit our glossary of watch terms.

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Watch Shopping Tips

Finding the right watch can be somewhat confusing – there are so many features and style from which to choose! Here are tips to help you find the best watch for you and yours:

Do your homework! Know the type of watch you’re looking for, basic style/design, colors, etc.
Decide which features you want in the watch before you start shopping so you won’t be overwhelmed trying to understand unnecessary functions.
Consider functionality. When will you/the recipient be wearing the watch – every day or just for evening wear/special occasions? If every day, a self-winding or automatic timepiece would be a good choice.
Consider wardrobe and lifestyle. Silver watches match best with blacks, grays, silvers and blues and are ideally worn at night. Gold watches go with browns, beiges, tans and other earth tones and are best worn during the day. Also, mix and match gold and silver colors to complement other jewelry and accessories.
Buy a familiar watch brand or one whose performance has a good reputation.
Always buy from a reputable jeweler/authorized dealer that you can trust to offer after-purchase advice, service and support.
Consider your budget. A watch should be considered a long-term value. Spending a little more will get you a higher-quality timepiece that with proper care can last for many years.