FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
1. WHAT WATCHES NEED A WATCH WINDER?
A watch winder is only for automatic watches, i.e. those that do not have a battery and do not need manual winding, but keep going because of the motion of the watch on your wrist. Typically these are higher-end Swiss and German watches.
2. WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED WATCH SETTING?
This is something best checked with your watch manufacturer but, as a rule of thumb, heavier watches require more Turns Per Day (TPD).
3. HOW LONG DO I NEED TO WIND THE WATCH FOR OR HOW LONG CAN I KEEP IT IN THE WINDER?
You can leave your watch in the winder for as long as you like. Our gentle rotation method of one-minute rotation intervals for no more than twelve hours followed by a twelve-hour pause ensures your watch will never be overwound.
4. HOW MANY TURNS PER DAY (TPD) DOES MY WATCH NEED?
Please refer to your manufacturer for the information specific to your watch.
5. HOW LONG AFTER A WATCH HAS BEEN WOUND UP WOULD IT REQUIRE TO BE WOUND AGAIN?
This depends on the watch, but typically they will last no more than twenty-four to forty-eight hours on a single “charge”.
6. CAN YOU OVERWIND A WATCH?
It is possible to overwind a watch but our method of gentle rotation protects against this.
7. WHICH DIRECTION TO WIND A WATCH?
You should refer to your watch manufacturer for this information but we like to wind our watches on an alternating setting (alternates between clockwise and counter-clockwise) as we feel this most closely replicates what happens when you wear your watch on your wrist.
8. ARE AUTOMATIC WATCH WINDERS NECESSARY?
A watch is a precision piece of engineering and like any such piece, it benefits from being used. Keeping a watch in a drawer without ever winding it is akin to keeping a car in a garage without running it. A watch, like a car, will perform better in the long run if it is occasionally used. For this reason to keep your watch periodically wound is recommended. There is also a convenience benefit to a watch winder in that it ensures your watch is always at the correct time and the date when you go to wear it after some time. This saves you the inconvenience of having to reset and wind it each time.
9. DO I NEED A WATCH WINDER IF I WEAR MY WATCH EVERYDAY?
No, probably not. A watch winder will be beneficial if you leave your watch for long periods without wearing it or if you have multiple watches as it will keep those you aren't wearing wound and at the correct time/date.
10. WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED SETTING: CLOCKWISE, COUNTERCLOCKWISE OR ALTERNATING?
This depends on the movement in your watch and while the majority tend to prefer an alternating setting, we refer you to your watch manufacturer for their specific guidance on this.
11. HOW DOES A WATCH WINDER WORK?
A watch winder is designed to mimic the daily movement of the watch on your wrist when you are not wearing it. By rotating the watch in a defined cycle and on a uniform plane it has the effect of efficiently charging the mainspring thereby keeping your watch on the correct time and date, ready for when you next wish to wear it. To avoid overwinding of the watch the Barrington Watch Winder range adopt a method of 'Gentle Rotation' which sees the watch wound only for 1 minute periods over a 12 hour cycle and then resting for a further 12 hours before starting again.
12. WILL MY WATCH STRAP CIRCUMFERENCE BE SUITABLE FOR A BARRINGTON WATCH WINDER?
The standard cushion on our Single Watch WInder range will fit a wrist of circumference 19-24cm but we have also now developed what we call the 'Flex cushion' which is much more plyable and can therefore fit wrist circumferences of 14-20cm. When you add your Single Watch Winder to your Shopping cart you will be asked to select which option you would like. As a guide we would say that approx 80% of our customers use the standard cushions but gentlemen with slightly smaller than average wrist sizes or the majority of ladies may find the Flex cushion more suitable. However if you buy the wrong one and wish to change just send what you have back to us and we'll replace it for free. Alternatively you can contact us to buy a spare cushion (of either type) at a charge of £20/$30 including P&P. Please note though that the issue of different cushions is only relevant for our Single Watch Winders and if you buy a Double, Quad, Six or Twelve winder they have a different cushion mechanism that suits all wrist sizes.
13. ARE THE WATCH WINDER MOTORS SILENT?
While our motors are generally acknowledged as being among the most silent on the market (google the reviews of our winders for independent verification of this), it is still a mechanical device with a motor and moving parts in it so it is not - and cannot be - perfectly silent. It is probably quiet enough for your bedroom though it may be better placed in an office or living area if you are a light sleeper.
14. WHY ISN'T MY WATCH STAYING WOUND IN MY WINDER?
Most people default to having their watch rotate on a bi-directional setting and then when it doesn't stay wound they increase the TPD to 750, 850, 1000 or higher. What we find is that changing the direction setting from bi-directional to mono-directional is often the better solution. We notice this especially with many models of Omegas, Breitlings and Cartiers among others. As a Barrington watch winder uses intermittent rotation with pauses between each cycle of 10 rotations, you can carry out some trial and error to find the best setting for your watch while being reassured that your watch is not being overwound.