Watch Winder FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q. What is your warranty coverage for your watch winders?

A. Unless otherwise noted on the watch winder page, all new watch winders purchased directly from our website have a one-year warranty. Refurbished watch winders only have a 90-day warranty. The warranty covers the mechanical winder only.  It does not cover springs, adapters, domes, or other accessories.  The warranty starts on the date of purchase.  Please see our Warranty page for more information.

 

Q. I did not buy my watch winder from this website. Do I have the same warranty coverage? 

A. No. Only customers that purchase directly from this website have the coverage explained on the warranty page.  Please see our Warranty page for more information.

 

Q. Are warranties transferable? 

A. No. All warranties, standard or extended, apply only to the original owner of the watch winder.

 

Q. How many rotations per day are needed to wind my watch with a watch winder?

A.  Here are some average rotations requirements (per day) to fully wind watches.

Alain Silberstein 650-800 A. Shild 800 Audemars Piguet 650 Auguste Reymond 650-800 Ball 50 Baume & Mercier 650-800 Bell & Ross 650-800 Bertolucci 650-800 Blancplain 650-950 Bregeut 500 Brietling 650-800 Bulgari 650-950 Cartier 650-800 Chase Durer 650-800 Chopard 650 Chronoswiss 650-800 Corun 650 Daniel Mink 650 Daniel Roth 650 Dubey & Schaldenbrand 650-800 Ebel 650-800 Eta 650-800 Eterna 650 Fortis 650-800 Frederique Constant 600 Gérald Genta 650 Gevril 650 Girard-Perregaux 500-800 Glashütte 600 Hamilton 800 Hanhart 650-800 Harry Winston 800 Hublot 650-800 Ikepod 650-800 IWC 650-800 J. Chevalier 650-800 Jaeger-LeCoultre 400-900 Jean Marcel 650-800 Kobold 800 Krieger 650-800

Lemania 650-950 Limes 650 Longines 650-800 Lucerne 800 Marcello C. 650-800 Maurise LaCroix 650-800 Minerva 800 Mühle Glashütte 650 Nivrel 650-800 Omega 650-800 Oris 650 Panerai 650-800 Parmigiana Fleurier 800 Patek Philippe 650-800 Paul Picot 650-800 Perellet 650 Philippe Charriol 650-800 Piaget 800 Rainder Brnad 650-900 Revue Thommen 650-800 RGM 650-800 Rolex 650 Sinn 650-800 Sothis 650-800 Stowa 650-800 Tag Heuer 650-800 Temption 650-800 Tiffany 650 Tissot 650-800 Tudor 650-800 Tutima 650-800 Ulysse Nardin 650-800 Union 800 Universal Geneve 800 Vincent Calabrese 600-700 Waldan International 500 Wenger Watch 800 Xemed 650 Yantar 800 Zenith 650

 

Q. How many rotations per day do MTE watch winders make?

A. Our battery powered watch winders have approximately 960 rotations per day in 24 hours or 1 rotation every 90 seconds. This makes the battery life about 1 year and 8 months.

Our four-watch winder has about 750 rotations per day in 24 hours in each direction. Please note that it runs for approximately 30 seconds, then rests, then moves in the opposite direction.

 

Q. What types of watches are there and which ones benefit from watchwinders?

A. AUTOMATIC or SELF-WINDING watches. These watches wind themselves using body movement. The wearer's arm actions cause a weight behind the movement to rotate, winding the main spring. They can also be wound manually.

None of the following watches should be used on our watch winders:

• Mechanical - these traditional 'wind up' watches. They work because of a mainspring inside the watch that needs to be wound by popping out the crown on the side of the watch and turning it.
• Quartz - powered by batteries.
• Kinetic - these appear to be self-winding but are actually not.  They need a much more violent movement to stay wound. We do not know of any watchwinder that will wind Kinetic watches. 

 

Q. How do I use a watch winder? 

A. Click here to view the instructions. 

 

Q. What happened to your polymer springs?

A. We use only metal springs now because they are much more durable.  We do not have any polymer/plastic springs left in stock and will not be reordering them.

 

Q. Is there a danger of "over-winding" when the unit is turned on 24 hours, 365 days a year?

A. There has been a lot of discussion about this topic.  Here is the discussion that is presented by ROLEX in a booklet that accompanies their Rolex Oyster watches: 

"The perpetual rotor is an innovation...patented by Rolex in 1931. ...a semi-circular rotor...winds the main spring. Once the optimum tension is reached, a special slip clutch prevents overwinding...and has been generally adopted throughout the watch making industry."

Some manufacturers have also prevented their watch from being wound in the counter clockwise direction to add additional reduction in the winding of the main spring. All of our winders either can be set to run in either direction or they automatically change direction to incorporate both clockwise and counter-clockwise winding of your watch.

Watchwinders will not wind a watch that is not already wound. Make sure your watch is properly wound prior to placing it on the winder. Winders will maintain the power reserve but normally with not wind a watch that is not at least 50% of the reserve prior to being placed on the winder.

 

Q. How long should I keep my watch on the watch winder?

A. You can not overwind the watch.  It needs about 8 hours if it is running low.  Less if the power reserve is higher.

 

Q. Which is the recommended direction for a Rolex watch? 

A. It does not matter if the the Rolex is made after 1972.

 

Q.  How long does the battery run in single or double watch winders?

A. On average 1 year for the one-watch winder.  The two-watch winder runs for about 6 months.

 

Q. Sometimes by battery unit runs continuously. Is that a problem?

A. In the AC mode that is not a problem.  In the battery mode, then it will cause the battery to run down faster.  Please contact us for a repair.  

 

Q. The retaining spring (watch holder) is too large for my watch.  Do you have anything smaller?

A. We have some smaller retaining springs.  Please see our parts and accessories. 

 

Q.  I've noticed some of the watches are not rotating on my JFAE4 Four-Watch Winder or they are slipping, what do I do?

A. Most of the time there is dust or dirt on the track or the rubber o-rings at the bottom of the springs.  Please wipe those down with a very lightly damp cloth.  And re-test.  If that does not work, you may need new o-rings/rubber track.  Please see our parts and accessories. 

 

Q. I want to keep my watch winder in my bedroom or right by my headboard.  What are the sound levels?

A.

• One-Watch Battery - noticeable. 
• Cordoba Two-watch winder - almost silent
• Four-Watch Winder - almost slient
• Collector Nine-Watch Winder - very quiet

 

Q. Why is there black residue on my winder? 

A. If you have a JFABE1 or JFABE2 watch winder and you are seeing black residue it means that the metal spring is not properly engaged on the watch winder.  To avoid this from happening, please make sure you have seated the retaining spring properly on the winder. Any questions, please contact us.