Watch Question

[CH53Driver]

So about 4 years ago I bought a Bell and Ross BR01-92 watch. I've been wearing it non-stop since I purchased it. A few times I've removed it for a few days because of some activity in the Marines where I didn't want to wear it. In those situations it has run completely down but after a few hours of wearing it again it develops enough of a wind wear I can re-set the time and continue wearing it.

Now that I'm out of the Marines, I'm actually getting more active than I was as a Marine. I'm looking to take up rock/ice climbing and mountaineering. With that being said, I will probably move to a watch that is more conducive to those activities so I will probably retire my B&R to the weekend warrior status.

With that being said, I've perused a couple watch forums and the B&R website. The general consensus I got was that the automatic watch winders weren't the best option as the can prematuraly wear the watch out? So what's the best method for storing a automatic movement style watch? I do have my owners manual but it's still packed away somewhere from my move and I figured someone on here would have some sage advice. Thank you.

 

[shelbyelite]

Watch winder is about the only thing that's gonna keep your watch going. Otherwise, your gonna have to reset the watch every weekend when you wear it. I personally have no problems with keeping my watches on a watch winder.

P.S. I am wearing my B&R phantom as I type this. I love it!

 

[CH53Driver]

Thanks Shelby! Yeah, I love my B&R. I went with the BR01-92 because for me it duplicated the look of the 8 day clock in the aircraft the best. Any watch winders you recommend that won't break the bank?

 

[GTdrummer]

I have a bunch of watches --bad habit I picked up (too many Rolexes--most in safe deposit). There are mixed feelings about winders. Some say they will wear out a watch more quickly. The flip side is the oils etc dry up if a watch sits too long. You can get them cheaply on ebay. Watch shops charge a fortune for them--they are not that complicated. I use a 4 watch winder.

 

[CH53Driver]

Thanks GTDrummer. I had kind of wondered about the oils and the gears sitting for too long with no movement. I haven't bought anything on Ebay in years so I guess I need to get on there and take a look at winders.

 

[Specracer]

I have about 25, I used to go the winder route, no longer. It sounds like you will be only leaving it for a few days? It will be fine with out it. I have a few I rarely wear, and can go a year or two, and I wind them up a bit, set them, and they are good to go.

 

[Chris A.]

I use a Buben & Zorweg.......I little pricey but worth it IMO

http://www.buben-zorweg.com/

 

[CH53Driver]

Thanks everyone. Yeah, I'll probably still wear the B&R weekly, except for those rare occassions where I may be gone for a few weeks.

 

[pe2unia]

I think I was with you when you bought that watch "IT IS AWESOME" Shelby remember to send me the info for your guy!:cheers

 

[fjpikul]

Try the www.rolexforums.com. They have a thread on winders and a forsale section.

 

[ChipBeck]

No batteries please.

I keep a number of Rolex's in my safe and never use a winder. I just wind them and set the time when I switch watches. I don't mind the minute or two this takes me. Veronica uses a winder for her stored watches. Different strokes. As far as wearing them out faster, I haven't found Rolex watches to be that reliable or accurate. I love them anyway. I have two electric watches that never have to be set. A $50 Casio running watch and a $950 Omega Seamaster. THOSE are reliable, accurate, and run for a couple years on 1 battery.

People are funny 'eh. We buy electric winders to keep our mechanical self winding watches running because we hate electric watches. Kind of like replacing the electronic ignition in our Ford GTs with vacuum points and condenser. :lol

I'll end with a quick true story. In the late 1960's my father was the General Manager of Chase Morsey's Paradise Ford in Scottsdale AZ. For Christmas he gave all of the dealerships managers self winding watches. A couple days later the used car manager complained that his new watch kept stopping. My dad's response was, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that......You need to MOVE once in a while."

Chip

 

[CH53Driver]

That last part of your story was pretty funny Chip! I'd love to have seen the look on that guy's face! Yeah, that's a great point about using electric watch winders to keep our self winding watches running. I've always liked Omegas so maybe I'll look into their watches to see if I can find a good "everyday/activity oriented" watch so I can save the B&R for the more casual days. I've been looking at the Suunto watches because of their features that would be good for mountaineering (alt, bar, comp, etc).

 

[CH53Driver]

I use a Buben & Zorweg.......I little pricey but worth it IMO

http://www.buben-zorweg.com/

Try the www.rolexforums.com. They have a thread on winders and a forsale section.

Thanks, I'll check those out!

 

[2112]

A $50 Casio running watch and a $950 Omega Seamaster. THOSE are reliable, accurate, and run for a couple years on 1 battery.

I have 3 Seamasters, one Quartz and 2 mechanical Chronometers. The oldest is 18 years. No winders.

None of them are babied, none of them super expensive. All 3 are incredibly accurate time pieces.

There is a reason they were used to go to the moon and are the most common official timekeepers of the Olympics.

 

[RPM217]

Funny thing is that we now all carry a very accurate timepiece, our cell phones! Still prefer a watch, but whenever anyone asks for the "correct time", after I check my watch, I look at the cell to see if I was accurate!

 

[Kelly-X1]

I can't believe this subject came up on this board. I got into watches about a year ago, a couple rolexs, tags (gulf edition monoco), BRM, Grahams, Breitling. But anyway, I try to wear a different one each day, sometimes even switching out between day and night depending on the event. I have a couple winders and for the convenience, I really like them, but they are all kind of bland and can be pricey. Sooooooo.... I am actually in the process of prototyping a new line of watch winders, called Da Vinci Watch Winders. They will be totally unique to what's out there and I've even redesigned the watch holder to the point of applying for a patent. I am probably 6 months or so from revealing the design and going on sale, maybe in time for a donation for the next rally auction. Funny, I got turned onto watches via this website, someone commenting on the BRM.

As far as the function, I've done a lot of research and here's what I've "heard", since there is really no right or wrong answer.
1. With today's synthetic oil in the newer watches, it won't hurt it to let it sit without being wound. For older watches you would want to get them serviced with a modern oil. But really, why get a watch and put in safe deposit box? Like having a GT vacuum sealed and never driving it, not for me, although I hear there are a few garage queens out there.
2. You really can't over-wind a watch and within reason can't wear out a quality watch, it has a release so when the spring is fully wound it just spins freely. Imagine an active person, "oh you have to sit down and stop moving, you're going to break your watch". With that said, I don't think you'd want to move it constantly on a winder either, so getting one that does 800-1000 turns per day is fine for most any watch. The fully digital, programmable winders would be over kill, but then again, do you really NEED a twin turbo at 1100 hp, ok, bad example, yea I need that. I think getting one that alternates direction seems reasonable, for even wear.

So really, it comes down to convenience more than anything. I find I wear a larger variety of watches if they are wound and (mostly) on time. Really if you want to tell time, look at your cell or get a $20 Timex, anything beyond that is for show, vanity, ego, conspicuous consumption (not that I'm opposed to any of those things), or for what I tell myself, "the appreciation of the design and mechanical ingenuity that goes into this little machine."

I am still learning about watches and winders, so if anyone cares to educate me further or call BS on anything I said, please do so. If I'm going to be selling winders, I need to know as much as possible.

I hope to use the forum for feedback on my design when ready, I'm going to even try to do one with a racing theme or perhaps GT specific.

Cheers,
Kelly

 

[CH53Driver]

Wow great post Kelly! Thanks for all the information and I look forward to seeing this winder of yours when you release it. I'm kinda like you, was never really into watches...until I got my B&R. Before that, I thought going from a Timex Ironman to a Casio G-Shock was a huge step. Now that I took the plunge, I'm always thinking about the next watch I'll get. Probably go with an Omega next. A buddy of mine has a Panerai and it's a beautiful watch.

 

[GTdrummer]

I agree on Rolex reliability or lack thereof. I have a Daytona, YM, Submariner and others but when I want to know the actual time I ask my son to check his Tag. It's the old joke about how to tell a fake Rolex from a real one? The fake one keeps good time.

 

[Neilda]

I have a couple of watches that were $30k+ each (bought in the days when money wasn't the problem it is now!!) and these are hand made automatics - very fine looking things they are too. I was strongly advised by the manufacturers to keep them in an automatic watch winder on the basis that, as already mentioned, it helps keep the watches lubricated and the various springs exercised.

Interestingly (well, OK, it's not THAT interesting) before I bought the winder, one watch would need servicing every 18 months or so; a $1500 exercise that took 9 weeks. Since using the winder, they require servicing less often.

 

[ChipBeck]

Another bespoke disaster.

......watches that were $30k+ each.......that would need servicing every 18 months or so; a $1500 exercise that took 9 weeks.

Neil,

:lol :lol :lol :lol Your post started my day off right. I'm still chuckling. I often look at what whatever watch I'm wearing and ask myself why I bought this overblown outdated contraption! What the hell was I thinking! Perhaps I'll continue on in this same vein by purchasing a cherry, numbers matching YUGO for my daily driver. Fine mechanical watches are like old Aston Martins, pretty to look at, but a disaster to maintain and keep running properly. :ack

Chip