Which watch winder, why

[Mr P and R]

So - I am about to pick up an IWC Portuguese as an ever day wearer. As this is my first automatic I want to know whether I need a watch winder. What puropose do they fulfil?

[Maxf]

They wind your watch for you when you are not wearing it. You don't need one as you will be wearing it!

[Mr P and R]

So what is the benefit - it runs out. Wind it and set it, takes what 2-3min tops? Or is running a watch down generally considered un-healthy for the mechanism?

[Maxf]

Some people have quite a few watches and it's nice to be able to just pick one up and go. Some vintage watches can be a pain to set as can complications such as moon phases and perpetual calenders.

There is an argument that if a watch stays still for a long period of time the oils settle and it can become damaged - this happened to me actually.

Mostly its convenience twinned with a nice way of displaying a collection.

[Mattt]

Long period of time?

[Maxf]

Yes. I took a watch in for service and forgot about it. When I collected it about 18 months later they wound it and said it was not running properly so reserviced it. It must have been sitting in a safe for over a year.

[Mattt]

Sorry I meant what is defined as a long period of time?

[Maxf]

I dont know. I gave an example, so around that for me. Maybe more, maybe less.

[Four Cofffee]

I have a dual one. I have a JLC which is my 'best' watch and it lives on the wider along with my wife's Lacroix to save us having to reset it all the time as I don't have it as a daily wear because I go through straps too quickly. I also use the storage space in the box as it takes another 6 watches as the place to keep my other automatics in one place.

I have heard that resetting them often doesn't help the mechanisms/allows any oils to set etc. I am not convinced that is true in modern watches, it is just convenmient to be able to pop it on knowing the time/day will be right.