You woke up this morning, stretched, yawned, presumably put on some clothes, then proceeded to do whatever it is you do when you do things.
And as fate would have it, one of those things was clicking on this article about the best watch winder on the market today. Why? Only you know, but I’ve got three guesses…
1. You’ve got a closet full of fancy-pants timepieces with complicated automatic movements that you just don’t have time to babysit.
2. You’ve heard of watch winders but don’t know what they are or how they work.
3. You’ve got a watch enthusiast in the family and are looking for the perfect holiday gift to get said lucky gentleman.
Fair and fair. Before we jump to the good stuff, though, let’s address number two. A watch winder is a mechanical gadget that rotates self-winding watches in a manner that mimics your body’s natural movements. Automatic watches rely on motion to stay wound, which isn’t an issue if you wear them frequently. But if you’ve got multiple automatic watches (or one with particularly complicated movements or functions), a watch winder can be a significant time- and hassle-saver.
As for number 1… here we go.
Key Takeaways
To find the best watch winder across a range of categories, I began by poring over dozens of product comparisons, customer reviews, materials, included features, and more. The resulting five are the best of the best based on turns per day (TPD) settings, rotation settings, construction, and extra features. My top pick based on those considerations is the Barrington Single Winder, followed by the formidable yet budget-friendly Triple Tree Single Watch Winder.
Why it’s great: The first thing you’ll notice about Barrinton’s Single Winder is how understatedly handsome it is. This sleek, minimalist unit comes in 10 colors—I’m partial to American Walnut—to make a statement in any environment. Under the hood, you’re working with five turns per day (TPD) settings, a quiet motor, and multiple rotation settings.
How to use it: Barrington’s Single Winder should be a great fit if you’ve got that one prized watch that, even though you love to wear it, isn’t in your daily rotation. But if you’ve got more than one stunner, Barrington’s “jump feature” allows you to connect multiple Single Winders together. Just pop your timepiece on either the standard or flexible cushion, choose your settings, and walk away.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Though I’ve picked this little workhorse as the best watch winder of the bunch, it’s still not for everybody. If you’re looking for a showpiece or something a bit more refined, Barrington’s no-frills design may not appeal to you.
Programming: Standby, Clockwise, Counter-Clockwise, Bi-Directional| Power Source: Plug or AA Battery | Number of Watches: 1
Why it’s great: Another winder that features a whisper quiet Japanese motor, Triple Tree’s Single Watch Winder is my top budget pick by a landslide. It’s got all the features you’d look for in a premium unit—multiple rotation settings, standout design, durable construction—but comes with a disproportionately wallet-friendly price tag.
How to use it: Embedded in the single-watch stand is a removable, plush pillow. Keeping your timepiece ticking is as simple as wrapping it around the pillow, placing it back on the stand, choosing your rotation setting (bi-directional being one of them), and turning it on. The watch box itself is made of solid wood and synthetic leather. Further adding to the striking design is the acrylic glass window which acts as a picture frame for your watch.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Thanks in part to how budget-friendly it is, the Triple Tree Single Watch Winder doesn’t offer multiple TPD settings. If that’s not a concern, this is a tough one to beat for the price.
Programming: Standby, Clockwise, Counter-Clockwise, Bi-Directional | Power Source: Plug or Battery | Number of Watches: 1
Why it’s great: Since 1834, Wolf has been creating durable, beautiful, meticulously constructed watch winders, watch boxes, jewelry boxes, accessories, and more. The brand’s Heritage Double Winder is a true classic with its handsome leather design, multiple rotation and TPD settings, pause setting, and 12-hour delay setting.
How to use it: The Heritage Double Winder is packed with thoughtful, precise features designed to keep your prized timepieces running exactly how they were designed to. It’s the perfect unit for storing the rarest, most special watches in your collection.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: If you’re looking for a basic unit with basic features and controls, you’d be better off with some of the other winders on this list. The last thing you want to do is leave the Heritage Double Winder’s extensive capabilities on the table.
Programming: Standby, Clockwise, Counter-Clockwise, Bi-Directional| Power Source: Plug or AA Battery | Number of Watches: 2
Why it’s great: The Mozsly Watch Winder is a good fit for the non-collector who wants to keep their trophy timepiece wound while the everyday watch pulls most of the weight. The price is modest enough to appeal to most enthusiasts. But you’d never know it considering its compact size, impressive suite of features like three rotation settings, four TPD settings, quiet Japanese motor, and sleek aesthetics.
How to use it: You’re working with standard features and settings and a flexible watch pillow. What I like about this winder is that it’s got all the bells and whistles you’ll need but doesn’t require a learning curve to navigate.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Some Amazon reviewers cite motor failure after several months, but most also note that Mozsly was quick to address the problem and that they had good experiences with customer service.
Programming: 3 rotation settings, 4 TPD settings | Power Source: Plug or AA Battery | Number of Watches: 1
Why it’s great: Which brings us to this absolute unit of a watch winder—the Savoy Watch Winder Safe from Rapport London. First things first: Yes, I said safe. This thing is also a safe. Which… pretty cool. Beyond that undeniably badass feature, things get even more luxurious with the incorporation of cedar wrapped in full-grain leather, three-watch capacity, a touchscreen LCD control panel, and three rotation settings.
How to use it: This would make a great gift for the guy who has everything. So would, like… a cigar lighter, but I digress. It’s also ideal for the true collector who’s far more interested in protecting his investment than showcasing it. To wit, accessing the mounting cushions alone requires you to open the safe via fingerprint access. Once in, you can then choose your RPD and rotation settings on the LCD display. In addition to your three finest watches, there’s also room for other valuables like jewelry or gold doubloons. You’ve always struck me as a doubloon guy.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: With a price tag of over $4,000, it should go without saying that only serious collectors need apply.
Programming: Bi-directional | Power Source: DC adapter, battery backup | Number of Watches: 3
Buying Considerations For The Best Watch Winders
Programming
One of the most important watch-winder features is the turns per day (TPD) setting. To keep them wound, automatic watches require a specific TPD range—some more than others. Check your watch’s manual and match its range with the setting capabilities of the watch winder. Look for a range of at least 650 to 950 TPD. You’ll also want to pay attention to a winder’s rotation settings—multidirectional units will serve you well.
Watch Capacity
As basic a consideration as it is important, don’t sleep on the capacity of the watch winder you’re considering. Got a formidable collection of automatic timepieces? Look for a highly functional, highly sexy watch winder that’ll display your cache as it’s meant to be displayed. Holding on to that one prized piece of wrist candy? Find yourself an affordable single-watch workhorse like the Barrington Single Winder.
Price
Watch winder prices run the gamut from bargain basement to 10s of thousands of dollars. Though it’s purely a matter of personal preference, many collectors and luxury-watch owners agree that you don’t need to spend much to get a quality winder that does what it’s supposed to do and looks damn good while doing it.
Why You Should Trust Us
As a fashion and grooming writer at FashionBeans, I compare, test, and research the products that make a gentleman a gentleman. If it can be worn, carried, or used in a way that elevates your look and feel, I’m into it. For this review, I pored over trusted sources, customer reviews, materials, and build quality to understand what makes the best watch winder. After comparing dozens, I chose the top five based on considerations like turns per day, rotation settings, and included features. Ultimately, I want to help you find the best watch winder to keep your prized timepieces right on time. Bonus: These are holiday no-brainers for any well-heeled gentleman in your life.
Final Verdict
The best watch winder for you or your lucky giftee depends on how many watches you have, how often you wear them, and whether or not you enjoy winding them manually. Assuming you’re not the DIY-winding type, my top overall pick in terms of quality, features, and price is the Barrington Single Winder. If you have one prized watch and want to keep it ticking when not in use, it’s as good a place to start as any.
FAQ
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Other than convenience and keeping automatic watches running as they should when they’re not on your wrist, there’s no outright benefit to owning one. But if you’re among the hordes of timepiece enthusiasts interested in one, you should know that watch winders aren’t bad for your watches either. They’re designed to mimic your body’s natural movements and nothing else.
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If the investment we’re talking about is about time, yes. If it’s for a gift, yes. If it’s monetary, considerably less so. Some watches have complicated movements and features that take a long time to reset if left dormant. Many watch wearers believe the convenience and time-savings that a watch winder offers is worth the price.
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