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Thread: Finally broke down and bought a winder (a brief review)

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  1. #1

    Finally broke down and bought a winder (a brief review)

    This was mainly caused by my JLC Master Hometime, which doesn't have a quick set date because of its dual time features (a fair tradeoff IMO). I've read a zillion threads about the pros and cons of winders, and concluded that it's basically a wash in terms of good vs. bad for the watches vs. manual winding, working the crowns, etc., therefore it's all about convenience.

    I got the inexpensive Brookstone set, which had decent reviews, for a couple of reasons. First, it can operate on batteries, which I need since there's no electrical outlet in my closet. Second, it has the usual necessary features (adjustable TPD and rotation, automatic rest periods, etc.). Third, each unit is independent, so if one dies, you can simply hit it with a hammer and replace it with a new one () and it doesn't affect any of the other units. You can also stack additional units vertically using the same power base. Each unit can easily be lifted off the base and moved in order to remove/insert a watch.

    I've only had it for a week or so, can't comment on long term robustness, but it seems reasonably built.

    Pros:

    Good feature set, especially for the price.
    Modular design, can be expanded, units can be easily replaced.
    Battery or adapter operation.
    Quiet.
    Easy to use.

    Cons:

    Plasticky--not display quality. (I don't care, since it's just in my closet.)
    Some large watches might not fit under the plastic cover. (You can see my 42mm x 13mm Zenith fits without problem, but 44mm or bigger, or very thick watches could be a problem; I have nothing that big to test.)

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  3. #2
    Thanks for the review!

    I've got an Orbita that I love and a Wolf designs that I like but they're both pretty pricey so I've been thinking of adding one of those to fill the void, thanks again

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  5. #4
    I was looking at that a while back. I like the modularity (is that a real word?). Very nice....

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by TokyoLunch View Post
    I was looking at that a while back. I like the modularity (is that a real word?). Very nice....
    Yes, I think modularity is a real word.

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  8. #6
    Hall Monitor Samanator's Avatar
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    What all settings (adjustments) are these capable of? Also how does it accommodate various watch sizes?
    Cheers,

    Michael

    Tell everyone you saw it on IWL!

  9. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by BlackCat View Post
    What all settings (adjustments) are these capable of? Also how does it accommodate various watch sizes?
    If you look at the picture, you can see on the bottom left there are two three way switches. The vertical one controls TPD, and can be set for three different speeds (650 is the lowest, can't remember what the highest is off hand). The horizontal one controls direction, clockwise, counterclockwise or bi-directional.

    In terms of watch size, there is a rubber/foam pillow that you pull out, and you just strap the watch onto it and put it back in the module, then put the plastic cover on. With a bigger watch, you might have to squeeze the pillow tighter for the watch to not protrude to where it hit the clear plastic cover. For my Zenith, I simply closed the clasp normally, at the same adjustment I use for my wrist (7.25"), onto the pillow and pushed it in. The plastic cover fit over it with sufficient clearance. Other than squeezing the pillow tighter, there isn't any way to adjust it. The pillow is shaped asymmetrically so that the sides of the pillow fit snugly to the inner walls of the unit, while the top and bottom are flattened, and you strap the watch on to the flattened portions. Hope that's clear.

  10. #8
    Member rfortson's Avatar
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    Nice. I have had a couple of the Brookstone 4-head winders that I've been pleased with, but I'll say that they don't last more than a couple of years. I had the extended warranty for $25 and it paid off once. I recently had a couple of the heads fail and I need to see if I'm still in warranty period for the exchange.

    Even with the failures, I still think they are worth the $200 + $25. Very quiet, nice looking, and plenty of adjustments (like the OP's version). Gets the job done for a reasonable price. I can't justify the price for the major brands.

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    Moderator scottjc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mlcor View Post
    Yes, I think modularity is a real word.

    It is now anyway 😁
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  13. #10
    Moderator scottjc's Avatar
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    I often looked at these modular winders before my collection got too big so I'll be interested to hear how you get on with them over the long term.
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