Watch Winder Not Working? Causes and Fixes, Step by Step

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When a watch winder seems not to be working, it is usually one of four things: it is in a rest cycle, it has lost power, it is set to the wrong direction or too few turns, or the watch is slipping on its cushion. Fix those and most winders, and most watches, carry on as normal. If the watch still stops after 48 hours on correct settings, the problem is probably the watch, not the winder.

Work through the checks below in order. They start with the free, five-second fixes and end with repair or replacement.

Quick diagnosis

Step 1: Make sure it is not just resting

Most good winders do not turn constantly, and that is by design. Orbita explains that some winders run for several hours and then turn off for the rest of the day, while others turn in short, frequent cycles. Barrington's Oxford, for example, makes 10 rotations in about 90 seconds, pauses, repeats over 12 hours and then rests for 12. WOLF's programmable modules rest according to a power-reserve window you set from 6 to 72 hours, and its pre-programmed modules have built-in pause and sleep phases.

So a winder that is still for an hour, or for a whole night, may be fine. Before you assume it is broken:

1. Note the time and check again in a couple of hours.
2. Look for a status light or display; many winders show that they are on.
3. Read the manual for the rest pattern of your model.

Step 2: Check the power

If it never turns, start with power.

1. Adapter: confirm it is plugged in at both ends and the outlet works. Use the adapter that came with the winder. A replacement must match the original's voltage, current and plug polarity, which are printed on the adapter and usually on the winder.
2. Batteries: replace them all with fresh ones of the right type. Orbita notes that running a DC winder on an adapter does not recharge its batteries. WOLF says lithium AA cells last twice as long as alkaline in its Cub.
3. Switch and settings: some winders have a main switch and a separate start button. A winder with a long start delay or power-reserve setting may simply be waiting.

Battery life varies a lot by design. Orbita says standard battery winders generally run 6 to 12 months and its lithium-based models average about 5 years. Heiden quotes up to about 3 months on D cells, and Barrington about 60 to 70 days on 4 AA batteries for the Oxford. If batteries die far sooner than the maker's figure, contact the maker, since it can point to a fault.

Step 3: Check direction and turns per day

A winder that turns happily but leaves your watch stopped is usually set wrong.

1. Find your caliber, then look up its published direction and TPD in our watch winder settings table. Orbita says most automatic watches require 500 to 800 turns per day.
2. Set the direction correctly. A clockwise-only movement, such as a Valjoux 7750 chronograph, winds only on clockwise turns. In bi-directional mode, half the turns do nothing. In the wrong single direction, none of them do.
3. Check how your winder counts bi-directional turns. WOLF says bi-directional doubles the TPD; Barrington says its mode splits the set number. A setting you think is 650 could really be 325 per direction.
4. Raise TPD in small steps. Barrington suggests 100 TPD at a time. Give the watch 48 hours at each setting.

Step 4: Check how the watch sits on the cushion

If the drum turns but the watch hangs still or slides around, the rotor inside is not getting the motion it needs.

1. Close the clasp or buckle around the cushion; do not just drape the watch over it.
2. If the watch is loose, use a smaller cushion. Barrington, for example, supplies two cushion sizes covering wrists from 4.75 to 8.5 inches.
3. If the cushion is too big, the watch may pop off. Use the smaller size, or check whether your maker sells a different cushion.
4. Make sure the cushion is pushed fully into the cup or cuff so it rotates with the drum.

Watch winder pillows wear and compress over time. Several makers sell replacements; check your brand's accessories before buying a generic one, because cup sizes differ.

Step 5: Rule out the watch itself

If the settings are right and the watch is held firmly, test the watch off the winder.

1. Is it an automatic? Manual-wind watches, such as Omega's Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional, have no rotor. Quartz and solar watches do not need winding. Seiko USA, quoted in Orbita's database, does not recommend winders for Kinetic models.
2. Wind it by hand (if the movement allows), set it and wear it for a day. If it stops or runs badly on the wrist too, the movement needs attention. Our guide to an automatic watch that stopped working walks through the causes.
3. Check for magnetism if it suddenly gains a lot of time. Keep the winder away from speakers and other magnets; our guide on how to demagnetize a watch shows how to test and fix it.
4. Consider service. Orbita notes that an automatic's slipping mechanism wears if it is overstressed. A watch that has spent years on a winder at very high TPD, or is overdue for service, may simply need a watchmaker.

Step 6: Deal with noise

Some sound is normal. A low motor hum, and the soft whir of the watch's own rotor spinning, are what winders do. Orbita describes its AC winders as quiet, like an electric wall clock.

Grinding, clicking or rattling is not normal. Check, in order:

• The cushion is seated and the watch is buckled tight.
• Nothing is touching the drum, such as a loose strap end, packaging foam or the lid.
• The winder sits on a firm, level surface; a hollow shelf can amplify vibration.
• The noise happens with no watch fitted. If it does, the motor or gears are likely worn.

If noise is the main problem, look for a winder whose maker publishes its motor type and rest pattern.

Step 7: Repair, warranty or replace

When the winder itself is at fault, start with the warranty. WOLF covers its winders for 5 years once registered, Barrington and Heiden's Nova line for 2 years, and Versa and Heiden's other models for 1 year. Contact the maker with your purchase date and a short video of the fault.

Some parts are owner-serviceable. Barrington says owners can replace the Mabuchi motors in its multi-watch winders without shipping the unit back, and makers sell replacement cushions and adapters. Outside warranty, a budget winder with a failed motor is usually cheaper to replace than to repair.

If you replace it, choose a model with published TPD values, all three directions and a direct-drive or quality motor. Our best watch winders guide compares them, and our Heiden watch winder review covers a strong value line.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a resting winder is broken. Check the rest pattern first.
• Running bi-directional for a one-direction movement. Half the turns are wasted.
• Cranking TPD to the maximum. It does not fix a stopped watch faster and works the slipping mechanism harder. See are watch winders bad for watches?
• Using a random replacement adapter. Wrong voltage or polarity can damage the controller.
• Leaving the watch loose on the cushion. The drum turns, the watch does not.

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