Watch Winder Blog by Watch Cases with Reviews: Rolex, Tag, Breitling etc: January 2008 WatchCases

User_Name: Duke

Message:
I just purchased a new watch (new for me) and need a winder for my Tag model # CG-2120-RO. This watch was originally purchased in 1998 in that helps.

Thanks,
Duke

Answer:
Thank you for your inquiry about a winder for your special Tag watch!

Our first suggestion for a single winder is an Orbita Siena winder:
http://www.watchcases.com/orbita-watch-winder-siena-1.html
This single winder keeps various high end heavy and large chronograph
or divers watches wound and does it in style. The watch winder is as beautiful as the watch you own. (Well, almost!)

Our second choice is an Orbita Single Deluxe winder:
http://www.watchcases.com/orsp1decama.html
This Single Battery Powered Winder by Orbita winds virtually
any automatic watch and your battery lasts up to 2 years.

Our third choice is the single Cylinder Lux winder by Eilux:
http://www.watchcases.com/ev-ew-1360-gl-blk-w1.html
This is probably the cheapest classiest dependable winder on the market! Economy and Class! It will wind all but the heaviest of watches up to 900 TPD watches will stay wound on this winder.

We look forward to receiving your online order or feel free to
place your order at Ext. 1 any time of day or night. For
further questions, call Monday through Friday to Ext. 2 for
Customer Service, 10-4 Eastern.

Sincerely,
Joyce
Customer Service WatchCases.com www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note: This customer bought a siena 1 maple burl in November....

Labels: Joyce, Orbita Winders, Tag, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Now woman are becoming watch collectors and we collect in a powerful way.
Yes we want the exclusive collections and in threes.
We want all the colorful one of a kind jewels and we are getting them.

Style and prestige are the statements these type of collectors are making.
More women are wearing Rolex, Omega and Breitling Automatic Watches.
Keeping your time pieces wound is crucial ladies so I suggest a top of the line
watch winder for your precious babies.

Why? Well today's "now woman" does not have the time to wind her time piece by hand and the days of men fixing it all is coming to a quick end. So ladies I suggest you study up on winders. For looks and for the show off in you I suggest the Orbita Winder Collection. Not only are they quiet they are fantastic for storage as well and they look fantastic! Did I mention they are kind of sexy? Great conversation starters for the serious watch collector. You can not help but notice an Orbita winder.

Till later just don't wear your watch Wear it Well!

Michele
WC.com LLC Support
www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Worlds Best Watch Winders!

Labels: Breitling, Michele, Omega, Orbita Winders, Rolex, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

User_Name: F_Jones

Question:

What is a complication? I have heard the term used with reference to watches, what exactly is it?

Answer:

A complication is simply a feature of a watch. Time and Date are complications but so standard they are rarely referred to as such. A stop watch feature on a watch would be another complication. The most common complication is the Date feature and the next most common feature is a chronograph or stop watch function. A Chronograph is a watch with one or more stop watch features which do not interfere with the normal time keeping function of a watch.

Sometimes people confuse the terms Chronograph and Chronometer.
A Chronometer is a very accurate Mechanical watch (certified by some official testing agency such as the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (C.O.S.C.).) and a Chronograph is a watch with multiple features and usually multiple winding type stems. Chronometers often have Chronograph complications, but do not confuse the two words...Most Rolex watches are Chronometers, and many have mutliple complications including Chronographs. Was this complicated? Well, have fun with your watch, and
let us keep your time in a nice winder or watchcase.

Most fake watches have non-working Complications, in which case they are not infact complications, just fancy non working buttons.

What is a watch complication?
If a watch is responsible not only for telling you the time, but also measures elapsed time, indicates the leap year, warns you about an important meeting, it means it is supplied with some additional functions, or complications. http://www.watchreport.net/index.php?page=articles&catid=8&id=19

Complications:
Complications are additional features or mechnical additions to a watch over the standard time and date. For example, a chronograph is a common complication, as well as a day/date or big date. More exclusive complications include minute repeater, tourbillon and retrograde hands.
http://www.breitlingsource.com/watch_term_glossary.shtml#c

Donald Geib
President www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

http://www.watchcases.com/sparta.html

User_Name: H_Hernandez

Question:

I received a Sharper Image winder for a birthday present. Apparently my Rolex watch is too heavy for the winder because it knocks when swinging on one direction. After reading your literature, I'm interested in the Sparta Open 1 Winder-Black Leatherette (OR/W05103/W1). http://www.watchcases.com/sp1blwawi.html

1.) Is this a good winder choice for the Rolex?
2.) Will the watch be enclosed?
3.) What are the dimensions of the winder?

Answer(s):

1.) Is this a good winder choice for the Rolex? Maybe it depends on the Rolex model. Read below for explanation. You never told us the movement and model of your Rolex. It may not work if your watch is truly a heavy watch.
2.) Will the watch be enclosed? No the model you asked about is not in a boxed case.
3.) What are the dimensions of the winder? In inches Dimensions are about 4.2 x 5.7 x 5.8

Thank you for your inquiry about Orbita's Sparta Single Open Winder for your Rolex watch. Depending on which Rolex watch you have, the Sparta Open Winder works for most models of Rolex Automatic Watches, and for most other watches as well.

Orbita makes the Sparta Winder Motor and places it inside 3-4 different models of Winder. The Open Model, the Deluxe Wood Case Models and the InSafe Model of WatchWinders. The difference in these winders performance has to do with the different angles of rotation. The only time this becomes an issue it seems is with the really heavy multi function chronographs and watches with many complications.
(Time and Date are the most common complications, but watches that have multiple adjustment stems tend to be heavier. So only worry about this weight issue if you have a truly complicated and heavy watch.) Sparta Winders wind 99% of all watches without a problem.

The more vertical the angle the better the winder is able to wind heavier watches. The InSafe Winder places the winder head almost totally vertical and therefore can wind virtually all automatic watches. The Deluxe Sparta Watch Winder is slightly less vertical, and it still does well with heavy automatic watches. The Open Sparta Winder, due to its light weight base has a winder head titled at a less severe angle and therefore some heavy watches do not do so well in this winder. This is an issue which you experienced with another watch winder
and is simply a matter of physics. Since you did not tell us the Rolex model you own
we can not be more precise than this. Orbita does not recommend the Sparta Open Winder series for really heavy watches.

Sparta Watch Winder Highlights are:

* American Made
* Whisper Quiet Technology.
* Long Warranty: 2 year warranty.
* Easiest Winder to use on the market.
* Winds almost every Rolex automatic watch.
* Longest battery Life at 2 years! (most winder batteries only last 6 months)

The heaviest Rolex watches usually need the angle of the enclosed case of
the Sparta Deluxe Winder http://www.watchcases.com/orsp1decama.html
or the InSafe Winder.
http://www.watchcases.com/insafe-watch-winders-by-orbita-watch-winders.html

Orbita does not recommend the open winders for heavier watches.

The watch is easily mounted over a resilient foam cushion, which accommodates virtually any size watch with either
leather strap or metal bracelet. The cushion fits snugly into the drive cup, making it impossible for the watch to fall as the
cup swings back and forth during the winding cycle. The cup is easily removed to facilitate watch mounting

We make our business to help our customers find a quality watchwinder for their quality watches. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with another watchwinder on the market. From our perspective this is not at all unusual.

Sincerely,
Joyce
Customer Service www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Orbita Winders, Recommendation, Rolex, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

User_Name: Slothful_Dude

Question:
My new Automatic Watch never seems to stay wound. It is always slow or totally stopped. I have taken to winding it with the stem by hand. Is this normal? Seems
these watches are not self winding after all. Is my watch defective. I wear it daily,
I could understand if I left it on my nightstand, but I don't even take it off to sleep, just to shower and swim.

Answer:

There are 2 distinct possibilities.
1. It is a defective watch. This is possible, though I doubt it is the case, so bear with us and experiment.
More than likely your simply have a desk job!

2. Your not moving enough, one way to resolve this is to get into habit of flicking your wrist side to side every hour or so about 10 times..........

Hint:
Sometimes people have metal bracelets that are too loose, if it is too loose the energy of the wrist movement is not transferred to the watch as efficiently, so remove some links so the watch fits snug but not tight. I discovered this myself quite by accident, once I removed the proper number of links the watch wound fine.

Factoid:
Automatic Watches are not very accurate. Some non Chronometer automatics can be very inaccurate, and if the watch is a fake. Well, it might be downright awful, 10 minutes or more in a week is not uncommon. But it still is fun, and amazing that a small spring keeps time so well, never a battery issue. Just a little work adjusting the time a tad bit now and again. I love even my inaccurate automatics!

You can always simply wind it up and put it on a nice watchwinder from watchcases.com and watch it.....oh, just kidding, flick your wrist more and it will be fine!

Donald Geib
President www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Automatic Watches, Donald, Recommendation, Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

User_Name: C. Arthur

Question:

I am looking to purchase a watch winder for my husband for Christmas. I was interested in Item# EW1-1388b-GL/BLK/W1.
Will this winder accommodate a Breitling Colt GMT?
Thank you,
C. Arthur

Answer:

The Breitling Colt GMT you mention is a heavier watch and therefore needs a more substantial winder. The model you are
thinking about might work, but I doubt it will. We can not say for certain until the watch is tried on the winder. For heavier watches like this a better choice is one of these:

Good Choice:

The Box Buoy Winder by Eilux
http://www.watchcases.com/eiluxwinders1.html
Retail: $390.00
Sale: $289.95

Better Choice: Same motor as above.

Watch Winder in Cherry by Eilux
http://www.watchcases.com/watch-winder-eilux-1c.html
Retail: $435.00
Sale: $299.95

Best Choice. Different Manufacturer

Sparta Single Winder by Orbita
in a rich beautiful Mahogany Wooden Winder Box.
http://www.watchcases.com/orsp1decama.html
Retail: $395.00
Sale: $296.25

The Orbita Line of Boxed Winders not only winds your watch, but does so in style! Show pieces are another winner with our winders.
Beauty, style, and function for the watch collector
in you. We stand out and above the competition.
Shop where style is a must.

You just don't watch your watch you wear it, so lets wear it well. Live well.

Michele
Customer Service/Sales www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Breitling, Eilux Winders, Michele, Orbita Winders, Recommendation

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

User_Name:L._Fine
Question:
Hi- I am looking for a single watch winder for an IWC (which according to the orbita site likes 800 TPD and bidirectional winding). Will the eilux cylinders be able to wind this watch? My concern is that
the watch may be too heavy. It is an IWC Portugese and all the weight is in the face of the watch (the strap is alligator).
Thank you for your advice. Your website has been very helpful!
L. Fine

Answer:
Thank you for your inquiry about a recommendation on the Single
Eilux winder for your IWC Portugese watch with an alligator strap.

Since this is a heavier watch an issue often comes up with winding heavy watches. They need a more severe angle of Rotation.
They need a heavy base to prevent the winder from tipping over.

The angle of the winder head on the Box Buoy Eilux Single Winder: http://www.watchcases.com/eiluxwinders1.html
might be better for your heavy watch.

or the
Cherry Eilux Single Winder Box:
www.watchcases.com/watch-winder-eilux-1c.html

would be better suited for a heavier faced watch than the other Eilux single winders like the cylinder. The smaller less expensive Eilux Winder might work.
So you could try it, and email us the results positive or negative and we can share this with our customers. We rely on customer reports for most winder recommendations. It is not an exact science, every watch is a tad bit different, and heavier watches can be tricky.

Another winder you may want to consider, since your watch collection seems to include high end heavy and possibly large chronograph and diver's watches is the Siena 1 Winder by Orbita:
www.watchcases.com/orbita-watch-winder-siena-1.html
http://www.watchcases.com/orbita-watch-winder-siena-1.html

User-programmable control allows head direction and turns per day (TPD)
to be optimized for the watch being wound. Plus the Winder Motor is hefty and substantial and can easily wind any watch on the market.

We look forward to receiving your on line order.

Sincerely,
Customer Service www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Donald, Eilux Winders, IWC, Joyce, Orbita Winders, Recommendation

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

How many mornings has your husband asked: "Have you seen my watch?"
This he says as he roots through his sock drawer frantically trying to find
his Rolex before he rushes out the door. (His sock drawer, I mean his storage drawer for both his Gold Toe socks and his gold and silver watches!)

To some this is as familiar as 'Have you seen my keys?".

Lets face it, until he has a true storage area for his watches this will be your problem forever.

Here in is the rub....
If you tell him to buy a box to store his Rolex watches, he thinks you
are saying "Get organized". Well you are! So instead, buy a beautiful box for him,
and tell him it is not returnable!

You heard me. Men are stubborn at times, and prideful! So buy it before you need it and make sure the watches fit inside, but afterwards tell him it is not returnable! He will balk at using it at first, but trust me after awhile he too will become a convert! If he does not want his watches displayed most of our watch boxes will slip inside the sock drawer anyway.

But to pull this off successfully without the non-returnable ploy you have to help him come to this conclusion on his own. Good luck! But here are some helpful hints:

Some important points to keep in mind if it is stored in a watch box or watch case. for one is his watch will last longer and look better. For you it is they will be at his finger tips.

Some other pointers:
A lost watch is worth exactly nothing. A watch placed in the wrong place can easily be knocked over and damaged. Humidity and Dust are also big watch villains, as are five fingered lifters. How can you file a police report if you are not even sure where you put the thing last?

OK, did we convince you? Now you ask.

Which Box to Buy?

Watch Boxes come in a variety of sizes and finishes. Taste is a big factor.
But some questions might help you to narrow in on the right one for you.

Does he love to look at his special toys?
Is he the type of guy who wants the smallest possible watch box
to handle?
Would he even care if the wood finish on the case matched the dresser?
Does he generally buy himself black or neutral tones in leather?
Would he prefer to keep things dearer to him - because of cost
or sentiment - in that large walk in closet out of sight?

You know him best. Just don't buy him a gift just to have a
something on that special occasion or holiday.
Buy him a watch box he will use and later think: "how did I manage with out it?"

A quality watch box or case chosen with care, will make his
morning routine (and yours) simpler and quicker. His watches
will look and be better in the long run. And shouldn't it be that
way with the investment he personally has made in them?
Would he want you put your expensive jewelry in
your stocking drawer?

I don't think so. He thinks too much
of you and the value of those lovely pieces.

It is even more important now to buy with an eye to the future.
Quality and service count. That's what I tell our customers.
Well, after I have asked them all the above questions when they
ask me what watchcase or watchbox they should get for their
husband's watch. Yea the one hidden down inside that sock.
"Honey I found your Rolex!"

Stop the madness, buy a box! If you can afford the best we suggest you look at the
fine Venlo Watch Cases.

Joyce
Service www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Joyce, Recommendation, Venlo Case, watch case

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

No winder is totally silent no matter what claims are made online on TV or elsewhere. Most winders are quite loud, but if you advertise in an airline magazine quiet is relative I suppose! (Heck Nascar is quieter than a jet engine!) But place the same winder in your bedroom and you will not think twice about spending a little bit extra money for a good nights sleep.

Orbita Watch Winders just celebrated their 10th Anniversary and in the last 5 years their products have gotten considerably more quiet than they were. Many winders on the market are very loud, or I should say become loud after a few months. So by comparison to old models of winders today's winders start quiet, but the key is do they stay quiet?

What does quiet mean?
There is no official standard and all we will tell you is we have listened to almost every winder made and the winners are the
Orbita and Eilux winders. Both are very quiet, but no winder is totally quiet.

Our recommendations would be as follows:

For example if you want a three watch winder, Eilux is a good entry level choice.

If you want a 4 winder, Orbita's Insafe Leather winder is a better choice.

If you want a beautiful wood finished winder case, we recommend a Best Choice in the Orbita Monaco watchwinder.

It is possible to buy a cheap watch and to buy a cheap watch winder? Sure it is, and there are many out there! Which watch did you buy? Both may look good, but both will not perform in the same manner as their real quality counterparts! We are talking about mechanical products here. Mechanical moving parts need to be of the utmost quality in order to last and work appropriately.

You can buy a $10 watch which will keep great time year in and year out. A mechanical watch on the other hand is different, and the Swiss, French and Germans are in our opinion the only ones able to make quality mechanical and automatic watches. The watch winders we sell are the only winders we think worth your time and money! Let us save your time in a quality Orbita or Eilux Watch Winder!

If you invest in a luxury, stylish, quality, fashionable automatic mechanical
watch, why would you buy the cheapest mechanical watchwinder? Why would anyone expect it to work as well as an expensive counterpart? With a quality
winder you are not just buying prestige, you are buying dependability wrapped
in an attractive package.

Are you really saving money when you buy from an unauthorized dealer,
whose small print is where you find out that the product is not covered
by the manufacturer's warranty, where they don't pay people to staff
customer service?

As the dollar may drop in value, it is more important than ever before
to spend it wisely. Buy a long lasting quiet winder from www.watchases.com!

Donald Geib
President www.watchcases.com LLC.
The Finest Store for Watch Winders and Cases

Labels: Donald, Orbita Winders, Recommendation

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

This is an excellent question. I think you should always wind your automatic when you first put it on your wrist or on your Watch Winder.

Why? Well, automatics are historically not very accurate, and if wound down even less so. You should always wind the watch before placing it on a watch winder for an extended time. Get the power reserve on the watch to at least 80%, watch winders really do not wind dead watches, they simply maintain watches till they can be worn or wound manually.

Therefore when I put on any of my automatics (or when I wake up if I slept with it on) I wind it. You may use the stem to wind the watch or you may simply rattle your wrist back and forth. I prefer to shake my wrist back and forth. If I spend the day sitting, I try to do it every few hours. Now your mileage may vary. Some watches need less winding and can gain time, some need more and loose time, so adjust accordingly. This is why Orbita's Expensive Programmable winders are so worth the money! They allow for this fine tuning.

The other thing you have to realize is the cheap dime store $10 Quartz Watch will keep more accurate time than your $5,000 automatic! Automatics need constant attention, they get fast or slow depending on many variables, they are after all mechanical watches! Mechanical things work differently in different circumstances.

Only after you have owned a few automatic watches will you realize this reality. The winder is not the culprit when your watch is not keeping time correctly, usually it is simply on the wrong setting and the only way, repeat only way to figure that out is by trial and error. We try to share with customers the reports we get from our customers, and suppliers but every watch is unique and so your mileage may vary!

Non scientists and non mechanically inclined people should not own automatic watches. A fine automatic watch is like a beautiful woman. It takes a fine hand, patience and trial and error to keep things ticking just right! But most of all it takes a sincere appreciation and love for the treasure in your possession.

Sure we sell winders and cases, but our hope is that your watches spend more time on your wrist than in our cases and winders. Automatic Watches are meant to be worn!
I read posts on watch forums all the time. People complaining that watch companies do not write the winding requirements for their automatic watches. Some of these posts are down right nasty. But, watch companies are not making watches to be placed on watch winders, they are making watches to be worn and wound by humans. Watch Winders are just a tool to help you keep your treasure wound when you do not have time for it. But you really have to be willing to spend some time with the tool and the watch to figure out how it works best.

The physics are simple. The winders we sell work, but from time to time someone lacking patience returns a winder saying "it does not work". We test them and not once have we confirmed this assessment. If the winder moves properly and the correct setting is found the watch will be kept wound! But you have to wind the watch up by hand to start the process and you have to patiently wait for the proper response just like with your other loves in your life.

Labels: Donald, Orbita Winders, Recommendation, Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Sparta Watch Winders by Orbita Watch Winders are by far the superior winding solution for the cost conscious consumer and for the quality conscious consumer combined!

The Sparta is a patented system using a novel approach to winding a watch.
Instead of winding round and round the Sparta Winder uses gravity to do most of the work. Just like the human wrist does when winding an automatic watch while worn.

The way the Sparta Winder works is similar to a standard automatic watch winder. The watch is placed on a watch pillow inside a winder head which is sitting at an angle of about 35 degrees to the base of the winder. Then the motor turns on and rotates the winder head so the watch begins to rotate around and to the top of the circle.

But here is where the difference occurs, instead of continuing in a 360 degree rotation the Sparta motor turns off and releases the watch. The watch falls and spins and sways back and forth until it eventually comes to a complete stop. Every 15minutes or so this cycle repeats and thus the watch is fully wound over time, not all at once.

This is all done with the "power off", so the Sparta gets not only a superior winding motion, but does so using almost no battery power at all! This winder is the Greenest Winder on the market. (Well except for the one that some guy supposedly patented to be hand cranked, but that's a long story and is not for sale, I think it was intended as a joke...but I guess it worked. Except hand winding is much easier!)

Donald Geib
President WatchCases.com LLC

Labels: Donald, Orbita Winders, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Watch collectors understand this question. This question matters! We were sent the article link mentioned below by one of our customers, and it reflects both our own experience and that of many customers. How do you choose which watch to wear?
Basically if you collect luxury watches you are in an elite group. Most of the elite watches are little known by the general public. Many people will see your luxury watch and aside from noticing it is especially pretty or interesting have no idea of the value of the watch.

Some brands have done a great job of promoting themselves throughout the world and one such luxury brand is Rolex. Rolex watches are known and recognized all over the world. The article below discusses luxury branding and the emerging markets of Asia. They interview a Hong Kong business man who travels to China on business and wears one of his less expensive Rolex watches on such trips.

Why? Well, he feels his Chinese business counterparts will recognize his Rolex as
a status symbol and do business with this successful business man, however when he wears a more expensive and exclusive watch they assume incorrectly that he is not successful!

I had a friend share the same thing with me about his Vacheron Constantin and his other watches. His Vacheron he wears only in exclusive circles and he wears a cheaper Tag or Rolex out and about. (By the way, he stores all his watches when not wearing them in an Orbita Watch Winder or a Venlo Company Watch Case!)

Anyway, here is the link to this short article. I hope you find it amusing, interesting and thought provoking, maybe even disturbing, but the first paragraph is something any watch collector can relate to: "Luxury brands target Asians' desire to show off wealth".

Keep collecting and remember the best way to protect your watch collection is to store it in a quality watch case or watch winder! Oh, and do not fall victim to the
cell phone as a source of time, watches are a classic statement of prestige and success.

Donald Geib
President WatchCases.com LLC.

Labels: Article, Rolex, VacheronConstantin

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Question: Do I need a winder for my Quartz Watches?

Answer: No you do not need a winder for a quartz watch. A quartz watch is generally powered by some sort of electricity, usually a battery. Therefore it does not need wound like an automatic watch or mechanical stem wound watch. You should put your Quartz Watches into a watch case however to protect them from dust and moisture and other potential damage.

What is a Quartz Watch?
These are good reference sites to answer your question.

Quartz
When activated by a battery or solar power, a thin sliver of crystal very predictably vibrates, providing very accurate timekeeping.
http://www.findwatches.co.uk/terminology.php

Quartz Movement
A movement powered by a quartz crystal.... Quartz crystals are very accurate. They can be mass produced which makes them less expensive than most mechanical movements which require a higher degree craftsmanship.
www.breitlingsource.com/watch_term_glossary.shtml

Quartz Movement
A battery operated movement which uses the vibration frequency of a quartz crystal to regulate the operation of the watch.
www.lussori.com/watch-glossary.html

Michele

Labels: Donald, Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Ever wonder who leads the pack in watch sales?

Rolex, Omega and Breitling lead the pack year in and year out. Rolex takes the crown of #1 year every year and Omega does usually roughly about 1/3 of their volume, followed by Breitling doing about half the volume of Omega and about 1/6th the sales volume of Rolex. Now do not think I am saying Rolex makes the best watch, I am not. I am saying they sell the most automatic and mechanical watches! I like Rolex, but many collectors do not. Why? Well because of the numbers! Less is more in the watch collecting business! The fewer sold the more potential increase in collectible value & appreciation.

Well here are some approximate numbers for sales in the USA of Swiss Watch Brands from 2004.

1.Rolex (630,000)
2.Omega (230,000)
3.Breitling (135,000)

4.Panerai (26,000)
5.Chopard (11,000)
5.Ulysse Nardin (11,000)

7.TAG Heuer (7,000)
8.Zenith (5,000)
9.Corum (5,00)
10.Chanel (5,000)

Also rans....
11.Tiffany (3,000)
12.Mido (2,000)
12.Bulgari (2,000)
12.Paul Picot (2,000)
12.Louis Vuitton (2,000)
12.Ebel (2000)
17.Longines (1000)
18. All other brands combined were less than Longines. Big jump down in
numbers after Longines. (Though the dollar value of some of these individual watches maybexceed the dollar value for the Longines total.)

Labels: Breitling, Donald, Omega, Panerai, Rolex, Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

User_Name: M. Hollmann

message: Will the 2 watch orbita Sparta work with larger watches such as a large Breitling and the Kreiger tidal? Thanks.

Answer: Thank your for your inquiry. Yes the winders you are thinking about should work for your watches, some caveats to keep in mind are, heavy watches do not always do well in the Sparta Deluxe 2 Watch Winders. Especially in the Sparta Open (non boxed) winder version.

Why? The open version is so light weight that the angle of the rotation axis of the winder can not be severe enough, it tips over if it is, and heavier watches generally require a more severe angle. Why? Physics, the angle affects the rotation of the watches internal rotor which winds the watch, not enough angle and the rotor does not swing completely and therefore does not wind the watch.

Next is the question of "how heavy is too heavy"?
Answer: The exact gram measure of “heavy enough to not work I can not say” it all depends on the watch and design. I can say some heavy watches do not work. To cover "every watch" the following winders listed below are better choices, though these are not as economical.

Depending on your money, time and energy level you are willing to commit to trying winders and watches the more expensive choice typically gives the best overall performance with least wasted effort. Depending on which model Kreiger tidal or Breitling watch you have, they may need to be wound either Clock Wise (CW) or in Both Directions (BD) from between 650 and 800 (TPD) Turns Per Day.

The Best Choice is The Orbita Monaco 2 watch winder has additional storage. The serious watch
collector will appreciate all the fine features of the MONACO series.
Each ball bearing equipped winding head is independently powered and
controlled so that the winding cycle for each watch can be optimized.

The Siena 2 or 3 watch winder is also an excellent winder choice.
User-programmable control allows each head direction and turns
per day (TPD) to be optimized for the individual watch being wound.

We look forward to receiving your online order. We really can not guarantee
anything with the various watches and watch winders, since so often customers
do not accurately give us the correct models and sometimes the manufacturer makes changes which we can not know. As with a car we say about winders, your mileage may vary. One simply has to try a winder hands on, and some trial and error may be involved, we simply share our best experience and are not able to guarantee results. We do have a return policy though, so your risk is minimal, just the cost for Shipping and Handling.

Sincerely,
Customer Service WatchCases.com

Labels: Breitling, Joyce, Orbita Winders, Recommendation

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

How much is your watch collection worth?

Abbeville Press has just published a new illustrated reference magazine for 2008/2009 entitled “Classic Wristwatches”.

Abbeville Press, 137 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013, tel: 1-800-ARTBOOK.

This book is put out every 2 years and covers Vintage Watches. That is those watches no longer being made. In other words collectors items.

Featured Manufacturers: Angelus, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Breitling, Cartier, Certina, Chronoswiss, Cyma, Doxa, Eberhard & Co., Enicar, Eterna, Excelsior Park, Fortis, Gigandet, Girard-Perregaux, Glashütte, Hamilton, Hanhart, Heuer, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Junghans, A. Lange & Söhne, LeCoultre, Lémania, Leonidas, Longines, Mido, Movado, Ulysse Nardin, Nivada, Officine Panerai, Patek Philippe, Piaget, Pierce, Record, Rolex, Tissot, Tudor, Universal Gené, Vacheron Constantin, Vulcain, Wakmann, Zenith.

No matter if your watch is listed here or not you should be sure to store it properly in a watch case befitting its value and quality. We recommend Venlo Watch Cases or Ragar Watch Cases for such vintage watches.

The single largest factor in the loss of value of a watch is the deterioration caused from improper storage. Dust, water and air pollution are among the biggest culprits. Improperly made cheap watch boxes and pillows contribute to damage of vintage watches, from loose watches clanking together to over stretching due to pillows that are too large. An expensive and properly made watch case will go a long way in preserving your investment for years to come, until the next edition of "Classic Watches" hits with your watches listed!

Labels: Baume Mercier, Donald, Panerai, Rolex, VacheronConstantin, Venlo Case

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

The 30 "Best" Swiss Mechanical collectors watches listed Alphabetically.... This list is of course debatable and incomplete. But these watches are truly significant in collectors circles. Having listed these I can think of many omissions, but this is just a for fun exercise! Share your opinions. Some watches not listed certainly are worth owning and we would be happy to accept them as a gift should you feel so inclined to give your away!

A. Lange & Söhne,
Antoine Preziuso,
Audemars Piguet,
Baume & Mercier,
Blancpain,
Boucheron,
Breguet,
Cartier,
F.P. Journe Invenit et Fecit,
Girard Perregaux,
Glashütte Original,
Greubel Forsey,
Harry Winston,
Hublot,
IWC,
Jaeger-LeCoultre,
JeanRichard,
Omega,
Panerai,
Parmigiani Fleurier,
Patek Philippe,
Piaget,
Richard Mille,
Roger Dubuis,
Rolex,
TAG Heuer,
Urwerk,
Vacheron Constantin,
Van Cleef & Arpels,
Vincent Calabrese

Labels: Audemars Piguet, Donald, Omega, Panerai, Rolex, VacheronConstantin

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Year in and year out the Top 3 Chronometers in terms of Market Share.
Rolex with over 50% of the market followed by Omega and Breitling. These
top 3 account for almost 90% of the entire market!

Some web based Definitions of Chronometer:

an accurate clock (especially used in navigation)
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Clock or watch often used on board ship which gives excellent timekeeping
www.clockman.co.uk/glossary/glossary.htm

A watch which has passed stringent tests at an official watch testing centre and carries a certificate.
www.rotarywatches.com/UK/21556.html

This depends on which country the watch came from. Regardless, of who made them, the watches are adjusted to keep exact time.
www.watchcollectors.org/glossary.html

A precision watch that is set in various temperatures and positions, thus meeting the accuracy standards set by an official watch institute in ...
www.findwatches.co.uk/terminology.php

Watch which has undergone a series of precision tests in an official institute. The requirements are very severe: a few seconds per day in the most unfavourable temperature conditions (for mechanical watches) and positions that are ordinarily encountered.
www.fhs.ch/en/glossary.php

Technically speaking, all watches are chronometers. But for a Swiss made watch to be called a chronometer, it must meet certain very high standards set by the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (COSC). ...
www.breitlingsource.com/watch_term_glossary.shtml

Technically means an instrument which measures time (a watch). Swiss watches described using this term usually mean the watch is COSC tested and approved for accuracy by the government approved, Controle Officiel Suisse de Chronometrage.
www.lussori.com/watch-glossary.html

A high precision watch that has passed a series of tests and obtained a running bulleting (eg, one with a deviation of no more than five seconds a day for mechanical movements) and a certificate by an independent Swiss control official, such as the COSC
www.tourbillonwatches.com/glossary.html

A watch that is a certified "Chronometer" has passed vigorous tests that demand the watch stands up to the high standard of precision the COSC demands (Swiss Official Chronometer Control). The mechanical movement must be close to perfection. ...
www.watchboutique.com/Page.bok

A timepiece that has met certain high standards of accuracy set by the Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometeres in Switzerland.
www.montresallison.com/watchterms.htm

Swiss official movement, which meets specific time-keeping criteria, set by Swiss Official Chronometer Control. This shows that the watch has been rigorously tested under different types of conditions for precision.
www.lestewatches.com/glossary.htm

Labels: Breitling, Donald, Omega, Rolex, Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

People are always calling and asking this question. There are 2 answers, both are valid.

1. You do not "need" any watch winders.
2. You need one winder (winder head) for each watch you own!

Truly you do not need a winder because you do not need a luxury watch! It is a luxury and as such the word need does not apply. However if you do own a Luxury Automatic Watch, then you need a watch winder for that watch. Even if you only take it off on weekends. It is better to keep the watch constantly wound than to allow it to run down and have to reset the watch. Though watches are durable the most often broken part of the watch is the winding stem, sjavascript:void(0)
Save as Drafto it is wise not to over use the winding stem with constant pulling and turning and twisting to reset your watch. Especially if you are in a hurry! Pull the stem out to hard when you are angry about running late and your time being wrong on your watch and you just cost yourself a $300 repair bill.

Now why you ask can you not simply use one Watch Winder for 2 different watches?
After all you can not wear both watches at the same time! Well two reasons, one is most watches have different winding directional and turns per day requirements, so keeping this straight will drive you nuts and also should you ever not wear both watches one of them will wind down.

We strongly advise against buying a winder with a single winder head which holds 2 watches. Why? Well typically this is the approach taken by the cheaper winder companies, to save money and appear to give more value. However 2 watches on one winder head produces a tremendous amount of wear and tear. Not on the watches, but on the winder motor, these winders break and customers call us and buy a quality winder having wasted time and money on the cheap gadget. Now some very good winders have the shared head set up, winders like Buben and Zorweg! But Buben so over engineers their internal gears that we have yet to have a single one returned for warranty work! They are like tanks, costing only slightly more than tanks. Just kidding, they actually are reasonably priced considering the value of the winder and the watches they wind. Personally, though I love Buben products I prefer one winder head and one watch. Keeps it simple and clean.

Watch Winders are truly a must have item for anyone who owns even one Luxury Brand Automatic Watch. Another important and often overlooked issue is a winder prevents that misplaced watch frantic, "call the cops!" panic. "A place for every thing and every thing in its place" as Grandma used to say. But a winder for every automatic watch you own and when not on your wrist put your watch in its place.

Labels: Buben Zorweg Winders, Donald, Eilux Winders, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Orbita Watch Winders is traveling the country in a Nascar type road show. No they are not bringing race cars, just they will be setting up across the country to educate people about watch winders using a Promotional Road Show Trailer. Below is the list of locations for the Orbit Watch Winder Road Show. Maybe they will be coming to a city near you.

Lawrenceville, NJ at Hamilton Jewelers
Princeton, NJ at Hamilton Jewelers
Aventura, FL at King Jewelers
Auburn, IN at Kruse International Car Auction
W. Bloomfield, MI at Tappers Jewelers
Dublin, OH at Diamond Cellar
Columbia, SC at Reed's Jewelers
Seattle, WA at Fox's Gem Shop
Scottsdale, AZ at E.D. Marshall
Murray, UT at J. Brooks Jewelers
Beaverton, OR at Watch Prince
Redwood City, CA at Jackson Square
El Paso, TX at Lacy & Company
Southlake, TX at Bailey Banks & Biddle
The Woodlands, TX at Donoho's
Plantation, FL at Levinson Jewelers
Commack, NY at Maddaloni Jewelers

Orbita is the best Watch Winder made and the only major watch winding company which can post the label Made in the USA!

Labels: Donald, Orbita Winders, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

User_Name: M. Gonzalez

Message: Hi I want to buy a watch winder could you please help me choose the correct one for my watch. My watch is a SANTOS DE CARTIER GALBEE automatic movement and already read your points on choosing a winder but I just don't know the correct one for the watch.
Thanks,
M. Gonzalez

Answer: Thank you for your inquiry about the best winder for your Cartier: Santo De Cartier Galbee automatic movement watch. Even though you did not give us or do not have
the specific model number and movement for your watch
(this information should be in your watch manual, or on the
back of the watch case), we recommend Orbita's Siena 1 as the
best winder for this watch's needs:

http://watchcases.com/orbita-watch-winder-siena-1.html
with it's programmable features.

The next best winder for your watch is Orbita's Sparta Single
Deluxe Winder which has a closed case* Is a Better Choice.

http://watchcases.com/orsp1decama.html
*Orbita does not recommend their non boxed "open Sparta Winders" for any of the
Rolex multi-function diver's watches, or for any heavier multi function watches like yours.

Eilux's Single Cylinder (or Cubic) winder is a good winder:
http://www.watchcases.com/ev-ew-1360-gl-blk-w1.html
and it should keep your watch wound. Though we are not as positive on this choice.

Since we do not know the exact requirements for this particular watch we recommend you find the proper setting by Trial and Error. Starting with the highest TPD setting and working down to the lowest setting which keeps the watch wound. Most Automatic Watch owners enjoy this scientific experimentation, and if you are successful please send us the information, since many owners hate to try this and for those we strongly recommend the Orbita Sparta Watch Winder!

We recommend you set the winder on Bi-Directional Winding and 900 TPD (Turns Per Day). If the watch stays wound turn the TPD down to 650, if it stops return it to 900
and this is the proper setting. If the watch does not stay wound on the first setting, change it to Clock Wise Setting at 900 TPD. Repeat this process of trial and
error until you find the correct setting.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate
to contact customer service Monday through Friday between
10 and 4 Eastern time. We look forward to receiving your
order or hearing from you.

If you are interested in this watch you can find it at these stores....
Cartier Men's XL Santos Galbee Automatic ... $3,520.00-ShopAtHomeTV.com
Cartier Santos de Cartier Galbee XL Mens ... $4,395.00-TheWatchery.com
Cartier Santos de Cartier Galbee XL Mens ... $3,432.00-TheWatchery.com

Sincerely,
Customer Service WatchCases.com

Our Hours: M-F,10-4 Eastern Standard Time
Closed Weekends & all major Holidays.
____________________________________
Thank you for shopping with watchcases.com and please tell your
friends about us!

Labels: Automatic Watches, Cartier, Donald, Joyce, Recommendation, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

Picking a watch winder can be confusing. We will try to help. We usually recommend our choices as follows, Good Choice, Better Choice and Best Choices. Price typically increases as your winder recommendation goes up in quality and features. Breitling is a very important watch brand and we were reading the breitlingsource.com blog and found he had a small snippet on watch winders which we thought you might benefit from.

You might wish to read his post, though it does not quite make a recommendation it does accurately hit on many of the issues with watchwinders, one issue is:"Should you purchase a cheap watch winder?" The Post writer concludes from experience the answer is an emphatic no! His blog post on "The Breitling Watch Blog" Titled "How to pick a watch winder for your Breitling or Rolex or whatever" might not answer any questions directly, but it will introduce you to the major brands and help steer you away from mistakes.

Watch Winders are hard to find locally. The only people who purchase watch winders are people who own more than one automatic watch. Few people own automatic watches, fewer people own 2 automatics.

Jewelers do not tend to stock winders. Why not? Well, Automatic Watch Winders are expensive (even at wholesale prices) with low margins and do not sell quickly. Jewelers would rather make 600% margins on a cheap bunch of stones that anyone might buy than tie up $500 in a watch winder and make $100 on the possible sale to a watch collector. This means you have to shop online. A good place to start online is the Google directory. Go to Shopping-Jewelry-Watches-Accessories-WatchCases-Winders. However really your best place to find valid reliable information and Winder buying advice is WatchCases.com How to Choose a Watch Winder.

One place I strongly recommend you do not look for a watch winder is on EBay. Yes, there are a lot of people selling winders, however our customer base informs us almost daily about some issue they had with a used winder or an old discontinued model that somehow made it out of the trash can and into the market place. Sure it was cheap, but when you throw the winding device away in a month, it is like throwing good money away. Successful people own Automatic Watches, and do not need to save pennies. But, we keep selling replacement winders to them, when if they had come to us in the first place they would have saved money by spending more for quality!

How do I pick a watch winder? Answer read what we have written on winders here and or call us. If you do not wish to read all the information we have written a simple bit of advice is to buy an Orbita Watch Winder. Read the Rob Review comments about Orbita, it is very interesting.

Labels: Breitling, Donald, Watch Winders

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

I will give you a choice; Swatch or Rolex?

Which watch would you pick?

Well, drum roll please....Not surprisingly, most people do not choose the
lowly Swatch!

But did you know?

Swatch Group owns 18 major brands including many in the top 10.
Omega,Longines, Mido, Calvin Klein, Rado and many more...Swatch is The
world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of finished watches, Swatch
Group owns 18+ major watch brands.

You had no idea Swatch was not just a plastic watch did you? Ok in all fairness, I did mislead you with my question. I wanted you to think I was talking about a single watch, but I really just wanted to tell you how important Swatch is in the quality watch circles. Rolex is the leader, though many people would fight you on who makes the "best" watch. Rolex sells more than any other individual company and therefore wears the crown! (Pun intended.)

Labels: Donald, Rolex, Swatch, Watch Factoid

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

A very good site for an academic and historical perspective on watches is
www.hautehorlogerie.org/en

The site though very informative is not so easy to navigate from the home page,
but go to their site map and click on a topic of interest.

HH Culture site map - HH Journal

Below are the topics they cover you see it is very complete!

Encyclopaedia
Timeline
13th century
14th century
15th century
16th century
17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century
21st century
Glossary
Search by alphabetical order
Search by theme
Search and see (through the movement)
Métiers d’art
Conceiving and making a fine watch movement
Watch complications
Decorating and engraving the movement
The dial, the face of the watch
Designing and conceiving a fine watch
Creating a fine watch case
The art of selecting and setting stones
Wonders of enamel
Precious watch
Glossary
Then and now
Mechanical watch
Motor vs Movement
The different functions of the movement
The watchmaker’s hand
Complication watches
Sounding watches
Watches with astronomical indications
Watches for measuring short intervals
Complications by concept and production
Complication inspired by everyday life
Ultra-complicated watches
Advice from the experts
Your watch’s points of wear
Different types of servicing
Taking care of your watch
Theme files
Players
Brands
A. Lange & Söhne
Antoine Preziuso
Audemars Piguet
Baume & Mercier
Blancpain
Boucheron
Breguet
Cartier
F.P. Journe Invenit et Fecit
Girard-Perregaux
Glashütte Original
Greubel Forsey
Harry Winston
Hublot
IWC
Jaeger-LeCoultre
JeanRichard
Omega
Panerai
Parmigiani Fleurier
Patek Philippe
Piaget
Richard Mille
Roger Dubuis
Rolex
TAG Heuer
Urwerk
Vacheron Constantin
Van Cleef & Arpels
Vincent Calabrese
Famous watchmakers
15th century
16th century
17th century
18th century
19th century
Legendary watches
1911 - 1920
1921 - 1930
1931 - 1940
1951 - 1960
1961 - 1970
1971 - 1980
1981 - 1990
1991 - 2000
Time... to discover
Exhibitions
Fine Watchmaking: a Tribute to Women
Fine watches for land, air and sea
The chronograph, an expression of the modern era
Time for oneself
The museum trail
Switzerland
In-depth articles
People
History
Expertise
Techniques
Economy
Collections
Architecture
Market
Counterfeiting
Bibliography
Watchprint
Editions Simonin
Links
Associations
Brands
Counterfeiting
Education and Training
Forums
Horological websites
Institutional
Library
Museums
Press
Scientific and technical
Haute horlogerie preservation
Haute Horlogerie preservation
The situation
Counterfeiting
Players
Links
Intellectual property
Trademarks
Patents
Designs
Copyright
Unfair competition
Other distinctive signs

Labels: A. Lange Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Baume Mercier, Donald, Omega, Rolex

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

If you are reading this paragraph you most surely own one, two or more Automatic Watches.

The watch world has changed in recent years, with the emergence of China into the world economy and most notably into the watch world. Our business has been affected. We now have to address two different sets of customers, luxury watch owners and wannabes, or owners of fakes. I have travelled to and from China recently and I have been shocked and amazed at the proliferation of "reproductions", that is fake automatic watches. Some of these fakes are actually very good, but if you own a fake watch this is not the place to be reading about watches and or watch winders. We discuss the needs of Luxury Swiss, German and French made automatic watches, not Chinese made fakes. Fake watches should be placed on fake watch winders, like those found sold online through eBay type stores with prices of less than $50 each winder head.
Sure these cheap winders will break down, maybe even destroy your watch, (but what do you care it is a fake?) chances are the watch will break long before the winder ruins the internal mechanism or the winder stops working. These cheap winder price points makes sense for an elaborate fake that will stop working in a few months, but if you own a real automatic watch you need to worry about maintaining the watch for a life time. A good winder is a good start, but if your money is limited (wait, this is an oxymoron, if you own a real luxury automatic watch, your money is not limited, maybe your willingness to part with your money is limited, but not the actual funding ability...) you should make sure to find a good Jeweler!

Experts recommend servicing your luxury automatic watch usually every 4 or 5 years. This service is not cheap! Set up a maintenance schedule now and don't skimp on spending on maintenance. Yes, I also know many people who skip this advice and have watches that "work as good as new" but I know far more who paid dearly for not maintaining their watch and lost a valuable investment. The people who do not maintain their watch typically have inherited it and have no idea what so ever about the value of the precious piece of machinery in their desk drawer! Let me clarify this issue of a watch winder damaging a watch. Most people assume the damage is to the internal workings of the watch. Well, honestly this is not as much of a factor as people think. Why? Most automatic watches have a slip mechanism to prevent over winding of the watch.

Then how can a cheap winder damage a watch? One way is simply by over use. The winder will wind (turn) way to much and the watch will be over used. Not a totally bad thing, but not something you should do with an investment either. Orbita Watch Winders have spent considerable time and money addressing this issue of over use, and their programmable winders cost structure reflects this reality. But more subtle, and in my view far more important, is the way the watch affixes to the winder and the space allowed for the watch to turn inside the winder.

Expensive Luxury Watch Winders address these subtle issues. Finding your irreplaceable watch band scratched or stretched out of shape is not a good way to learn my advice is not simply self effacing and self enriching. "Penny wise and pound foolish" as my grandmother used to say! The proliferation of cheap Chinese and Indian made watches and watch winders have made people think they are comparing like items with a huge price difference when in fact they are comparing apples and oranges. More precisely even, they are comparing apples and fake plastic oranges! You get what you pay for and do not let yourself be seduced by the price mongers, and also I implore you keep your fine automatic Swiss watch serviced! Get thee to a good reliable Jeweler! If you know of a good Jeweler for Automatic Watches send us an email with the contact information, our clients are always asking and we are attempting to assemble a state by state, city by city database for our customers. Automatic Watch Maintenance: Jewelers Wanted!

Labels: Automatic Watches, Donald, Fakes

by: WatchCases 0 Comments

This is our first testing post. We will be posting information and articles of interest to watch collectors. Information we believe to be accurate at the time of the posting. We strive for accuracy, however since watch models and watch winder models change every season or sooner, information may not be accurate as time goes by.

Notify us if you discover a mistake, but we make no warranty to the accuracy of the information posted here on this blog. This is for entertainment and you should verify any technical information using other sources.

In addition much of the information we share is given to us by our customers, and as such may not be totally accurate. We do not own every watch made and we rely on customer feedback to help people figure out what watch winder is best for their luxury automatic watch. Sometimes customers give us inaccurate information. We will make every attempt at accuracy, but again do not rely on this information solely for major purchases. Read other sources, and the best thing to do with an automatic watch and or watch winder is to learn what works and what does not work is by "Trial and Error".

The one piece of advice I can give unequivocally is if you own a Luxury Branded Watch buy the most expensive highest quality watch winder case you can afford. Do not be influenced by cheap imitations, you will be disappointed and may damage your watch investment. Quality matters. Value counts, we hope you find the information we post here as both entertaining and valuable.

Labels: Donald

by: WatchCases 0 Comments