The heart of a watch winder is the motor. The circuit board is the brains and the rotating table(s) is/are the arms.

To me, the warranty for a winder unit will refer to the mechanical lifespan of the motor itself as this would normally be the first to break down. Rarely would the circuit board go bonkers unless a wrong voltage has been applied that will fry the circuits. Another probable breakdown would be the rotating turntable but again, with reasonable design, it would be a rare sight.

Reputable watch winder manufacturers only choose reliable motors and they will ensure that their mechanical design would assist the winding system to easily rotate the turntable with least resistance thus lowering the wear and tear to the motor gears. Such motors easily cost about $100.00 each. Faulhaber is one such motor.

To see warranties stretching 12 months would be a great comfort if I were ever to purchase such product. This would mean that the manufacturer is confident its product would last for more that 12 months at least. There is something about MTBF (Mean-Time-Before-Failure) calculations that the manufacturer has taken into account.

For warranties below a year, the product is as good as a “use-and-throw” type. I would not recommend anyone to pay attention to such products.

Watch winders that cost about $300 and with a half-year warranty would be an expensive device to own. It is really unwise to pay that kind of money. Buyers are basically making the seller happy and richer to pay for something that last 6 months because low cost motors would not last more than 6 months.

A well designed or well engineered watch winder, IMHO, would last more than a year. Some manufacturers give a 2 year warranty to their devices and this shows their level of confidence. But be prepared to pay a higher price.

Buyers leave it to fate when buying units from dealers, agents or resellers who give short warranty periods. They pay a low price, then hope and pray it won’t break down ever!

It is best to buy from dealers or outlets that have their own repair or service centers. Pay a little more for that peace of mind!

Labels: warranty, winders