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Automatic Watches

An automatic watch winds itself with no need for a battery. With a weighted, free-spinning rotor inside that moves as you do, you’ll keep your watch wound with every action. Browse our selection of automatic watches below.

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Cartier Pasha W31088U2 440103

Cartier

Pasha

W31088U2

Omega Planet Ocean 232.30.46.51.01.003 440011

Omega

Planet Ocean

232.30.46.51.01.003

Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.22.42.20.03.001 423130

Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega

Seamaster Diver 300m

210.22.42.20.03.001

Patek Philippe Complications 4947/1A-001 433251

Patek Philippe

Complications

4947/1A-001

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 134300 418479

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Oyster Perpetual 41

134300

Omega Aqua Terra 150m Gents 231.10.39.21.54.001 438929

Omega

Aqua Terra 150m Gents

231.10.39.21.54.001

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15551ST.ZZ.1356ST.05 424822

Audemars Piguet

Royal Oak

15551ST.ZZ.1356ST.05

Cartier Ballon Bleu W4BB0028 414653

Cartier

Ballon Bleu

W4BB0028

IWC Portugieser Yacht Club IW390702 425795

IWC

Portugieser Yacht Club

IW390702

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar 1552540 411712

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Master Calendar

1552540

Omega Speedmaster Racing 329.30.44.51.01.002 426406

Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega

Speedmaster Racing

329.30.44.51.01.002

Rolex Datejust 116231 423095

Rolex

Datejust

116231

Rolex Datejust 41 126333 424001

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Datejust 41

126333

Rolex 1908 52506 428999

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

1908

52506

Roger Dubuis Excalibur DBEX0387 416853

Roger Dubuis

Excalibur

DBEX0387

Baume et Mercier Capeland M0A10005 427877

Baume et Mercier

Capeland

M0A10005

Bell and Ross BR03-92 BR0392-RCO-CE/SRB 423081

Bell and Ross

BR03-92

BR0392-RCO-CE/SRB

Tag Heuer Formula 1 CBZ2082.BF0009 405061

Manufacturer's Warranty

Tag Heuer

Formula 1

CBZ2082.BF0009

Tag Heuer Formula 1 CBZ2085.FT8093 423134

Manufacturer's Warranty

Tag Heuer

Formula 1

CBZ2085.FT8093

Tag Heuer Carrera CBS2211.FC6545 423131

Tag Heuer

Carrera

CBS2211.FC6545

Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.30.42.20.10.001 427856

Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega

Seamaster Diver 300m

210.30.42.20.10.001

Omega Speedmaster Moonphase 304.30.44.52.01.001 426503

Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega

Speedmaster Moonphase

304.30.44.52.01.001

IWC Ingenieur IW322503 428509

IWC

Ingenieur

IW322503

Jaeger-LeCoultre Odysseus 165.7.89 S 413858

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Odysseus

165.7.89 S

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 AB0138 428430

Breitling

Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43

AB0138

Rolex Datejust 126234 410659

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Datejust

126234

Rolex Datejust 126234 423716

Rolex

Datejust

126234

Rolex Datejust 16234 426548

Rolex

Datejust

16234

Longines Legend Diver L3.764.4.50.0 408525

Longines

Legend Diver

L3.764.4.50.0

Tudor Black Bay 54 M79000N-0002 413225

Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor

Black Bay 54

M79000N-0002

Tudor Black Bay 36 M79640-0002 426243

Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor

Black Bay 36

M79640-0002

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126000 423771

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Oyster Perpetual

126000

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 124300 422522

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Oyster Perpetual

124300

Tudor Black Bay 58 M79030N-0001 423425

Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor

Black Bay 58

M79030N-0001

Rolex Air-King 116900 427124

Rolex

Air-King

116900

Tudor Pelagos M25707B/21-0001 424838

Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor

Pelagos

M25707B/21-0001

Rolex Datejust 41 126334 410234

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Datejust 41

126334

Rolex Datejust 126234 423683

Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex

Datejust

126234

Automatic Watches

The person largely credited with inventing the first self-winding movement powered by an oscillating weight—or rotor—is the pioneering Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Perrelet in the 1770s.

Hubert Sarton and the great Abraham-Louis Breguet were two of several watchmakers who further developed the technology over the following century before a Parisian watchmaker called Leon Leroy came up with the idea of a self-winding wristwatch in 1922, making a small batch for a private client.

A year later, an English watch repairer by the name of John Harwood developed his own version of an automatic wristwatch that could be mass-produced. His design used a centrally mounted oscillating weight—or rotor—much like the automatic watches of today.

Rolex, together with its movement maker Aegler, took Harwood’s invention and improved it, unveiling the self-winding ‘perpetual’ movement in 1931. The resulting Oyster Perpetual—the world’s first water-resistant automatic watch—is now considered the foundation for Rolex’s success. The Eterna company was also key to progressing this technology. In 1948 it introduced the Eterna-matic movement which featured a ball-bearing-mounted rotor that reduced wear and tear.

Within a decade or so, most brands were manufacturing some kind of self-winding watch alongside manual-wind ones. These days, automatic watches are far more commonly available.

How they work

In this section, we'll delve into the mechanics of automatic watches and discuss how they differ from manual watches.

An automatic watch, or self-winding watch, is a sophisticated timepiece that doesn't require manual winding or a battery. The watch harnesses the natural movement of the wearer's arm to power its functions. As the arm moves, it spins a rotor within the watch which winds the mainspring, storing energy to power the timepiece.

The movement, or calibre, is the heart of an automatic watch. It comprises several key components like the mainspring, rotor, escapement mechanism, balance wheel, and gears. The rotor winds the mainspring, the mainspring stores energy, and the escapement mechanism regulates the release of energy from the mainspring for precise timekeeping.

The power reserve is another important feature of automatic watches. It indicates how long the watch can run without additional winding, sometimes displayed on the dial or the case back. A longer power reserve allows the watch to run for several days without wearing it, ensuring it remains accurate and ready to wear. The power reserve on most watches tends to be between 38 and 70 hours, although one Vacheron Constantin watch has an incredible 65-day power reserve.

Most modern automatic watches are equipped with a mechanism to prevent overwinding. Once the mainspring is fully wound, the mechanism disengages to prevent excessive tension on the spring.

The main difference between automatic and manual watches lies in convenience. Automatic watches, with their self-winding mechanism, only need to be wound if the watch hasn’t been worn for some time and has stopped. If you keep wearing the watch, it will keep ticking.

A manual-wind watch, however, must be hand-wound every day or so to keep ticking, regardless of whether it is on your wrist or not. Should you forget to wind it, the watch will eventually stop.

Maintenance and lifespan

Automatic watches require proper maintenance and care to ensure their longevity. Here are some tips for winding, preventing overwinding, and caring for your automatic watch.

Wearing your automatic watch daily generates enough kinetic energy to wind the mainspring and power the watch. However, if the watch has stopped running, you can manually wind it by turning the crown clockwise a few times—around twenty revolutions should suffice.

The lifespan of an automatic watch can vary based on the quality of the watch movement, regular maintenance, the wearer's activity level, and environmental factors. High-quality movements can keep accurate time for decades, while lower-quality ones may require more frequent servicing and have a shorter lifespan.

Brands that make automatic watches

All major luxury watch brands now have automatic models in their collection. Some brands, such as Rolex, use self-winding movements exclusively, having discontinued their manual-wind models. Manual-wind watches tend to be far less common in modern watchmaking, although there are still plenty of options available.

Automatic movements power all kinds of watches, from chronographs to dress watches, and the movements are often visible through an exhibition case back. It’s common for the components of the movement to be finely engraved, with the oscillating rotor often fashioned from gold and decorated or skeletonised for aesthetic appeal.

Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe make some of the most beautifully decorated automatic movements.

At Watchfinder, we provide a range of pre-owned automatic watches from a wealth of prestigious brands. Our collection includes both vintage and modern timepieces, from chronographs to dive models, ensuring every taste is covered.

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