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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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Popular Brands
  1. Panerai Panerai
  2. IWC IWC
  3. Rolex Rolex
  4. Omega Omega
  5. Breitling Breitling
  6. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  7. Hublot Hublot
  8. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  9. Cartier Cartier
  10. Tudor Tudor
  11. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  12. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  13. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
All Brands
  1. A. Lange and Sohne A. Lange and Sohne
  2. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  3. B.R.M Watches B.R.M Watches
  4. Ball Ball
  5. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  6. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  7. Blancpain Blancpain
  8. Breguet Breguet
  9. Breitling Breitling
  10. Bremont Bremont
  11. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  12. Carl F. Bucherer Carl F. Bucherer
  13. Cartier Cartier
  14. Chanel Chanel
  15. Chopard Chopard
  16. Corum Corum
  17. Eterna Eterna
  18. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  19. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  20. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  21. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  22. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  23. Hamilton Hamilton
  24. Hermes Hermes
  25. Hublot Hublot
  26. IWC IWC
  27. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  28. Jaquet Droz Jaquet Droz
  29. Longines Longines
  30. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  31. Montblanc Montblanc
  32. Omega Omega
  33. Oris Oris
  34. Panerai Panerai
  35. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  36. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  37. Perrelet Perrelet
  38. Piaget Piaget
  39. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  40. Rado Rado
  41. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  42. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  43. Rolex Rolex
  44. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  45. Tudor Tudor
  46. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  47. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  48. Zenith Zenith
Series
Case Size
The size of a watch is very important for style and comfort. If you prefer an oversized watch like a Panerai Luminor, you’ll probably want Large. If you’re looking for something more discreet like a Rolex Lady Datejust, you’ll want Small. For everything in between, Medium.
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  1. Stock Stock
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  1. Aluminium Aluminium
  2. Bronze Bronze
  3. Carbon Carbon
  4. Ceramic Ceramic
  5. Platinum Platinum
  6. Rose Gold Rose Gold
  7. Silver Silver
  8. Steel Steel
  9. Steel & Rose Gold Steel & Rose Gold
  10. Steel & Rose Gold Plated Steel & Rose Gold Plated
  11. Steel & White Gold Steel & White Gold
  12. Steel & Yellow Gold Steel & Yellow Gold
  13. Titanium Titanium
  14. White Gold White Gold
  15. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
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  1. Bracelet Bracelet
  2. Fabric Fabric
  3. Leather Leather
  4. Rubber Rubber
Box and Papers
  1. Original box Original box
  1. Original papers Original papers
Movement
A mechanical watch is powered by a spring. Manual mechanical watches must be hand wound. Automatic watches are also mechanical, and are wound by a weight that spins with the wearer's movements. A quartz watch is battery powered and extremely accurate.
  1. Automatic Automatic
  2. Manual Manual
  3. Quartz Quartz
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  1. Limited Edition Limited Edition
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Longines Conquest L2.285.5.56.3 244149

Longines
Conquest
L2.285.5.56.3

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€1,055
Montblanc Orbis Terrarum 112308 280802

Montblanc
Orbis Terrarum
112308

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€2,935
Montblanc Heritage 113705 243967

Montblanc
Heritage
113705

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€2,780
Hublot Big Bang 301.PM.1780.RX 244065

Hublot
Big Bang
301.PM.1780.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€10,795
Hublot Big Bang 322.LM.100.RX 244613

Hublot
Big Bang
322.LM.100.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2015
€6,340
Montblanc Heritage 111624 267729

Montblanc
Heritage
111624

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€1,420
Tag Heuer Autavia CBE2110.FC8226 280804

Tag Heuer
Autavia
CBE2110.FC8226

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€4,185
Tag Heuer Autavia CBE511B.FC8279 282692

Tag Heuer
Autavia
CBE511B.FC8279

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€4,885
Tag Heuer Autavia CBE2110.FC8226 283203

Tag Heuer
Autavia
CBE2110.FC8226

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€4,225
Hublot Big Bang 301.PB.131.RX 244242

Hublot
Big Bang
301.PB.131.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2009
€13,715
Tag Heuer Formula 1 Sparkling WAU2212.BA0859 282139

Tag Heuer
Formula 1 Sparkling
WAU2212.BA0859

Box
Papers
Year 2014
€1,455
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 125565 266319
Manufacturer's Warranty

Montblanc
1858 Geosphere
125565

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€4,225
Montblanc TimeWalker 101548 245235

Montblanc
TimeWalker
101548

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€2,300
Montblanc Heritage 116534 249555
Limited Edition

Montblanc
Heritage
116534

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€4,080
Tag Heuer Autavia 11063 243941
Vintage

Tag Heuer
Autavia
11063

Box
Papers
Year 1982
€1,635
Tag Heuer Autavia 11630 244108
Vintage

Tag Heuer
Autavia
11630

Box
Papers
Year 1977
€2,360
Oris ProDiver Chronograph 774 7727 77 84 RS 280809
Limited Edition

Oris
ProDiver Chronograph
774 7727 77 84 RS

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€3,015
Longines HydroConquest L3.696.4.19.6 280811

Longines
HydroConquest
L3.696.4.19.6

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€1,435
Zenith Captain 03.2070.4054/02.C711 278559

Zenith
Captain
03.2070.4054/02.C711

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€3,470
Zenith Pilot 03.2430.693/21.C723 267232

Zenith
Pilot
03.2430.693/21.C723

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€3,275
Montblanc TimeWalker 105805 244089

Montblanc
TimeWalker
105805

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€1,795
Montblanc TimeWalker 117051 279608

Montblanc
TimeWalker
117051

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€7,920
Zenith El Primero 03.2520.4061/69.M2280 268463

Zenith
El Primero
03.2520.4061/69.M2280

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€6,325
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2C12.FC6327 244800

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2C12.FC6327

Box
Papers
Year 2015
€2,360
Zenith Elite 03.2320.692/81.C714 266566

Zenith
Elite
03.2320.692/81.C714

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€3,005
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2B11.FC6235 277956

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2B11.FC6235

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€2,170
Montblanc 1858 116479 244505

Montblanc
1858
116479

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€1,270
Oris TT1 Divers 743 7609 84 54 MB 273887

Oris
TT1 Divers
743 7609 84 54 MB

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€780
Raymond Weil Freelancer 7730-ST-20041 275516

Raymond Weil
Freelancer
7730-ST-20041

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€955
Zenith Defy 95.9200.9004/77.I001 244113

Zenith
Defy
95.9200.9004/77.I001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€14,070
Zenith Elite 03.2270.4069/26.C493 244096

Zenith
Elite
03.2270.4069/26.C493

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€1,025
Tag Heuer Carrera CBB2080.FT6042 279615

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CBB2080.FT6042

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€3,120
Longines Heritage L2.797.4.53.0 254220

Longines
Heritage
L2.797.4.53.0

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€2,370
Tag Heuer Carrera CBK2112.FC6292 276732

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CBK2112.FC6292

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€1,920
Raymond Weil Nabucco 7830-TIR-05207 262709
Limited Edition

Raymond Weil
Nabucco
7830-TIR-05207

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€2,485
Zenith Defy 03.A3642.670/75.M3642 269226
Limited Edition

Zenith
Defy
03.A3642.670/75.M3642

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€5,200
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2C12.FC6327 244451

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2C12.FC6327

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€2,225
Tag Heuer Carrera CBN2019.BA0642 274642
Limited Edition

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CBN2019.BA0642

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€5,440
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2A5A.FT6044 244818

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2A5A.FT6044

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€4,530
Tag Heuer Carrera CV201AS.FC6429 273159
Limited Edition

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CV201AS.FC6429

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€3,015
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2C11.FC6327 266972

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2C11.FC6327

Box
Papers
Year 2013
€2,500
Tag Heuer Carrera CV2A1AB.FC6379 283391

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CV2A1AB.FC6379

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€2,375

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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