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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. Rolex Rolex
  2. Breitling Breitling
  3. Omega Omega
  4. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  5. Panerai Panerai
  6. IWC IWC
  7. Tudor Tudor
  8. Cartier Cartier
  9. Hublot Hublot
  10. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  11. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  12. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  13. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
All Brands
  1. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  2. Ball Ball
  3. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  4. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  5. Breitling Breitling
  6. Bremont Bremont
  7. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  8. Carl F. Bucherer Carl F. Bucherer
  9. Cartier Cartier
  10. Chanel Chanel
  11. Chopard Chopard
  12. Eterna Eterna
  13. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  14. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  15. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  16. Graham Graham
  17. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  18. H. Moser and Cie H. Moser and Cie
  19. Hamilton Hamilton
  20. Hublot Hublot
  21. IWC IWC
  22. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  23. JeanRichard JeanRichard
  24. Longines Longines
  25. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  26. Montblanc Montblanc
  27. Omega Omega
  28. Oris Oris
  29. Panerai Panerai
  30. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  31. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  32. Perrelet Perrelet
  33. Rado Rado
  34. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  35. Richard Mille Richard Mille
  36. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  37. Rolex Rolex
  38. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  39. Tissot Tissot
  40. Tudor Tudor
  41. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  42. 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. Bronze Bronze
  2. Carbon Carbon
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  4. Platinum Platinum
  5. Rose Gold Rose Gold
  6. Silver Silver
  7. Steel Steel
  8. Steel & Rose Gold Steel & Rose Gold
  9. Steel & Rose Gold Plated Steel & Rose Gold Plated
  10. Steel & White Gold Steel & White Gold
  11. Steel & Yellow Gold Steel & Yellow Gold
  12. Steel & Yellow Gold Plated Steel & Yellow Gold Plated
  13. Titanium Titanium
  14. White Gold White Gold
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  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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Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 15210OR.OO.A028CR.01 276744

Audemars Piguet
CODE 11.59
15210OR.OO.A028CR.01

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£20,595
Tudor Prince Date 79280P 265799

Tudor
Prince Date
79280P

Box
Papers
Year 2004
£3,515
Tudor Black Bay 58 M79010SG-0002 242517

Tudor
Black Bay 58
M79010SG-0002

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£2,590
Tudor Black Bay M7941A1A0RU-0002 262797
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M7941A1A0RU-0002

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,695
Tudor Pelagos FXD M25717N-0001 280520
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Pelagos FXD
M25717N-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,800
Tudor Prince Oysterdate 90900 268528
Vintage

Tudor
Prince Oysterdate
90900

Box
Papers
Year 1999
£1,400
Tudor Black Bay GMT M79830RB-0001 283141

Tudor
Black Bay GMT
M79830RB-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£2,680
Tudor Pelagos M25707B/22-0001 280858
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Pelagos
M25707B/22-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,825
Tudor Heritage Black Bay 79230R-0003 282910

Tudor
Heritage Black Bay
79230R-0003

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£2,330
Tudor Pelagos M25600TN-0001 280287
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Pelagos
M25600TN-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,340
Tudor Black Bay 36 M79640-0002 275457
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 36
M79640-0002

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,250
Tudor Black Bay 58 M79012M-0001 281506
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 58
M79012M-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,265
Tudor Black Bay GMT M79830RB-0001 279233

Tudor
Black Bay GMT
M79830RB-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£2,600
Chopard Mille Miglia 168588-3001 278731

Chopard
Mille Miglia
168588-3001

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£3,575
Tudor Black Bay GMT M79830RB-0001 270064

Tudor
Black Bay GMT
M79830RB-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£2,675
Tudor Heritage Black Bay 79220B 277870

Tudor
Heritage Black Bay
79220B

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£2,095
Panerai Submersible PAM01209 232121

Panerai
Submersible
PAM01209

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£8,950
Tudor Black Bay M79210CNU-0001 275914
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M79210CNU-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,575
Perrelet Turbine A1067/2 276604

Perrelet
Turbine
A1067/2

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£1,740
Panerai Luminor Quaranta PAM01372 274934

Panerai
Luminor Quaranta
PAM01372

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£5,950
Girard Perregaux Laureato 81005-32-631-32A 238328

Girard Perregaux
Laureato
81005-32-631-32A

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£7,340
Tudor Pelagos M25610TNL-0001 259456

Tudor
Pelagos
M25610TNL-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£3,650
Girard Perregaux Laureato 81010-11-3153-1CM 280306

Girard Perregaux
Laureato
81010-11-3153-1CM

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£10,740
Tudor Monte Carlo 94300 274891
Vintage

Tudor
Monte Carlo
94300

Box
Papers
Year 1999
£14,310
Tudor Heritage Black Bay 79230G 280607
Limited Edition

Tudor
Heritage Black Bay
79230G

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£2,875
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26020ST.OO.D001IN.02 259932

Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Offshore
26020ST.OO.D001IN.02

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£18,505
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26202AU.OO.D002CA.01 258024
Limited Edition

Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Offshore
26202AU.OO.D002CA.01

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£25,450
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 26020ST.OO.D091CR.01.A 259034

Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Offshore
26020ST.OO.D091CR.01.A

Box
Papers
Year 2006
£15,635
Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro PAM01289 265824

Panerai
Submersible QuarantaQuattro
PAM01289

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£7,110
Tudor Black Bay M7941A1A0RU-0002 281225
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M7941A1A0RU-0002

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,695
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14790ST.OO.0789ST.10 266624

Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak
14790ST.OO.0789ST.10

Box
Papers
Year 2000
£19,430
Chopard Mille Miglia 168566-3007 276349
Limited Edition

Chopard
Mille Miglia
168566-3007

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,325
Chopard Mille Miglia 158992-3003 266070

Chopard
Mille Miglia
158992-3003

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£2,525
Tudor Black Bay 58 M79012M-0001 250849
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 58
M79012M-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£3,260
Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days PAM00658 245545

Panerai
Radiomir 1940 3 Days
PAM00658

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£6,400
Panerai Submersible PAM00960 267957
Limited Edition

Panerai
Submersible
PAM00960

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£10,950
Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM01021 259354

Panerai
Luminor 1950
PAM01021

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£8,250
Panerai Radiomir 1940 PAM00627 254278

Panerai
Radiomir 1940
PAM00627

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£5,785
Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM00441 280372

Panerai
Luminor 1950
PAM00441

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£6,155
Chopard Mille Miglia 168459-3001 275297

Chopard
Mille Miglia
168459-3001

Box
Papers
Year 2007
£2,245
Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days PAM00658 245549

Panerai
Radiomir 1940 3 Days
PAM00658

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£6,400
Panerai Radiomir 1940 PAM00627 245544

Panerai
Radiomir 1940
PAM00627

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£5,785

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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