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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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Stock Type
  1. Stock Stock
Case Material
  1. Bronze Bronze
  2. Carbon Carbon
  3. Ceramic Ceramic
  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
  15. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
  16. Yellow Gold Plated Yellow Gold Plated
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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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Limited Edition
  1. Limited Edition Limited Edition
Reset Results (1078)
Results (1,078)
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Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM00396 215756
Limited Edition

Panerai
Luminor 1950
PAM00396

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£58,310
Bell and Ross BR 05 BR05C-BL-ST/SRB 280705

Bell and Ross
BR 05
BR05C-BL-ST/SRB

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£2,740
Bell and Ross Vintage WW2 BRWW2-REG-HER/SCA 256867

Bell and Ross
Vintage WW2
BRWW2-REG-HER/SCA

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£2,525
Panerai Luminor GMT PAM01033 259428

Panerai
Luminor GMT
PAM01033

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£5,275
Baume et Mercier Classima Executives M0A10608 274451

Baume et Mercier
Classima Executives
M0A10608

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£1,300
Maurice Lacroix Pontos S PT6038-SSL22-130-1 272236

Maurice Lacroix
Pontos S
PT6038-SSL22-130-1

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£2,200
Baume et Mercier Classima Executives M0A10273 275103

Baume et Mercier
Classima Executives
M0A10273

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£985
Panerai Ferrari FER00004 265200
Limited Edition

Panerai
Ferrari
FER00004

Box
Papers
Year 2007
£3,605
Bell and Ross BR-X1 BRX1-CE-TI-BLC 275080
Limited Edition

Bell and Ross
BR-X1
BRX1-CE-TI-BLC

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£10,715
Bell and Ross BR01-96 Commando 271306
Limited Edition

Bell and Ross
BR01-96
Commando

Box
Papers
Year 2010
£1,720
Patek Philippe Complications 5146/1G-010 261359

Patek Philippe
Complications
5146/1G-010

Box
Papers
Year 2009
£37,950
Panerai Radiomir Automatic PAM00619 239324

Panerai
Radiomir Automatic
PAM00619

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£6,950
Bell and Ross BR-X1 BRX1-CE-TI-BLC 251628
Limited Edition

Bell and Ross
BR-X1
BRX1-CE-TI-BLC

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£9,950
Bell and Ross Vintage 126 BR126-94 266267

Bell and Ross
Vintage 126
BR126-94

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£1,110
Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM00187 269437
Limited Edition

Panerai
Luminor Submersible
PAM00187

Box
Papers
Year 2009
£5,615
Hublot Big Bang 411.NM.1170.RX 264550

Hublot
Big Bang
411.NM.1170.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£9,720
Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM00508 267816
Limited Edition

Panerai
Luminor Submersible
PAM00508

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£7,925
Hublot Big Bang 301.SB.131.RX 275533

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SB.131.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£5,070
Montblanc TimeWalker 119941 270458

Montblanc
TimeWalker
119941

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£1,950
Panerai Luminor Chrono PAM00525 248896

Panerai
Luminor Chrono
PAM00525

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£18,950
Hublot King Power 703.CI.1129.NR.USB12 264959
Limited Edition

Hublot
King Power
703.CI.1129.NR.USB12

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£9,950
Bell and Ross BR01-94 BR01-94 265904
Limited Edition

Bell and Ross
BR01-94
BR01-94

Box
Papers
Year 2007
£1,665
Baume et Mercier Capeland MV045221 262887

Baume et Mercier
Capeland
MV045221

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£1,350
Rado Hyperchrome R32525169 257000

Rado
Hyperchrome
R32525169

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£1,850
Bell and Ross Vintage 123 BRV123-BS-ST/SF 265489

Bell and Ross
Vintage 123
BRV123-BS-ST/SF

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£1,360
Hublot Classic Fusion 542.NX.1170.RX 275571

Hublot
Classic Fusion
542.NX.1170.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£4,520
Maurice Lacroix Pontos S PT6248-SS001-330 266238
Limited Edition

Maurice Lacroix
Pontos S
PT6248-SS001-330

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£1,565
Maurice Lacroix Aikon AI6038-SS002-132-1 268973

Maurice Lacroix
Aikon
AI6038-SS002-132-1

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£2,240
Bell and Ross BR03-94 Chronograph Phantom 270867

Bell and Ross
BR03-94 Chronograph
Phantom

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£2,325
Bell and Ross Vintage 126 BR126 274955

Bell and Ross
Vintage 126
BR126

Box
Papers
Year 2008
£1,725
Hublot Big Bang 301.SB.131.RX 277185

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SB.131.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£5,090
Hublot Big Bang 703.NQ.1129.NR.GUG13 256962
Limited Edition

Hublot
Big Bang
703.NQ.1129.NR.GUG13

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£6,920
Bell and Ross BR03-94 Chronograph BR0394-ST-G-HE/SCA 267815

Bell and Ross
BR03-94 Chronograph
BR0394-ST-G-HE/SCA

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£2,205
Bell and Ross BR 05 BR05C-SI-ST/SST 245555
Limited Edition

Bell and Ross
BR 05
BR05C-SI-ST/SST

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£4,950
Oris Big Crown 01 401 7781 4081-Set 272073
Limited Edition

Oris
Big Crown
01 401 7781 4081-Set

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,235
Montblanc 4810 collection 114854 271249

Montblanc
4810 collection
114854

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£1,210
Hublot Big Bang 301.SX.1170.RX 265488

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SX.1170.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£6,280
Oris Divers 733 7720 40 57 LS 277001

Oris
Divers
733 7720 40 57 LS

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£610
Patek Philippe World Time 5130/1R-001 278735

Patek Philippe
World Time
5130/1R-001

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£41,565
Longines HydroConquest L3.781.3.58.7 284777

Longines
HydroConquest
L3.781.3.58.7

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£1,350
Zenith Port Royal Rectangle 03.0550.400 259620

Zenith
Port Royal Rectangle
03.0550.400

Box
Papers
Year 2008
£2,695
Longines Spirit L3.820.4.73.2 282615

Longines
Spirit
L3.820.4.73.2

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£2,000

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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