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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. Stock Stock
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  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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  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
Reset Results (1078)
Results (1,078)
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Hublot Big Bang 301.SX.1170.RX 270724

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SX.1170.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£6,120
Oris Aquis Depth Gauge 733 7675 41 54 MB 270633

Oris
Aquis Depth Gauge
733 7675 41 54 MB

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£1,170
Montblanc Meisterstück 7308 272942

Montblanc
Meisterstück
7308

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£1,265
Hublot Big Bang 301.QX.1724.RX 266890

Hublot
Big Bang
301.QX.1724.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£6,455
Hublot Big Bang 451.CX.1140.CX 262785
Limited Edition

Hublot
Big Bang
451.CX.1140.CX

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£10,485
Montblanc TimeWalker 119942 262418

Montblanc
TimeWalker
119942

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£1,820
Montblanc TimeWalker 9675 276237

Montblanc
TimeWalker
9675

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£1,395
Zenith Pilot 29.2240.405/18.C801 262912

Zenith
Pilot
29.2240.405/18.C801

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£5,255
Raymond Weil Tango 4881-SR-0520 269136

Raymond Weil
Tango
4881-SR-0520

Box
Papers
Year 2010
£680
Patek Philippe Calatrava 6007G-010 263425

Patek Philippe
Calatrava
6007G-010

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£37,000
Hublot Big Bang 301.SX.130.RX.114 265485

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SX.130.RX.114

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£7,800
Hublot Classic Fusion 565.NX.8070.RX.HDK23 260862
Limited Edition

Hublot
Classic Fusion
565.NX.8070.RX.HDK23

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£9,500
Hublot Classic Fusion 511.CM.7170.LR 260889

Hublot
Classic Fusion
511.CM.7170.LR

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£5,680
Montblanc Geosphere 117837 271566

Montblanc
Geosphere
117837

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£2,260
Zenith Defy 95.9000.670/78.R782 269397

Zenith
Defy
95.9000.670/78.R782

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£3,985
Hublot Classic Fusion 550.NS.1800.RX.ORL19 273206

Hublot
Classic Fusion
550.NS.1800.RX.ORL19

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£5,545
Hublot Classic Fusion 511.CM.1171.RX 275002

Hublot
Classic Fusion
511.CM.1171.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£5,385
Zenith Chronomaster 03.3100.3600/21.C822 249099

Zenith
Chronomaster
03.3100.3600/21.C822

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£7,780
Tag Heuer Grand Carrera CAV511A.BA0902 259388

Tag Heuer
Grand Carrera
CAV511A.BA0902

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£1,865
Zenith Chronomaster 03.20416.4061/51.M2040 273860
Limited Edition

Zenith
Chronomaster
03.20416.4061/51.M2040

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£3,940
Oris Big Crown ProPilot 400 7784 87 86 280641
Limited Edition

Oris
Big Crown ProPilot
400 7784 87 86

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,060
Zenith Defy Xtreme 03.9100.9004.49.I210 271972
Limited Edition

Zenith
Defy Xtreme
03.9100.9004.49.I210

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£25,000
Longines HydroConquest L3.781.3.56.7 276773

Longines
HydroConquest
L3.781.3.56.7

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£950
Hublot Big Bang 301.SX.130.RX 252198

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SX.130.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£7,250
Oris Aquis 733 7653 41 35 MB 276791

Oris
Aquis
733 7653 41 35 MB

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£850
Zenith El Primero 03.2170.4650/21.M2170 266616

Zenith
El Primero
03.2170.4650/21.M2170

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,260
Hublot Big Bang 301.CV.130.RX.114 253434

Hublot
Big Bang
301.CV.130.RX.114

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£8,040
Oris Big Crown ProPilot 752 7760 40 63 MB 261563

Oris
Big Crown ProPilot
752 7760 40 63 MB

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£1,245
Hublot Big Bang 341.SX.130.RX.114 271523

Hublot
Big Bang
341.SX.130.RX.114

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£7,805
Tag Heuer Aquaracer CAK2110.FT8019 268562

Tag Heuer
Aquaracer
CAK2110.FT8019

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£1,510
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero 03.2081.400/78.M2040 276757

Zenith
Chronomaster El Primero
03.2081.400/78.M2040

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£4,485
Oris Aquis 400 7769 41 54 RS 235331

Oris
Aquis
400 7769 41 54 RS

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£1,710
Longines HydroConquest L3.784.4.56.9 280878

Longines
HydroConquest
L3.784.4.56.9

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£2,010
Raymond Weil Freelancer 7741-SC7-52021 254524

Raymond Weil
Freelancer
7741-SC7-52021

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,450
Hublot Big Bang 322.CK.1140.RX 260268

Hublot
Big Bang
322.CK.1140.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£4,125
Hublot Classic Fusion 525.NX.0170.NX 270544

Hublot
Classic Fusion
525.NX.0170.NX

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£8,410
Hublot Big Bang 301.CT.130.RX 267632

Hublot
Big Bang
301.CT.130.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2008
£5,705
Longines Admiral L3.666.4.56.0 262009

Longines
Admiral
L3.666.4.56.0

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£1,185
Zenith Defy 03.A3642.670/75.M3642 276988
Limited Edition

Zenith
Defy
03.A3642.670/75.M3642

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£4,520
Montblanc 1858 129369 260769

Montblanc
1858
129369

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,250
Tag Heuer Autavia CBE511B.FC8279 276629

Tag Heuer
Autavia
CBE511B.FC8279

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£3,880
Oris Divers 733 7720 40 54 MB 276022

Oris
Divers
733 7720 40 54 MB

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£610

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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