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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. Panerai Panerai
  3. IWC IWC
  4. Omega Omega
  5. Breitling Breitling
  6. Cartier Cartier
  7. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  8. Hublot Hublot
  9. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  10. Tudor Tudor
  11. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  12. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  13. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
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. F.P. Journe F.P. Journe
  19. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  20. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  21. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  22. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  23. Graham Graham
  24. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  25. Hamilton Hamilton
  26. Hermes Hermes
  27. Hublot Hublot
  28. IWC IWC
  29. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  30. Jaquet Droz Jaquet Droz
  31. Laurent Ferrier Laurent Ferrier
  32. Longines Longines
  33. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  34. Montblanc Montblanc
  35. Nomos Glashutte Nomos Glashutte
  36. Omega Omega
  37. Oris Oris
  38. Panerai Panerai
  39. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  40. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  41. Perrelet Perrelet
  42. Piaget Piaget
  43. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  44. Rado Rado
  45. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  46. Richard Mille Richard Mille
  47. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  48. Rolex Rolex
  49. Romain Jerome Romain Jerome
  50. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  51. Tissot Tissot
  52. Tudor Tudor
  53. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  54. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  55. 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
Dial Colour
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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
Reset Results (1039)
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F.P. Journe Octa Sport 1300.3 269056

F.P. Journe
Octa Sport
1300.3

Box
Papers
Year 2018
Product Location
€59,950
incl. import taxes & duties
Rolex Submariner 116610 LNXXTEST 289244

Rolex
Submariner
116610 LNXXTEST

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€23,000
Hublot Classic Fusion 511.NX.7170.LR 271739

Hublot
Classic Fusion
511.NX.7170.LR

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€3,575
Girard Perregaux Chrono Hawk 49970-34-633-BB6B 244445

Girard Perregaux
Chrono Hawk
49970-34-633-BB6B

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€8,665
Breitling Avenger Hurricane XB0180 279081

Breitling
Avenger Hurricane
XB0180

Box
Papers
Year 2016
Product Location
€3,935
incl. import taxes & duties
Omega De Ville Ladymatic 425.25.34.20.55.001 245342

Omega
De Ville Ladymatic
425.25.34.20.55.001

Box
Papers
Year 2018
POA
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGE253 271390

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGE253

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€3,085
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SLGH005 270937

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SLGH005

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€6,435
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ235 205564
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ235

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
€6,475
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGE263 217356
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGE263

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
€9,055
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGA229 281613

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGA229

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€3,335
Hamilton Khaki Field H71616535 270112

Hamilton
Khaki Field
H71616535

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€1,375
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGA229 274281

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGA229

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
€3,465
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Hi Beat SBGH039 210749
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Hi Beat
SBGH039

Box
Papers
Year 2016
Product Location
€4,795
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ211 267669

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ211

Box
Papers
Year 2019
Product Location
€4,795
incl. import taxes & duties
Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix 4000E/000A-B548 265459

Vacheron Constantin
Fiftysix
4000E/000A-B548

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€17,615
Richard Mille RM032 AK TI 276937
Limited Edition

Richard Mille
RM032
AK TI

Box
Papers
Year 2011
Product Location
€98,150
incl. import taxes & duties
Breitling SuperOcean Automatic V17369 267057
Limited Edition

Breitling
SuperOcean Automatic
V17369

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€3,305
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGE253 274536

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGE253

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
€3,480
incl. import taxes & duties
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 2305V/100A-B170 265458

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
2305V/100A-B170

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€16,600
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGE263 189939
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGE263

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
€11,390
incl. import taxes & duties
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V/110A-B483 283209

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
4500V/110A-B483

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€25,545
Grand Seiko Grand Seiko SBGW253G 269449
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Grand Seiko
SBGW253G

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€5,705
Grand Seiko Hi Beat SBGH013J 267740

Grand Seiko
Hi Beat
SBGH013J

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€3,305
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SLGH005 284344

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SLGH005

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€6,870
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V/110R-B705 220281

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
4500V/110R-B705

Box
Papers
Year 2022
Product Location
€107,925
incl. import taxes & duties
Laurent Ferrier Square LCF013.AC.CG7 274303

Laurent Ferrier
Square
LCF013.AC.CG7

Box
Papers
Year 2022
Product Location
€42,495
incl. import taxes & duties
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi 00.10620.21.93.01 244177

Carl F. Bucherer
Patravi
00.10620.21.93.01

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€13,520
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 47450/B01A-9226 217768

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
47450/B01A-9226

Box
Papers
Year 2015
Product Location
€23,985
incl. import taxes & duties
Hamilton Jazzmaster H32576641 282792

Hamilton
Jazzmaster
H32576641

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€1,300
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SLGA007 270488
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SLGA007

Box
Papers
Year 2022
Product Location
€10,865
incl. import taxes & duties
Ball BMW PM3010C-P1CFJ-BK 243904

Ball
BMW
PM3010C-P1CFJ-BK

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€1,025
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ253 274280
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ253

Box
Papers
Year 2022
Product Location
€4,910
incl. import taxes & duties
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 86020-000R 254730

Vacheron Constantin
Patrimony
86020-000R

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€17,895
Bremont Armed Forces Collection DAMBUSTER 258919
Limited Edition

Bremont
Armed Forces Collection
DAMBUSTER

Box
Papers
Year 2022
Product Location
€3,345
incl. import taxes & duties
Nomos Glashutte Tangente 182 276919

Nomos Glashutte
Tangente
182

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
€2,420
incl. import taxes & duties
Bremont Boeing BB247-SS/BK 243993

Bremont
Boeing
BB247-SS/BK

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€3,635
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 7900V/110A-B546 273290

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
7900V/110A-B546

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€30,245
Bremont Supermarine S2000/BK 243955

Bremont
Supermarine
S2000/BK

Box
Papers
Year 2014
€1,995
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 47040/B01A-9093 278750

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
47040/B01A-9093

Box
Papers
Year 2006
Product Location
€13,600
incl. import taxes & duties
Jaquet Droz Grande Heure Minute J017010201 245273
Limited Edition

Jaquet Droz
Grande Heure Minute
J017010201

Box
Papers
Year 2005
€3,515
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 49150/B01A-9095 274380

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
49150/B01A-9095

Box
Papers
Year 2017
Product Location
€20,845
incl. import taxes & duties

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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