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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. Omega Omega
  3. Panerai Panerai
  4. Breitling Breitling
  5. IWC IWC
  6. Cartier Cartier
  7. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  8. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  9. Tudor Tudor
  10. Hublot Hublot
  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. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  5. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  6. Blancpain Blancpain
  7. Breguet Breguet
  8. Breitling Breitling
  9. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  10. Cartier Cartier
  11. Chopard Chopard
  12. Corum Corum
  13. Eterna Eterna
  14. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  15. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  16. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  17. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  18. Hamilton Hamilton
  19. Hermes Hermes
  20. Hublot Hublot
  21. IWC IWC
  22. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  23. Longines Longines
  24. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  25. Montblanc Montblanc
  26. Omega Omega
  27. Oris Oris
  28. Panerai Panerai
  29. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  30. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  31. Piaget Piaget
  32. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  33. Rado Rado
  34. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  35. Rolex Rolex
  36. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  37. Tudor Tudor
  38. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  39. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  40. 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 & White Gold Steel & White Gold
  10. Steel & Yellow Gold Steel & Yellow Gold
  11. Titanium Titanium
  12. White Gold White Gold
  13. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
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  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 (331)
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Tag Heuer Aquaracer WBP2110.BA0627 280134

Tag Heuer
Aquaracer
WBP2110.BA0627

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€1,960
Zenith Chronomaster 03.3201.3600 281264
Limited Edition

Zenith
Chronomaster
03.3201.3600

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€9,485
Hublot Classic Fusion 501.CM.1110.RX 275864
Limited Edition

Hublot
Classic Fusion
501.CM.1110.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€4,010
Zenith Elite 03.2272.4069/51.C700 266048

Zenith
Elite
03.2272.4069/51.C700

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€4,505
Zenith Rainbow 02.0360.400 268469

Zenith
Rainbow
02.0360.400

Box
Papers
Year 2001
€2,770
Hublot Classic Fusion 521.NX.1171.RX 277492

Hublot
Classic Fusion
521.NX.1171.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€6,805
Hublot Big Bang 601.NX.0173.LR 267402

Hublot
Big Bang
601.NX.0173.LR

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€13,740
Montblanc Orbis Terrarum 112308 280802

Montblanc
Orbis Terrarum
112308

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€2,935
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
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
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 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
Zenith Elite 03.2320.692/81.C714 266566

Zenith
Elite
03.2320.692/81.C714

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€3,005
Oris TT1 Divers 743 7609 84 54 MB 273887

Oris
TT1 Divers
743 7609 84 54 MB

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€780
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 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 CV2A1AB.FC6379 283391

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CV2A1AB.FC6379

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€2,375
Tag Heuer Carrera WAR201A.BA0723 282569

Tag Heuer
Carrera
WAR201A.BA0723

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€1,930
Omega Seamaster 300 234.92.41.21.10.001 280141
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster 300
234.92.41.21.10.001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€8,480
Tag Heuer Carrera CV2010.BA0794 282575

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CV2010.BA0794

Box
Papers
Year 2010
€1,830
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 522.30.42.20.03.001 280832
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m
522.30.42.20.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€3,850
Tag Heuer Monaco CAL5111.FC6299 265389

Tag Heuer
Monaco
CAL5111.FC6299

Box
Papers
Year 2015
€6,700
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional 310.63.42.50.10.001 264570
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional
310.63.42.50.10.001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€25,300
Omega Olympic Seamaster 522.30.42.20.04.001 280683
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Olympic Seamaster
522.30.42.20.04.001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€5,650
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.30.42.20.03.002 276677
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m
210.30.42.20.03.002

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€10,865
Omega Seamaster 300 233.20.41.21.01.002 281870
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster 300
233.20.41.21.01.002

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€9,840

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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