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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. Panerai Panerai
  5. IWC IWC
  6. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  7. Tudor Tudor
  8. Cartier Cartier
  9. Hublot Hublot
  10. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  11. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  12. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  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. Blancpain Blancpain
  6. Breguet Breguet
  7. Breitling Breitling
  8. Bremont Bremont
  9. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  10. Carl F. Bucherer Carl F. Bucherer
  11. Cartier Cartier
  12. Chanel Chanel
  13. Chopard Chopard
  14. Christian Dior Christian Dior
  15. Corum Corum
  16. Eterna Eterna
  17. F.P. Journe F.P. Journe
  18. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  19. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  20. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  21. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  22. Graham Graham
  23. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  24. H. Moser and Cie H. Moser and Cie
  25. Hamilton Hamilton
  26. Hermes Hermes
  27. Hublot Hublot
  28. IWC IWC
  29. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  30. JeanRichard JeanRichard
  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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Stock Type
  1. Stock Stock
Case Material
  1. Aluminium Aluminium
  2. Bronze Bronze
  3. Carbon Carbon
  4. Ceramic Ceramic
  5. Platinum Platinum
  6. Rose Gold Rose Gold
  7. Rose Gold Plated Rose Gold Plated
  8. Silver Silver
  9. Steel Steel
  10. Steel & Rose Gold Steel & Rose Gold
  11. Steel & Rose Gold Plated Steel & Rose Gold Plated
  12. Steel & White Gold Steel & White Gold
  13. Steel & Yellow Gold Steel & Yellow Gold
  14. Steel & Yellow Gold Plated Steel & Yellow Gold Plated
  15. Titanium Titanium
  16. White Gold White Gold
  17. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
  18. Yellow Gold Plated Yellow Gold Plated
Dial Colour
Black
Blue
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Green
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Strap
  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 (2032)
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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
$106,395
incl. import taxes & duties
Hublot Big Bang 601.NM.0173.LR 267480

Hublot
Big Bang
601.NM.0173.LR

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$21,685
IWC Pilot's Mark XVIII IW327011 270055

IWC
Pilot's Mark XVIII
IW327011

Box
Papers
Year 2019
$7,585
Breitling Avenger Hurricane XB0180 279081

Breitling
Avenger Hurricane
XB0180

Box
Papers
Year 2016
Product Location
$6,985
incl. import taxes & duties
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon 311.92.44.51.01.005 283570
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon
311.92.44.51.01.005

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$16,075
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon 311.92.44.51.01.003 277082

Omega
Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon
311.92.44.51.01.003

Box
Papers
Year 2018
$13,460
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon 311.92.44.51.01.004 278990

Omega
Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon
311.92.44.51.01.004

Box
Papers
Year 2017
$14,030
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon 311.92.44.51.01.006 259895

Omega
Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon
311.92.44.51.01.006

Box
Papers
Year 2017
$16,540
Rolex Datejust Lady 28 279381 RBR 283303
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 28
279381 RBR

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$30,515
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGH289 260630

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGH289

Box
Papers
Year 2023
$10,085
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ203 268180

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ203

Box
Papers
Year 2021
$7,655
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGH289 274651

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGH289

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$10,085
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SLGH009 245472
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SLGH009

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$13,080
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ235 205564
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ235

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
$6,115
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGH289 255926

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGH289

Box
Papers
Year 2023
$7,435
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGA301 266515

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGA301

Box
Papers
Year 2019
Product Location
$5,330
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Elegance Collection SBGJ251 224063

Grand Seiko
Elegance Collection
SBGJ251

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
$595
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGE263 217356
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGE263

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
$9,270
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGA229 274281

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGA229

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
$5,420
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Grand Seiko SLGA009 274820
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Grand Seiko
SLGA009

Box
Papers
Year 2023
$15,740
Carl F. Bucherer Heritage 00.10803.08.92.93 279698
Limited Edition

Carl F. Bucherer
Heritage
00.10803.08.92.93

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$8,745
Grand Seiko Hi Beat SBGH039 210749
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Hi Beat
SBGH039

Box
Papers
Year 2016
Product Location
$1,170
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ211 267669

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ211

Box
Papers
Year 2019
Product Location
$6,845
incl. import taxes & duties
Richard Mille RM032 AK TI 276937
Limited Edition

Richard Mille
RM032
AK TI

Box
Papers
Year 2011
Product Location
$103,330
incl. import taxes & duties
Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix 4600E/110A-B487 272439

Vacheron Constantin
Fiftysix
4600E/110A-B487

Box
Papers
Year 2021
$25,590
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 42040-423A-8459 237650
Vintage

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
42040-423A-8459

Box
Papers
Year 1998
$39,325
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGE253 274536

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGE253

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
$5,870
incl. import taxes & duties
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGE263 189939
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGE263

Box
Papers
Year 2021
Product Location
$6,395
incl. import taxes & duties
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 42042/423A-8874 255726

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
42042/423A-8874

Box
Papers
Year 2001
$30,615
Breitling Navitimer 8 A13314 269967

Breitling
Navitimer 8
A13314

Box
Papers
Year 2019
$7,015
Breitling Avenger Hurricane XB1210 280205

Breitling
Avenger Hurricane
XB1210

Box
Papers
Year 2017
$6,985
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 49150/000W-9501 255415

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
49150/000W-9501

Box
Papers
Year 2018
$35,455
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGE015 275700

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGE015

Box
Papers
Year 2016
$6,620
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGR311 274992
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGR311

Box
Papers
Year 2019
$7,630
Carl F. Bucherer Manero 00.10917.08.53.98 263475

Carl F. Bucherer
Manero
00.10917.08.53.98

Box
Papers
Year 2023
$11,735
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGE201 277485
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGE201

Box
Papers
Year 2023
$7,125
Roger Dubuis Excalibur RDDBEX0086 188469
Limited Edition

Roger Dubuis
Excalibur
RDDBEX0086

Box
Papers
Year 2012
$39,070
Richard Mille RM028 AJ TI 276818
Limited Edition

Richard Mille
RM028
AJ TI

Box
Papers
Year 2013
$126,285
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SLGA007 246562
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SLGA007

Box
Papers
Year 2021
$16,165
Hamilton Khaki Pilot H64615135 269327

Hamilton
Khaki Pilot
H64615135

Box
Papers
Year 2023
$1,285
H. Moser and Cie Endeavour 1200-1229 276626
Limited Edition

H. Moser and Cie
Endeavour
1200-1229

Box
Papers
Year 2021
$39,595
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 7900V/110A-B546 267991

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
7900V/110A-B546

Box
Papers
Year 2022
$56,650

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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