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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 601.NM.0173.LR 267480

Hublot
Big Bang
601.NM.0173.LR

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£10,725
IWC Pilot's Mark XVIII IW327011 270055

IWC
Pilot's Mark XVIII
IW327011

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£3,715
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
£8,230
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
£6,595
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
£6,470
Rolex Datejust Lady 28 279381 RBR 283303
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 28
279381 RBR

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£14,950
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGH289 260630

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGH289

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£4,940
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGJ203 268180

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGJ203

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,360
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGH289 274651

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGH289

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£4,940
Grand Seiko Grand Seiko SLGA009 274820
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Grand Seiko
SLGA009

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£7,710
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
£4,285
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 42042/423A-8874 255726

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
42042/423A-8874

Box
Papers
Year 2001
£12,840
Breitling Avenger Hurricane XB1210 280205

Breitling
Avenger Hurricane
XB1210

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£3,425
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 49150/000W-9501 255415

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
49150/000W-9501

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£17,370
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGE015 275700

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGE015

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£3,355
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGR311 274992
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGR311

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£3,740
Carl F. Bucherer Manero 00.10917.08.53.98 263475

Carl F. Bucherer
Manero
00.10917.08.53.98

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£5,750
Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGE201 277485
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Spring Drive
SBGE201

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,490
Richard Mille RM028 AJ TI 276818
Limited Edition

Richard Mille
RM028
AJ TI

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£64,185
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SLGA007 246562
Limited Edition

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SLGA007

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£7,920
Hamilton Khaki Pilot H64615135 269327

Hamilton
Khaki Pilot
H64615135

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£630
H. Moser and Cie Endeavour 1200-1229 276626
Limited Edition

H. Moser and Cie
Endeavour
1200-1229

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£19,400
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 7900V/110A-B546 267991

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
7900V/110A-B546

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£27,755
Roger Dubuis Excalibur RDDBEX0749 253986

Roger Dubuis
Excalibur
RDDBEX0749

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£23,615
Hamilton Khaki Aviation H77906940 274190

Hamilton
Khaki Aviation
H77906940

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£1,355
Bremont Solo SOLO-37/SI-RG 271232

Bremont
Solo
SOLO-37/SI-RG

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£1,445
Bremont Supermarine S502 JET 275101

Bremont
Supermarine
S502 JET

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,650
Bremont Martin Baker MB-SAVANNA-R-S 279496

Bremont
Martin Baker
MB-SAVANNA-R-S

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,810
Bremont Supermarine SUPERMARINE CHRONO JET 276355

Bremont
Supermarine
SUPERMARINE CHRONO JET

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£3,465
Eterna Legacy 7682.41.40.1700 270042

Eterna
Legacy
7682.41.40.1700

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£1,405
Roger Dubuis Excalibur RDDBEX0744 240589
Limited Edition

Roger Dubuis
Excalibur
RDDBEX0744

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£34,200
Bremont ALT1 ALT1-C/BL 273793

Bremont
ALT1
ALT1-C/BL

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£2,745
Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix 4600E/110A-B487 275265

Vacheron Constantin
Fiftysix
4600E/110A-B487

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£10,605
Hamilton American Classic H38416541 274764

Hamilton
American Classic
H38416541

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£1,195
Bremont Supermarine S500/BL/2018 265705

Bremont
Supermarine
S500/BL/2018

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,530
Bremont Martin Baker MBII/AN 281795

Bremont
Martin Baker
MBII/AN

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£2,080
Hamilton Khaki Field H70595133 281524

Hamilton
Khaki Field
H70595133

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£440
Breitling SuperOcean Automatic A17366 280958

Breitling
SuperOcean Automatic
A17366

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,235
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGH289 265248

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGH289

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£4,715
Hamilton Khaki Field H71706830 275356

Hamilton
Khaki Field
H71706830

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£1,350
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 7900V/000R-B336 257613

Vacheron Constantin
Overseas
7900V/000R-B336

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£36,950
Graham Chronofighter 2CVBC.C01A.L126S 258389

Graham
Chronofighter
2CVBC.C01A.L126S

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,135

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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