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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. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  4. Cartier Cartier
  5. Panerai Panerai
  6. Breitling Breitling
  7. IWC IWC
  8. Tudor Tudor
  9. Hublot Hublot
  10. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  11. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  12. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  13. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
All Brands
  1. A. Lange and Sohne A. Lange and Sohne
  2. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  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. Corum Corum
  15. Eterna Eterna
  16. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  17. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  18. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  19. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  20. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  21. Hamilton Hamilton
  22. Hermes Hermes
  23. Hublot Hublot
  24. IWC IWC
  25. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  26. Jaquet Droz Jaquet Droz
  27. Longines Longines
  28. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  29. Montblanc Montblanc
  30. Nomos Glashutte Nomos Glashutte
  31. Omega Omega
  32. Oris Oris
  33. Panerai Panerai
  34. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  35. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  36. Piaget Piaget
  37. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  38. Rado Rado
  39. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  40. Rolex Rolex
  41. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  42. Tudor Tudor
  43. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  44. Union Glashutte Union Glashutte
  45. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  46. 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. Watchfinder Watchfinder
Case Material
  1. Aluminium Aluminium
  2. Bronze Bronze
  3. Carbon Carbon
  4. Ceramic Ceramic
  5. Platinum Platinum
  6. Rose Gold Rose Gold
  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. Steel & Yellow Gold Plated Steel & Yellow Gold Plated
  12. Titanium Titanium
  13. White Gold White Gold
  14. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
  15. Yellow Gold Plated Yellow Gold Plated
Dial Colour
Black
Blue
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Champagne
Diamond
Green
Grey
Ivory
Mother of Pearl
Pink
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Specialised
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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
Promotion
Limited Edition
  1. Limited Edition Limited Edition
Reset Results (1025)
Results (1,025)
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Rolex GMT Master II 116713 LN 442999

Rolex
GMT Master II
116713 LN

Box
Papers
Year 2007
€11,890
Rolex Daytona 116519 425097

Rolex
Daytona
116519

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€28,940
Rolex Datejust 41 126331 445841
New Price

Rolex
Datejust 41
126331

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€16,935
Omega Planet Ocean 2201.51.00 445837
New Price

Omega
Planet Ocean
2201.51.00

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€3,345
Rolex Yacht-Master 226658 445836
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Yacht-Master
226658

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€28,420
Rolex Datejust 41 126300 445835
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust 41
126300

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€10,150
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.32.42.20.01.001 445833
New Price

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m
210.32.42.20.01.001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€4,620
Rolex Air-King 126900 445832
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Air-King
126900

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€8,235
Parmigiani Tonda PFC288-0000201-XA1442 442379

Parmigiani
Tonda
PFC288-0000201-XA1442

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€8,700
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m - James Bond Edition 210.92.42.20.01.001 435686

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m - James Bond Edition
210.92.42.20.01.001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€6,960
Rolex GMT Master II 116710 BLNR 424030
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
GMT Master II
116710 BLNR

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€12,585
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.32.42.20.01.001 445722
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m
210.32.42.20.01.001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€4,755
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero 03.A384.400/21.M384 439391

Zenith
Chronomaster El Primero
03.A384.400/21.M384

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€6,320
Chopard Mille Miglia 161272-5001 445606
New Price

Chopard
Mille Miglia
161272-5001

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€12,640
Bvlgari Octo 102945 445605
New Price

Bvlgari
Octo
102945

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€13,340
Bell and Ross BR-X1 BRX1-RS18 445604
New Price

Bell and Ross
BR-X1
BRX1-RS18

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€13,860
Rolex Explorer II 226570 445603
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Explorer II
226570

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€9,860
Rolex Deepsea 136660 445600
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Deepsea
136660

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€11,540
Panerai Luminor GMT PAM01279 445599
New Price

Panerai
Luminor GMT
PAM01279

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€8,230
Hublot Big Bang 414.NI.1123.RX 445595
New Price

Hublot
Big Bang
414.NI.1123.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€12,180
Girard Perregaux 1966 90535-52-131-BK6A 445594
New Price

Girard Perregaux
1966
90535-52-131-BK6A

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€17,340
Glashutte Original Seventies Panorama Date 1-37-02-05-02-35 445593
New Price

Glashutte Original
Seventies Panorama Date
1-37-02-05-02-35

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€13,165
Girard Perregaux Laureato 81060-41-3222-1CX 445592
New Price

Girard Perregaux
Laureato
81060-41-3222-1CX

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€15,890
Tudor Pelagos FXD M25807KN-0001 445591
New Price

Tudor
Pelagos FXD
M25807KN-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€3,840
Omega Speedmaster DayDate 3523.30.00 445590
New Price
Vintage

Omega
Speedmaster DayDate
3523.30.00

Box
Papers
Year 2000
€2,380
Cartier Pasha W31037H3 445589
New Price

Cartier
Pasha
W31037H3

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€3,305
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m - James Bond Edition 210.90.42.20.01.001 445588
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m - James Bond Edition
210.90.42.20.01.001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€7,715
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2014.BA0796 445587
New Price

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2014.BA0796

Box
Papers
Year 2014
€2,550
Rolex Explorer 114270 445586
New Price

Rolex
Explorer
114270

Box
Papers
Year 2003
€7,075
Rolex Explorer 124270 445585
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Explorer
124270

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€7,310
Hublot Big Bang 457.EX.7170.EX 445584
New Price

Hublot
Big Bang
457.EX.7170.EX

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€12,700
Rolex Datejust 16233 444439
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16233

Box
Papers
Year 1996
€6,000
Rolex Datejust 116234 444101
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust
116234

Box
Papers
Year 2011
€8,060
Tag Heuer Carrera CAR2B11.BA0799 442433
New Price

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CAR2B11.BA0799

Box
Papers
Year 2015
€3,305
Rolex Datejust 16220 442474
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16220

Box
Papers
Year 1991
€5,380
Cartier Santos 100 W2020009 442445
New Price

Cartier
Santos 100
W2020009

Box
Papers
Year 2009
€6,330
Cartier Tank MC W5330003 438914

Cartier
Tank MC
W5330003

Box
Papers
Year 2014
€4,870
Rolex Yacht-Master 16623 429936
New Price

Rolex
Yacht-Master
16623

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€10,755
Tag Heuer Monaco CAW218B.FC6496 422965
New Price

Tag Heuer
Monaco
CAW218B.FC6496

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€7,250
Tag Heuer Monaco CAW218B.FC6496 381909
New Price

Tag Heuer
Monaco
CAW218B.FC6496

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€7,250
Omega Speedmaster 38 324.30.38.50.02.001 445210
New Price

Omega
Speedmaster 38
324.30.38.50.02.001

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€4,930
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGA491 445209
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGA491

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€5,510

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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