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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. Breitling Breitling
  6. Panerai Panerai
  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. Ball Ball
  4. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  5. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  6. Blancpain Blancpain
  7. Breguet Breguet
  8. Breitling Breitling
  9. Bremont Bremont
  10. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  11. Carl F. Bucherer Carl F. Bucherer
  12. Cartier Cartier
  13. Chanel Chanel
  14. Chopard Chopard
  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. Perrelet Perrelet
  37. Piaget Piaget
  38. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  39. Rado Rado
  40. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  41. Rolex Rolex
  42. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  43. Tudor Tudor
  44. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  45. Union Glashutte Union Glashutte
  46. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  47. 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
Bronze
Brown
Champagne
Diamond
Green
Grey
Ivory
Mother of Pearl
Orange
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Purple
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Specialised
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Yellow
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 (1033)
Results (1,033)
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Cartier Pasha W31074M7 451658
New Price

Cartier
Pasha
W31074M7

Box
Papers
Year 2005
€2,830
Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600 447857

Rolex
Sea-Dweller
126600

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€11,920
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 451534
New Price

Rolex
Yacht-Master II
116680

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€15,635
Omega Constellation Ladies 131.25.29.20.63.001 451533
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Constellation Ladies
131.25.29.20.63.001

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€10,150
Rolex Submariner 14060M 451532
New Price

Rolex
Submariner
14060M

Box
Papers
Year 2011
€10,030
Rolex Explorer II 226570 451530
New Price

Rolex
Explorer II
226570

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€10,090
Breguet Classique 3150BA/11/286 451529
New Price
Vintage

Breguet
Classique
3150BA/11/286

Box
Papers
Year 1996
€7,965
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.32.42.20.10.001 451528
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m
210.32.42.20.10.001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€4,660
Rolex GMT Master II 16710 451527
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
GMT Master II
16710

Box
Papers
Year 2001
€12,565
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 115234 451526
New Price

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual Date
115234

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€7,965
IWC Portugieser Yacht Club IW390503 451525
New Price

IWC
Portugieser Yacht Club
IW390503

Box
Papers
Year 2017
€7,020
IWC Pilot's Chrono IW377704 451516
New Price

IWC
Pilot's Chrono
IW377704

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€3,365
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126000 451515
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
126000

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€12,705
Rolex Datejust Lady 28 279160 451514
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 28
279160

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€7,965
Omega Speedmaster Racing 3552.59.00 451513
New Price

Omega
Speedmaster Racing
3552.59.00

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€4,110
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15510ST.OO.1320ST.02 451512
New Price

Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak
15510ST.OO.1320ST.02

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€44,375
Omega Aqua Terra 150m Ladies 220.10.34.20.55.001 451451
New Price

Omega
Aqua Terra 150m Ladies
220.10.34.20.55.001

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€5,310
Rolex Submariner 126613 LN 451449
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Submariner
126613 LN

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€16,935
Rolex Datejust 41 126334 451448
New Price

Rolex
Datejust 41
126334

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€14,750
Rolex Datejust 16233 451447
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16233

Box
Papers
Year 1991
€6,370
Rolex Submariner 16610 451446
New Price

Rolex
Submariner
16610

Box
Papers
Year 2005
€9,910
Omega Planet Ocean 2907.50.91 451443
New Price
Vintage

Omega
Planet Ocean
2907.50.91

Box
Papers
Year 2001
€5,015
Rolex Datejust 126200 451441
New Price

Rolex
Datejust
126200

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€8,555
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126000 451439
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
126000

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€9,320
IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar IW503502 451437
New Price

IWC
Portugieser Annual Calendar
IW503502

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€11,210
Omega Planet Ocean 2201.50.00 451436
New Price

Omega
Planet Ocean
2201.50.00

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€4,485
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 116000 451434
New Price

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
116000

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€7,020
Chanel J12 H5702 451300
New Price

Chanel
J12
H5702

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€5,310
Rolex Deepsea 136660 450190
New Price

Rolex
Deepsea
136660

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€13,985
Rolex Deepsea 136660 449947
New Price

Rolex
Deepsea
136660

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€13,580
Tudor Black Bay Chrono M79360N-0005 448729
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay Chrono
M79360N-0005

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€3,895
Omega Planet Ocean 215.30.44.21.01.002 432985
New Price

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.30.44.21.01.002

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€4,470
Rolex Datejust 126234 449707
New Price

Rolex
Datejust
126234

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€11,210
Rolex Day-Date 118209 388250

Rolex
Day-Date
118209

Box
Papers
Year 2007
€24,710
Rolex Day-Date 18238 380901
Vintage

Rolex
Day-Date
18238

Box
Papers
Year 1996
€15,340
Rolex Submariner 16800 449712
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Submariner
16800

Box
Papers
Year 1987
€8,270
Rolex Submariner 16800 405111
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Submariner
16800

Box
Papers
Year 1988
€9,580
Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM00253 450973
New Price

Panerai
Luminor 1950
PAM00253

Box
Papers
Year 2006
€8,575
A. Lange and Sohne Grand Langematik 308.025 450972
New Price
Vintage

A. Lange and Sohne
Grand Langematik
308.025

Box
Papers
Year 1998
€29,245
Tudor Black Bay M7941A1A0RU-0003 450970
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M7941A1A0RU-0003

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€3,540
Omega Aqua Terra 150m Mid-Size 2504.75.00 450965
New Price

Omega
Aqua Terra 150m Mid-Size
2504.75.00

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€4,005
Rolex Yacht-Master 16622 450966
New Price

Rolex
Yacht-Master
16622

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€8,320

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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