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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. Panerai Panerai
  5. Breitling Breitling
  6. Cartier Cartier
  7. IWC IWC
  8. Tudor Tudor
  9. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  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. 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
Bronze
Brown
Champagne
Diamond
Green
Grey
Ivory
Mother of Pearl
Orange
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Salmon
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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 (961)
Results (961)
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IWC Pilot's Chrono IW370607 434363
New Price
Vintage

IWC
Pilot's Chrono
IW370607

Box
Papers
Year 2001
€3,685
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126000 434362
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
126000

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€8,950
Rolex Datejust 16013 434361
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16013

Box
Papers
Year 1966
€6,960
Rolex Datejust Lady 179171 434360
New Price

Rolex
Datejust Lady
179171

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€10,820
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 124200 434359
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
124200

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€6,875
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 114300 434358
New Price

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
114300

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€8,015
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126000 434357
New Price

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
126000

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€9,650
Rolex GMT Master II 116710 BLNR 434355
New Price

Rolex
GMT Master II
116710 BLNR

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€13,690
Rolex Submariner 124060 434356
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Submariner
124060

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€12,050
Rolex Datejust 126234 434354
New Price

Rolex
Datejust
126234

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€11,460
Rolex Datejust 41 126300 434154
New Price

Rolex
Datejust 41
126300

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€10,120
Cartier Ballon Bleu W69012Z4 434153
New Price

Cartier
Ballon Bleu
W69012Z4

Box
Papers
Year 2010
€4,970
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Chronograph 1538420 434151
New Price

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Master Chronograph
1538420

Box
Papers
Year 2015
€5,555
Rolex Submariner 14060M 434149
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Submariner
14060M

Box
Papers
Year 2001
€8,775
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 134300 434148
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual 41
134300

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€9,300
IWC Big Pilot's IW501005 434147
New Price

IWC
Big Pilot's
IW501005

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€6,415
Rolex Datejust Lady 6917 434146
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady
6917

Box
Papers
Year 1974
€4,505
Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600 434143
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Sea-Dweller
126600

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€12,120
Rolex Submariner 1680 434142
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Submariner
1680

Box
Papers
Year 1978
€10,295
Tudor Black Bay 58 M79030N-0001 434141
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 58
M79030N-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€3,880
Rolex Datejust 126234 434140
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust
126234

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€11,990
Panerai Luminor Regatta PAM00526 434138
New Price

Panerai
Luminor Regatta
PAM00526

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€9,945
Rolex Datejust 126200 434137
New Price

Rolex
Datejust
126200

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€8,075
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 AB0137 434136
New Price

Breitling
Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46
AB0137

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€7,665
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126000 433653
New Price

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
126000

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€17,255
Omega Aqua Terra 150m Ladies 231.20.34.20.01.003 433651
New Price

Omega
Aqua Terra 150m Ladies
231.20.34.20.01.003

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€4,620
Tudor Heritage Black Bay M79733N-0001 433650
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Heritage Black Bay
M79733N-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€3,450
Tudor Black Bay 36 M79640-0001 433649
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 36
M79640-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€3,215
Rolex Submariner 14060M 433647
New Price

Rolex
Submariner
14060M

Box
Papers
Year 2006
€9,885
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving 178T677 433646
New Price

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Master Compressor Diving
178T677

Box
Papers
Year 2015
€9,300
Omega Planet Ocean 215.30.44.21.01.001 433645
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.30.44.21.01.001

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€5,230
Omega Planet Ocean 215.30.40.20.01.001 433639
New Price

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.30.40.20.01.001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€4,770
Tag Heuer Aquaracer WBP201D.FT6197 433638
New Price

Tag Heuer
Aquaracer
WBP201D.FT6197

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€2,545
Tag Heuer Monaco CAW211W.FC6467 433637
New Price

Tag Heuer
Monaco
CAW211W.FC6467

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€9,300
Tudor Glamour Date M57103-0006 433636
New Price

Tudor
Glamour Date
M57103-0006

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€4,155
Tudor Heritage Chronograph M70330N-0005 433634
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Heritage Chronograph
M70330N-0005

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€3,215
Rolex Explorer II 16570 433633
New Price

Rolex
Explorer II
16570

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€7,195
Omega Speedmaster Automatic Chronometer 324.28.38.40.06.001 433632
New Price

Omega
Speedmaster Automatic Chronometer
324.28.38.40.06.001

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€6,140
Tudor Black Bay GMT M79830RB-0001 433631
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay GMT
M79830RB-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€3,625
Tag Heuer Carrera CBN201B.FC6541 433624
New Price

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CBN201B.FC6541

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€6,140
Rolex Sky-Dweller 326934 433623
New Price

Rolex
Sky-Dweller
326934

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€16,965
Rolex Submariner 14060 433622
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Submariner
14060

Box
Papers
Year 2000
€10,470

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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