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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. Breitling Breitling
  5. Panerai Panerai
  6. IWC IWC
  7. Cartier Cartier
  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. Corum Corum
  16. Eterna Eterna
  17. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  18. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  19. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  20. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  21. Graham Graham
  22. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  23. Hamilton Hamilton
  24. Hermes Hermes
  25. Hublot Hublot
  26. IWC IWC
  27. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  28. Jaquet Droz Jaquet Droz
  29. Longines Longines
  30. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  31. Montblanc Montblanc
  32. Nomos Glashutte Nomos Glashutte
  33. Norqain Norqain
  34. Omega Omega
  35. Oris Oris
  36. Panerai Panerai
  37. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  38. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  39. Perrelet Perrelet
  40. Piaget Piaget
  41. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  42. Rado Rado
  43. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  44. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  45. Rolex Rolex
  46. Romain Jerome Romain Jerome
  47. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  48. Tudor Tudor
  49. U-Boat U-Boat
  50. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  51. Union Glashutte Union Glashutte
  52. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  53. 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. 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 & 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
Dial Colour
Black
Blue
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Brown
Champagne
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Mother of Pearl
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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 (1658)
Results (1,658)
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Rolex Oyster Perpetual 114200 446760

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
114200

Box
Papers
Year 2016
€6,845
Rolex Explorer 214270 444157

Rolex
Explorer
214270

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€7,080
Bvlgari Diagono AC38TAVD/SLN 449527

Bvlgari
Diagono
AC38TAVD/SLN

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€2,185
Breitling Transocean A10360 425817

Breitling
Transocean
A10360

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€2,590
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGA211 451555
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGA211

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€5,190
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 128257 449024

Montblanc
1858 Geosphere
128257

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€3,480
Montblanc Iced Sea 129371 447446

Montblanc
Iced Sea
129371

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€2,715
Panerai Luminor Marina PAM00104 447900

Panerai
Luminor Marina
PAM00104

Box
Papers
Year 2008
€4,190
Rolex Datejust 16030 447942
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16030

Box
Papers
Year 1988
€7,375
Rolex Datejust 16234 446748

Rolex
Datejust
16234

Box
Papers
Year 2004
€7,255
Tudor Pelagos M25407N-0006 449970
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Pelagos
M25407N-0006

Box
Papers
Year 2024
€7,060
Breitling Navitimer AB0120 452037
New Price

Breitling
Navitimer
AB0120

Box
Papers
Year 2012
€4,895
Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars 15180BC.OO.A002CR.01 452032
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Audemars Piguet
Jules Audemars
15180BC.OO.A002CR.01

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€12,920
Rolex GMT Master II 126711 CHNR 452030
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
GMT Master II
126711 CHNR

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€17,700
Omega Speedmaster Reduced 3510.12.00 452029
New Price
Vintage

Omega
Speedmaster Reduced
3510.12.00

Box
Papers
Year 2000
€3,480
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 124200 452028
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
124200

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€7,495
Tudor Black Bay Chrono M79360b-0002 452026
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay Chrono
M79360b-0002

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€5,310
Rolex Deepsea 126660 - D-Blue 452025
New Price

Rolex
Deepsea
126660 - D-Blue

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€12,120
Omega Planet Ocean 215.62.40.20.13.001 452024
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.62.40.20.13.001

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€12,390
Breitling Navitimer K41322 452023
New Price

Breitling
Navitimer
K41322

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€12,980
Rolex Datejust 16234 420240
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16234

Box
Papers
Year 1990
€7,020
Rolex Datejust 1603 446747
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
1603

Box
Papers
Year 1974
€5,840
Rolex GMT Master 1675 447200
Vintage

Rolex
GMT Master
1675

Box
Papers
Year 1971
€12,155
Rolex Datejust 16013 447939
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust
16013

Box
Papers
Year 1988
€6,845
IWC Aquatimer IW376705 451438
New Price

IWC
Aquatimer
IW376705

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€3,870
Rolex Air-King 14010 448774
Vintage

Rolex
Air-King
14010

Box
Papers
Year 1997
€4,720
Bell and Ross BR03-92 BR0392-PHANTOM-CE 448414

Bell and Ross
BR03-92
BR0392-PHANTOM-CE

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€2,065
Rolex Deepsea 136660 440034
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Deepsea
136660

Box
Papers
Year 2023
€13,580
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 126003 449600
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
126003

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€11,900
Rolex Submariner 14060M 451789
New Price

Rolex
Submariner
14060M

Box
Papers
Year 2005
€10,030
Rolex Datejust 41 126300 451775
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust 41
126300

Box
Papers
Year 2022
€9,735
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 116034 451774
New Price

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
116034

Box
Papers
Year 2002
€6,610
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 116000 451773
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
116000

Box
Papers
Year 2018
€7,495
Rolex Daytona 116503 451772
New Price

Rolex
Daytona
116503

Box
Papers
Year 2019
€23,600
Omega Speedmaster Reduced 3510.50.00 451771
New Price
Vintage

Omega
Speedmaster Reduced
3510.50.00

Box
Papers
Year 2001
€3,245
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris 906863J 451770
New Price

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Polaris
906863J

Box
Papers
Year 2025
€9,795
Tag Heuer Aquaracer WAY201F.BA0927 451768
New Price

Tag Heuer
Aquaracer
WAY201F.BA0927

Box
Papers
Year 2020
€2,535
Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 26393ST.OO.A056KB.01 451767
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Audemars Piguet
CODE 11.59
26393ST.OO.A056KB.01

Box
Papers
Year 2026
€26,120
Rolex Deepsea 126660 451766
New Price
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Deepsea
126660

Box
Papers
Year 2021
€10,850

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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