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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. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  4. Omega Omega
  5. Tudor Tudor
  6. Cartier Cartier
  7. IWC IWC
  8. Panerai Panerai
  9. Hublot Hublot
  10. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  11. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  12. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  13. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
All Brands
  1. A. Lange and Sohne A. Lange and Sohne
  2. Arnold and Son Arnold and Son
  3. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  4. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  5. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  6. Blancpain Blancpain
  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. Fortis Fortis
  16. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  17. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  18. Graham Graham
  19. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  20. Gucci Gucci
  21. Hamilton Hamilton
  22. Hublot Hublot
  23. IWC IWC
  24. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  25. Longines Longines
  26. Louis Erard Louis Erard
  27. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  28. Montblanc Montblanc
  29. Omega Omega
  30. Oris Oris
  31. Panerai Panerai
  32. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  33. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  34. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  35. Rado Rado
  36. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  37. Rolex Rolex
  38. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  39. Tudor Tudor
  40. U-Boat U-Boat
  41. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  42. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  43. 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
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  1. Bronze Bronze
  2. Carbon Carbon
  3. Ceramic Ceramic
  4. Other Other
  5. Platinum Platinum
  6. Rose Gold Rose Gold
  7. Silver Silver
  8. Steel Steel
  9. Steel & Rose Gold Steel & Rose Gold
  10. Steel & Rose Gold Plated Steel & Rose Gold Plated
  11. Steel & White Gold Steel & White Gold
  12. Steel & Yellow Gold Steel & Yellow Gold
  13. Titanium Titanium
  14. White Gold White Gold
  15. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
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  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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Reset Results (1924)
Results (1,924)
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Rolex Datejust Lady 31 278274 442198
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
278274

Box
Papers
Year 2026
£10,950
Rolex Datejust 126200 437394
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust
126200

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£7,900
Rolex Yacht-Master 126622 433039
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Yacht-Master
126622

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£10,200
Rolex Datejust Lady 179173 423568

Rolex
Datejust Lady
179173

Box
Papers
Year 2005
£6,300
Omega Planet Ocean 215.32.46.21.03.001 370517
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.32.46.21.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£7,600
Breitling Bentley B04 GMT EB0433 342727

Breitling
Bentley B04 GMT
EB0433

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£4,300
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGH303 439669

Grand Seiko
Heritage Collection
SBGH303

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£8,950
Longines Spirit L3.802.4.93.6 437660
Manufacturer's Warranty

Longines
Spirit
L3.802.4.93.6

Box
Papers
Year 2026
£2,250
Omega Aqua Terra 150m Gents 220.22.41.21.03.001 424419
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Aqua Terra 150m Gents
220.22.41.21.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2026
£7,525
Omega Seamaster Chrono Diver 2298.80.00 427446
Vintage

Omega
Seamaster Chrono Diver
2298.80.00

Box
Papers
Year 2000
£2,950
Longines Master Collection L2.629.4.51.6 344987
Manufacturer's Warranty

Longines
Master Collection
L2.629.4.51.6

Box
Papers
Year 2008
£2,150
Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227R-001 376898
Manufacturer's Warranty

Patek Philippe
Calatrava
5227R-001

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£24,950
Rolex Yacht-Master 126622 442469

Rolex
Yacht-Master
126622

Box
Papers
Year 2025
£11,500
Rolex Submariner 124060 443275
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Submariner
124060

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£9,600
Rolex Yacht-Master 268621 443138

Rolex
Yacht-Master
268621

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£10,750
Omega Planet Ocean 215.30.44.21.03.001 438925

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.30.44.21.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£3,550
Tudor Black Bay GMT M79830RB-0001 442786

Tudor
Black Bay GMT
M79830RB-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£2,800
Rolex Deepsea 116660 442001

Rolex
Deepsea
116660

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£8,100
IWC Pilot's Mark XX IW328204 420499

IWC
Pilot's Mark XX
IW328204

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£4,450
Zenith El Primero 03.2170.4650/21.M2170 266616

Zenith
El Primero
03.2170.4650/21.M2170

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,850
Breitling Navitimer A41322 442860

Breitling
Navitimer
A41322

Box
Papers
Year 2002
£3,800
Tag Heuer Carrera WAR201C.BA0723 439054

Tag Heuer
Carrera
WAR201C.BA0723

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£1,550
Rolex Daytona 116500 LN 417963
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Daytona
116500 LN

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£20,500
Cartier Pasha WSPA0013 260475
Manufacturer's Warranty

Cartier
Pasha
WSPA0013

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,750
Rolex Submariner 124060 441960

Rolex
Submariner
124060

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£9,450
Cartier Roadster W62025V3 418335

Cartier
Roadster
W62025V3

Box
Papers
Year 2005
£4,100
Hublot Big Bang 301.SM.1770.RX 396901
Manufacturer's Warranty

Hublot
Big Bang
301.SM.1770.RX

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£6,500
Rolex Datejust 126284 RBR 411441
-6%
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust
126284 RBR

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£14,950 £15,950
Omega Seamaster 300m 212.30.41.20.01.003 441829

Omega
Seamaster 300m
212.30.41.20.01.003

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£3,150
Raymond Weil Freelancer 2775-SR1-20051 432158
Manufacturer's Warranty

Raymond Weil
Freelancer
2775-SR1-20051

Box
Papers
Year 2026
£1,945
Rolex Datejust Lady 31 178273 434184

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
178273

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£10,500
Rolex Datejust Lady 31 178243 402480
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
178243

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£9,350
Rolex Explorer 14270 434862
New Price
Vintage

Rolex
Explorer
14270

Box
Papers
Year 1999
£5,500
Rolex Air-King 126900 442846
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Air-King
126900

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£6,850
Rolex Submariner 126610 LV 439903

Rolex
Submariner
126610 LV

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£11,950
Tudor Black Bay 58 M79030N-0001 441283

Tudor
Black Bay 58
M79030N-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£3,000
Tudor Pelagos M25600TB-0001 441247

Tudor
Pelagos
M25600TB-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,200
Rolex Deepsea 116660 440867

Rolex
Deepsea
116660

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£8,085
Tag Heuer Carrera CV2A1R.BA0799 432846

Tag Heuer
Carrera
CV2A1R.BA0799

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£2,515
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 116000 416407

Rolex
Oyster Perpetual
116000

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£6,150
Tudor Black Bay 58 M79012M-0001 436791
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 58
M79012M-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£3,100
Tudor Pelagos M25600TN-0001 442179

Tudor
Pelagos
M25600TN-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,200

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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