Review of The Everwell Two-Watch Winder By: John B. Holbrook, II January 31, 2003
Watch Winders - the necessary evil of owning multiple automatic wristwatches. Not owning a watch winder means that you'll likely have to wind and set one of your automatic wristwatches when you want to use it. Some also feel that letting an automatic wristwatch run down for extended periods can also be detrimental to the movement (the lubrication doesn't evenly distribute and can "pool" when not in use). So, for many watch enthusiasts a watch winder is a very necessary item.

The problem is that watch winders aren't cheap. Plan on a minimum of $100.00 for an austere, single watch model. If you want features like wood finish a glass display of the watch in the winder, or the capacity to wind multiple watches, the cost skyrockets.

My first watch winder was the Invicta single watch winder (many folks out there recall my review of this model). While it was very attractive, and low cost (under $100.00) it fell short in the function department. The angle that a watch sits in the Invicta model isn't acute enough to actually make the rotor turn in many watches. The end result is a watch sitting on the spinning winder with an exhausted power reserve. It was also EXTREMELY loud - loud enough that you wouldn't want the thing running while you were trying to sleep. Unfortunately, like most people, my watches sit on my dresser in my bedroom. The Invicta winder also lacked any sort of programming options. So, I sold it and decided to get a different winder.

My main criteria in seeking a new winder were functionality, level of noise, capacity for multiple watches, and of course, price. I looked at single watch models from Orbita, and multiple winding models from Rapport, and was looking at shelling out either about $200.00 for the Orbita (with wood enclosure) or about $400.00 for a Rapport Perpetua. Both models would cause uncomfortable concessions - lack of capacity in the case of the Orbita, and price in the case of the Rapport. It was at this point that an online friend turned me on to Everwell Instruments 2 watch winder pictured below:



Everwell Instruments LTD is a Hong Kong based company which boasts over 20 yrs. experience with mechanical watch manufacturing. According to their web page ( http://www.watchwinder.com.hk/index.html) their winders are of Japanese design and incorporate several worldwide patents. The winders themselves are manufactured at production facilities in China.

The first thing I did when I received my winder is plugged in the AC adaptor (two "D" cell batteries are also included - the winder can run on either power source) and switched it on - I was curious about the sound volume that would be experienced while the winder was in operation. You know what I heard? Nada. Zip. Not a sound could be heard. My jaw literally dropped. I switched it on, the twin modules which hold the watch in place turned, but I could not audibly perceive ANY noise coming from the unit. Here is a picture of the winder with the lid open.


The basic layout of the winder very much reminds me of the Rapport Perpetua models. The selection switch in the front activates the winder, and sets the duration of the winding intervals. The top drawer is also a very nice feature which I have seen in other winders - very handy. The fit and finish inside quite nice - remarkable at a product of this price level.

The top compartment is actually removable, and conceals the batteries, and "fuzzy logic" controls. The unit is completely programmable in terms of direction of rotation and interval setting. The Everwell unit has all of the premium programming features that the higher priced models have that I looked at when I was comparison shopping.



The method by which the watches are held in place is quite ingenious, and I believe unique to Everwell's design. Each of the twin slots holds a plastic, mechanical piece which the watch is attached to prior to reinserting in the winder. The bottom end of the plastic piece is spring loaded and automatically adjusts the band/bracelet size of what ever watch is placed in the unit. Each of the units also posses an adaptor which snaps in the top for extra large watches - this winder can easily accommodate either men's or ladies watches.


Overall, I'm extremely pleased with the product. It is the first product I purchased in quite some time that has exceeded my expectations in every regard. The fit and finish is excellent, and the functionality is superb - a tremendous value when compared to other similar products. If I had any suggestion for Everwell, it would be to try and produce a similar unit with a wood finish - as you can see by the picture below, I'm a sucker for cherry/mahogany wood. If Everwell could produce a similarly priced unit in wood, I think it would sell extremely well. Still, the black leather unit is extremely attractive, and very much at home on my dresser.



NOTE: The pictures in the review are of the watch winder in the "natural setting" of my dresser, and won't have the same quality level as some of my watch photos which are taken in a controlled setting.

*All information and images contained in this review are the original work of the author, John B. Holbrook, II and are copyright protected. Use of any of the information or images without the permission of the author is prohibited.

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