Going through some magazines recently, a picture of a large, really good-looking watch winder with space for eight timepieces caught my eye. The winder was placed on a table within a modern interior and looked like a piece of art rather than a functional watch winder.
Until that moment I had never bothered too much with watch winders because my collection comprises mainly hand-wound watches, but more importantly I have found winders in general quite unimaginative and too noisy to share a room with.
But this photo intrigued me so much that I wondered if all the watch winders by this company look as good as this professional machine or if it was an outlier.
Viceroy watch winder by Wolf (photo George Cramer)
Thanks to Google I discovered that this eight-watch winder was made by the American company Wolf based in Los Angeles. And within minutes I was browsing through the complete collection of watch winders. The large number of watch winders and other watch-related products like cases that the company offers is impressive. So impressive that I asked to review one.
It took me quite some time to decide which winder to ask for due to the wide variety of styles. All of them, from the simple little Navigator box to the eight-piece winder that I first spied, looked smashing.
Wolf makes large models holding up to 32 watches that stand on the floor. These large winding machines come in beautiful cabinets – and some even come as safes.
Viceroy watch winder by Wolf (photo George Cramer)
But I decided to ask about the “single winder with storage” of the Viceroy series for this story, a model that comes close to the Roadster series that had interested me in the brand to begin with.
Just a week later the box arrived. My first impression was excellent and exactly what I expected: a solid-build, large cube measuring 20 x 20.5 x 23 cm covered in black leather, very luxurious looking. Opening the top lid, I found storage room for three other watches. At the same time, I could access the winder by opening the lockable front glass door.
Viceroy watch winder by Wolf (photo George Cramer)
Wolf also makes winders without a front door, but to my thinking a glass front door protects the watch more from dust, especially if it is stowed away for a longer period of time. It is a great feeling to know that the watch is in its dust-free case while being wound regularly.
Many winders on the market just wind the watch constantly in one direction, and sometimes if you’re lucky in two directions. But the Wolf winders have a lot more possibilities.
As soon as the watch is placed on its holder and the power is switched on, there are several settings to choose from: clockwise, counterclockwise, and bidirectional depending on the watch being wound.
Viceroy watch winder by Wolf (photo George Cramer)
A backlit LCD digital display easily allows setting the number of turns per day, ensuring that the watch will always be optimally wound. What sets Wolf apart from the competition is that the winder actually counts the turns, not the time. So the correct count is not influenced by, for example, the weight of the watch, which can make some watch winders turn slower.
My wrist is fairly small, and the cushion that came with the winder was a bit too big for my watch. However, Wolf also has a smaller cushion available that fit perfectly, securing my watches snugly inside the winder.
The winder comes with a normal plug adapter, but if there are no mains in the place you want to position the winder, normal batteries will do the trick as well. A compartment on the back holds two batteries that power the winder for more than four months – quite convenient if you would like to store the unit in a cabinet during a holiday or place it in a safe.
Viceroy watch winder by Wolf (photo George Cramer)
The high quality and luxurious looks of the winder that first attracted me when I saw it in the magazine turned out to be equally as impressive in real life. The Wolf Viceroy winder is very well made, good looking, easy to use, and completely quiet, removing all my reservations about watch winders.
For more information please visit www.wolf1834.co.uk.
Quick Facts Wolf Viceroy Single Winder with storage
Size: 20 x 20.5 x 23 cm
Price: €599
Disclaimer: The Dutch importer of Wolf, Time Company, lent the author a winder to review, which was promptly returned. The author was in no way compensated for the review.
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I’ve had my Wolf 8-watch winder for over 5 years now. Still works great. Mine is not completely silent. You can hear a very slight whirring at night. But it’s VERY VERY quiet.
Hi!
I am shopping for a triple watch wonder and the internet is full of mixed reviews. I was curious if you would buy a Wolf winder again and is there anything you wished was different with the winder’s quality or craftsmanship. Have you had need for service or any problems? Any opinion would be greatly appreciated!
Mike
I own a single Wolf winder and have never had a problem with it. Quality is just fine compared to the Orbita I also own. Above a certain price range, I am not sure there is much difference between them tbh.
I have 2 Underwood watch winders; each holds 6 watches. They are beautifully built, silent and efficient. Expensive if purchased new but I got them both on the secondhand market at a fraction of the retail price