Share This Post

Introduction

 

You might wonder right now: “Can I put my Casio in a watch winder? Will it harm my watch?” 

 

Maybe you have a mixed collection of both quartz and automatic watches and automatic watches. You don’t want to damage any of them. Or perhaps you’ve found a beautiful watch winder on sale and wondered if it’s suitable for every type of watch. 

 

Either way, I suppose you want a quick, clear answer to ease your curiosity or worries. I get it — I’ve been there too.

 

I own both quartz and automatic watches. Years ago, I dropped a quartz watch onto a watch winder, just to see what would happen. It ticked like always. But the whole setup felt pointless. 

 

The quartz watch didn’t gain accuracy, save energy, or slow down in the watch winder. It just kept ticking.

 

This experience, and a few chats with friends who also own mixed-type watch collections, taught me what really matters: not every watch needs motion — some need electricity. 

 

In this article, I’ll tell you:

• There’s no need to use a watch winder for a quartz watch.

 

• What actually happens if you do.

 

• How to quickly tell quartz watches from automatic watches.

 

• Smart, simple storage tips to keep your watches safe and cost you less.

If you want to stop worrying about all this fuss, you’re in the right place. Read on — I’ll keep it short and practical.

 

 

The Main Difference: How Your Watch Works?

 

You might wonder, what is a quartz watch? How does it work? And how is it different from an automatic watch?

 

Well, the fundamental difference is power. They use different power systems to work.

 

Automatic watches are powered by motion. A tiny rotor inside spins when you move. That winds a mainspring that stores energy.

 

When you don’t wear it, the watch will stop after its power reserve runs out. That’s why watch winders exist.

 

On the other hand, modern quartz watches are powered by batteries. A battery sends electricity through a quartz crystal.

 

The crystal vibrates and electronics count those vibrations to keep time. That’s why they’re called QUARTZ watches. Motion doesn’t change anything for them.

 

Think of quartz watches like smartphones with batteries, and automatic watches like hand-crank radios — One needs electricity to work, and the other needs motion to generate power.

 

Quartz Watches: Set-and-Forget Champions

 

Quartz watches are low-fuss: set the time, wear it, and forget it. You can simply place them on a desk or inside a drawer for hours or days as long as the environment is harmless to them. 

 

P.S. Don’t place them in wet places, like forgetting them in the bathroom. Even waterproof quartz watches can suffer—moisture is never good for batteries!

 

Their batteries usually last 2–3 years, sometimes longer, depending on the model and brand. I have a Seiko quartz and a Casio digital that I rarely fuss with. 

 

I set them up, and they run for months. Occasional errors can occur after a long period of use, but quick adjustments or new batteries are enough to fix them.

 

Here’s a basic breakdown of how quartz watches work.

 

Automatic Watches: The Motion-Powered Marvels

 

Automatic watches have a rotor that winds a mainspring. When worn, it stays wound. When unworn, it unwinds once the reserve runs out. 

 

Power reserve means how long they are capable of maintaining their power without extra operations.

 

For most automatic watches, this number typically ranges from 38 to 72 hours, but it may vary depending on the movement and brand. Some models do better.

 

If your watch has complications (such as date, moonphase, or perpetual calendar), they’ll become inaccurate or stop working when the power runs out. Trust me, resetting them after it stops is annoying. 

 

A watch winder solves this: it keeps your automatic watch running by winding it, so you don’t have to reset it.

 

 

What Happens When You Really Do That?

 

After understanding their differences and basic working mechanisms, we can discuss this question more effectively. 

 

If you still worry about “are watch winders bad for watches, especially for my quartz watch?” The short answer is no. Nothing too bad will happen.

 

Generally, putting a quartz watch in a high-quality watch winder won’t harm it, but it also won’t help.

 

Here’s what you can expect:

 

• Most of the time, nothing special happens. A good automatic watch winder will wind your quartz watch as it normally ticks, and your watch will still function as usual.

 

• Sometimes, the battery drain may be slightly faster with continuous rotation, as some parts move more or the electronics remain active. With a high-quality watch winder, this impact is minimal and easily adjustable.

 

• If the watch winder is of very poor quality, problems can occur. For example, weak shielding can expose movement to magnetic fields, which can affect its accuracy or function.

 

• Quartz watches are less affected by magnetism because they rely on electronics. Modern electronics are designed to handle this level of magnetic field with ease most of the time. However, very poorly made watch winders can still pose a risk.

 

In conclusion, a good-quality watch winder won’t damage a quartz watch. The main risks apply to mechanical movements. There might be some problems, but not too catastrophic or irreversible.

 

The Reality: Mostly Harmless But Also Pointless

 

Now you know that you can put a quartz watch in a nicely-made watch winder. “So that means I should do that, right?” you might ask.

 

Well…, NO. 

 

Just because it won’t harm your quartz watch doesn’t mean you should do it.

 

A quartz watch doesn’t benefit from a watch winder. As previously mentioned, it runs on batteries, not motion. So, a watch winder offers no maintenance benefit to quartz watches. It can’t power or recharge them. 

 

Putting a quartz watch on a watch winder simply wastes battery and energy for no good reason.

 

Additionally, running a watch winder when it is not needed shortens its lifespan.

 

Quartz watches belong to watch boxes, and watch winders are for those automatic watches that sit unused for weeks.

 

Common Myths Debunked

 

Myth: “Expensive watches need watch winders.”

Reality: Price doesn’t matter. What truly matters is watch type and wear frequency. 

 

Automatic watches you wear daily or vintage ones that require manual winding don’t need watch winders. Quartz watches don’t benefit from watch winders.

 

If you wear your automatic watches occasionally (especially a watch with calendars or moonphase) or have a large collection to maintain, watch winders become very handy. 

 

They keep all these complicated features consistent with real-time, making sure every automatic watch works perfectly. They also improve the convenience of managing and maintaining, sparing you from daily worries.

 

I recommend Mozsly’s modular watch winders personally if you’re looking for some. They have a lot of advantages, like quiet motors and multiple TPD presets. 

 

You can also put them together to build a clean and effective storage system, easy to manage and nice to look at. I’ll talk about it more and share some handy storage tips later.

 

Myth: “All watches benefit from movement.”

Reality: Not all watches need rotation and movement to keep working. Only mechanical automatic watches benefit from continued movement when not worn. 

 

Manual wind watches require occasional winding to stay running, but do not rely on constant motion like self-winding ones. 

 

Quartz watches run on batteries and don’t rely on movement. Using a watch winder isn’t helpful and may slightly reduce battery life.

 

Myth: “It can’t hurt to put any watch on a watch winder.”

Reality: That depends. If it’s a high-end and nicely-made automatic watch winder, then nothing too bad will happen typically.

 

For automatic watches, a low-quality or poorly configured watch winder can cause issues such as excessive wear, magnetization, or incorrect turning rates (TPD). 

 

For quartz watches, the risks are minor: wasted energy and reduced motor life.

 

How to Tell What Type of Watch You Have

 

So how do you distinguish quartz watches from automatic watches? These are what I usually do:

 

Quartz vs Automatic Watch: The Second Hand Test

 

That’s the easiest way to tell these two types apart in general. Just look at the second hand for 10 seconds.

 

If it jumps once per second — tick, tick — it’s almost certainly a quartz watch.

 

If it sweeps smoothly or moves many tiny increments per second, it’s likely an automatic watch.

 

Other Quick Identification Clues

 

• Case back: Some quartz watches mention “battery.”

 

• Dial: It might say “Quartz.”

 

• Power check: If it stops after 2–3 days without you doing anything—no winding or movement—it’s most likely an automatic watch that has run out of power.

 

• Manual, mention on the box or manufacturer’s site: The paperwork usually has what you need.

 

 

Smart Storage Suggestions For You

 

Now that you know what you have, you may be wondering, “How should I store them?” Well, that depends…

 

Quartz Watch Focused

 

If most of your collection is quartz watches, a simple watch box is good enough. It protects and displays watches without unnecessary power usage. 

 

Quartz watches don’t need winding. But you still need to check their batteries every 2–3 years. 

 

When storing, avoid extreme heat and strong magnets like you would treat anything that has batteries inside it. 

 

Some quartz watches have dustproof or waterproof features, but avoiding leaving them in a wet or dusty environment is still advised.

 

You’ll save money by skipping watch winders since there’s no need for them. Put that money toward more watches or a nice watch box.

 

A clean, elegant option is the Mozsly 6 watch display box, like The Architect · NOX — it has tempered glass lids and black grained leather for a classy display without the fuss, also very pleasant to look at. 

 

You can place the watch box on your desk or nightstand, putting your quartz watches inside and treating it like a beautiful interior decoration. 

 

I personally recommend displaying it on a glass shelf as well. That’s what I do at home, and my friends are always amazed when they come to visit.

 

Automatic Watch Focused

 

When you mostly wear automatic watches or have complicated features like moon phase, you need to think about how often you wear each watch.

 

If you only own a slight amount of automatic watches, like 1-2 and wear them daily, you don’t need a watch winder that much. Your wrist is the best watch winder. A nicely arranged wearing schedule is enough.

 

If you wear it occasionally (especially a watch with calendars or moonphase) or have multiple automatic watches to maintain, watch winders become handy now. 

 

Since these watches need winding to run and keep these functions working correctly, watch winders will make your life much easier. You can choose a watch winder with adjustable TPD (turns per day) and direction settings for safety. 

 

A good example is the Mozsly watch winder — it uses ultra-quiet Japanese motors and offers TPD settings like 650, 850, 1050 and 1250, so you can match the movement’s needs without over-winding.

 

Before using, don’t forget to match the watch winder settings to the movement or check the manufacturer’s guide for the best effect.

 

Building a Mixed Collection

 

Now, let’s talk about the situation when you have both quartz and automatic watches. 

 

You might think that different storage for different watches might make your home messy and overcrowded with lots of cubic boxes. Worry not, I have some practical approaches for you.

 

If you want to arrange them in your home, you can:

 

• Reserve watch winder slots for automatic watches only.

 

• Put automatic watches worn daily on a watch stand for easy access. Those not worn frequently should still be kept in their watch winder to ensure they’re still functioning as normal.

 

• Label compartments clearly so you don’t mix them up.

 

• Use modular storage so you can add watch winders later if needed. 

 

For expandability, some Mozsly watch winders can connect using one USB-C cord so you can stack units without a tangle of power cables. 

 

I personally keep quartz watches in a simple watch box and only use watch winders for automatic watches that sit unused for long stretches. That combo saved me space, time, and a few batteries.

 

Extra tips: For travel, consider a watch roll to keep watches safe on the way. 

 

A handy option is the Mozsly watch roll like their Coffee Genuine Leather Watch Roll Travel Case For 6 Watches. It’s vegan leather and lined with faux suede, so your watches stay safe on the road. 

 

Its wallet-like design makes it compact and easy to carry while traveling. You can also adjust these easily removable pillows inside the watch roll for further customization to your liking.

 

Conclusion

 

You came here wondering if a quartz watch is suitable for a watch winder. Now you know the answer: yes, it is—but it doesn’t have to. Because it’s, well, meaningless. 

 

Now, let’s recap what we’ve learned:

 

1.  Quartz watches run on batteries. Due to their different operating mechanisms, watch winders offer virtually no benefit to them. 

 

2. Putting a quartz watch on a high-quality watch winder won’t usually cause damage, but it gives no benefit and may drain the battery a little faster. 

 

3. If you want to contain your quartz watches, a simple watch box is enough. Use watch winders for automatic watches or pieces with complicated settings you don’t want to reset.

 

Now it’s TIME for you to manage your collection and surprise your friends with a clean and organized watch storage system when they come to visit. Here’s what you can do now:

 

• Try the 10-second second-hand test on your watches if you’re unsure about their types.

 

• Store quartz watches in a simple watch box.

 

• Keep watch winders for automatic watches and pick adjustable models for the best winding effects.

 

• Adjust the position of the watch box and watch winder in your room, using them as decoration to enhance the interior style.

 

• Consider purchasing watch rolls for travel to reduce storage burden while protecting your precious watches.

 

• Check your watch manual or ask a pro if you still feel unsure.

 

If this saves you time (or a battery), share it with a friend who’s mixing quartz and automatic watches. 

 

And if you’re shopping for storage, consider a simple watch box or roll before buying a fancy watch winder, especially if you only have quartz watches. 

 

Your watch will thank you, and so will your wallet.