June2021: This is already broken after 3 years. The rotating plastic watch holder became brittle over time and broke.
The problem with an automatic watch is that it stops if it hasn't been worn for some time. When this happens, you'll have to wind or shake the watch then set the time (and the day/date) before you can use it again. This can be annoying especially if you are in hurry. That is why I decided to buy a watch winder.
Rustan's offers a number of watch winders but the prices don't come close to what is being offered at Lazada. Buying online has its cons, however, like the lack of warranty and after sales service.
The item came five days after I placed the order. It came in a big box, properly padded with foam. I assumed "JA-1621E" (as written on the box) is the model of this particular watch winder as searching this can lead to the GearBest and Amazon ads of similar winders. Inside the box, the contents are further separated in two boxes. The smaller box contains the power adaptor and the battery case. Batteries are not included. The bigger box contains the actual watch winder. The winder has a smooth glossy finish with a wood grain pattern. While the cloth bag helps to protect the item from scratches, there are still some scratches on the acrylic cover.
The operation is quite simple as described in the instruction manual. The slider switches are on the top of the box. One switch is for the direction of the rotation while the other is for the frequency of the rotation. The manual estimates the number of turns per day for each option but I cannot verify if the specifications are met.
The winder operates quietly as it should but I did notice some areas that could be improved, aside from the scratches mentioned earlier. For starters, the plug cannot be inserted completely into the box. I did not try to exert extra force in inserting the plug as it may ruin the winder.
The acrylic cover also does not seal the box tightly. Dust particles can go through. Cleaning the inside of the box can be difficult.
The watches inside are Seiko SNZG07 and Orient Ray II.
The pillow where the watch rests on is made of foamy rubber with a leather texture. It smells bad although the smell won't fill the room. In time, the material can disintegrate. I would have prefered it to be covered in a soft cloth pillow case so that if the foam material disintegrates, the pieces will not be scattered inside the box.
The aluminum sheet for the switch panel does not lay flat on the surface of the watch winder. This could be a starting point for breakage. It seems like the panel could easily be deformed or stripped off from the box.
Despite the shortcomings, I am satisfied with the product so far. I don't know for how long. I will update this blog in case my perception on the product has been altered. This is from an unknown brand so brand reliability is unknown.
This watch winder design comes in four skins. I picked the wood grain skin but it also comes in what seems like leather and glossy black skin. The prices for each vary a little even if they all came from the same seller.
