We're currently testing our site! Please note this is a work in progress
Offers
Sell
Exchange
Search
+44 1622621392
GBP
My Basket
Buy
Sell
Exchange
Price Promise
Free Home Collection
24 months warranty
Price Promise
Free Home Collection
24 months warranty
+44 1622621392
Help
Locate a store

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.

Read more
Filters
Filters
Brands
No matching results found
Popular Brands
  1. Rolex Rolex
  2. Omega Omega
  3. Breitling Breitling
  4. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  5. Cartier Cartier
  6. Tudor Tudor
  7. IWC IWC
  8. Panerai Panerai
  9. Hublot Hublot
  10. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  11. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  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. Ball Ball
  5. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  6. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  7. Blancpain Blancpain
  8. Boucheron Boucheron
  9. Breguet Breguet
  10. Breitling Breitling
  11. Bremont Bremont
  12. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  13. Carl F. Bucherer Carl F. Bucherer
  14. Cartier Cartier
  15. Chanel Chanel
  16. Chopard Chopard
  17. Corum Corum
  18. Fortis Fortis
  19. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  20. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  21. Glashutte Original Glashutte Original
  22. Graham Graham
  23. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  24. Gucci Gucci
  25. H. Moser and Cie H. Moser and Cie
  26. Hamilton Hamilton
  27. Harry Winston Harry Winston
  28. Hublot Hublot
  29. IWC IWC
  30. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  31. Jaquet Droz Jaquet Droz
  32. JeanRichard JeanRichard
  33. Junghans Junghans
  34. Kollokium Kollokium
  35. Longines Longines
  36. Louis Erard Louis Erard
  37. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  38. Montblanc Montblanc
  39. Nomos Glashutte Nomos Glashutte
  40. Norqain Norqain
  41. Omega Omega
  42. Oris Oris
  43. Panerai Panerai
  44. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  45. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  46. Perrelet Perrelet
  47. Piaget Piaget
  48. Porsche Design Porsche Design
  49. Rado Rado
  50. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  51. Richard Mille Richard Mille
  52. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  53. Rolex Rolex
  54. Romain Jerome Romain Jerome
  55. TAG Heuer TAG Heuer
  56. Tudor Tudor
  57. U-Boat U-Boat
  58. Ulysse Nardin Ulysse Nardin
  59. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  60. 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.
Price
Min
£
-
Max
£
Year
More Filters
Stock Type
  1. Watchfinder Watchfinder
Case Material
  1. Aluminium Aluminium
  2. Bronze Bronze
  3. Carbon Carbon
  4. Ceramic Ceramic
  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. Steel & Yellow Gold Plated Steel & Yellow Gold Plated
  14. Titanium Titanium
  15. White Gold White Gold
  16. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
  17. Zirconium Zirconium
Dial Colour
Black
Blue
Bronze
Brown
Champagne
Diamond
Green
Grey
Ivory
Mother of Pearl
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
Salmon
Silver
Specialised
White
Yellow
Strap
  1. Bracelet Bracelet
  2. Fabric Fabric
  3. Leather Leather
  4. Rubber Rubber
Box and Papers
  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
Promotion
  1. DROP 7 DROP 7
Limited Edition
  1. Limited Edition Limited Edition
Reset Results (5031)
Results (5,031)
Sort
Rolex Datejust 41 126300 376289
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust 41
126300

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£9,150
Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 210.32.42.20.03.001 376060
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Seamaster Diver 300m
210.32.42.20.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2025
£5,095
Omega Planet Ocean 215.32.44.21.06.001 375340
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.32.44.21.06.001

Box
Papers
Year 2025
£6,350
Omega Constellation 131.63.41.21.03.001 325078
Manufacturer's Warranty

Omega
Constellation
131.63.41.21.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£18,000
Rolex Pearlmaster 81285 313632

Rolex
Pearlmaster
81285

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£44,995
Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM00507 283478

Panerai
Luminor Submersible
PAM00507

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£24,950
Tudor Black Bay M79503-0001 371482
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M79503-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£3,195
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1418471 371469
Manufacturer's Warranty

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Master Control
1418471

Box
Papers
Year 2010
£6,695
Tag Heuer Autavia CY2111.BA0775 371462
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tag Heuer
Autavia
CY2111.BA0775

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£3,695
Breitling Colt Auto A17388 371445

Breitling
Colt Auto
A17388

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£2,950
Rolex Datejust II 116334 310537

Rolex
Datejust II
116334

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£9,500
Omega Planet Ocean 215.92.46.22.01.003 370249

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.92.46.22.01.003

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£9,000
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran Sport Chrono 2951101 370246

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Reverso Gran Sport Chrono
2951101

Box
Papers
Year 2004
£22,000
Omega Planet Ocean 215.63.44.21.03.001 307457

Omega
Planet Ocean
215.63.44.21.03.001

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£18,750
Rolex Datejust 41 126333 369421
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust 41
126333

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£11,790
Rolex Yacht-Master 126622 369209

Rolex
Yacht-Master
126622

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£12,300
Rolex Sky-Dweller 336938 368106
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Sky-Dweller
336938

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£37,495
Rolex Datejust Lady 28 279161 367855

Rolex
Datejust Lady 28
279161

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£10,500
H. Moser and Cie Endeavour 1200-0215 365708

H. Moser and Cie
Endeavour
1200-0215

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£17,500
Blancpain Evolution R85F-1103-53B 365233

Blancpain
Evolution
R85F-1103-53B

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£9,000
Rolex Deepsea 116660 364937

Rolex
Deepsea
116660

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£8,950
Girard Perregaux Laureato 81010-11-433-11A 334990
Manufacturer's Warranty

Girard Perregaux
Laureato
81010-11-433-11A

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£9,850
Rolex Lady Oyster Perpetual 76094 364736

Rolex
Lady Oyster Perpetual
76094

Box
Papers
Year 2005
£3,245
Grand Seiko Sport Collection SBGE257 282065

Grand Seiko
Sport Collection
SBGE257

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£5,095
Omega Seamaster Olympic Official Timekeeper 522.32.40.20.04.001 362621

Omega
Seamaster Olympic Official Timekeeper
522.32.40.20.04.001

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£19,500
Breitling Avenger Seawolf E17370 362231

Breitling
Avenger Seawolf
E17370

Box
Papers
Year 2007
£2,445
IWC Big Pilot's IW503008 362106

IWC
Big Pilot's
IW503008

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£24,900
Hublot Big Bang 451.CX.1170.CX 360958

Hublot
Big Bang
451.CX.1170.CX

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£13,050
Rolex Datejust 116200 359113

Rolex
Datejust
116200

Box
Papers
Year 2008
£4,845
Breitling Avenger Automatic 42 A17328 358650
Manufacturer's Warranty

Breitling
Avenger Automatic 42
A17328

Box
Papers
Year 2025
£3,895
Hublot Big Bang 415.NX.1112.VR.MXM16 358042

Hublot
Big Bang
415.NX.1112.VR.MXM16

Box
Papers
Year 2016
£14,995
Tudor Black Bay M79250BA-0002 288870
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M79250BA-0002

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£3,150
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 1368480 296757
Manufacturer's Warranty

Jaeger-LeCoultre
Master Ultra Thin Moon
1368480

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£9,850
Tudor Black Bay M70150-0001 273978
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M70150-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£2,750
Tudor Black Bay M7941A1A0RU-0001 326551
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay
M7941A1A0RU-0001

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£3,795
Breitling Avenger Automatic 42 A17328 356439
Manufacturer's Warranty

Breitling
Avenger Automatic 42
A17328

Box
Papers
Year 2025
£3,895
Panerai Radiomir Manual PAM00338 337632

Panerai
Radiomir Manual
PAM00338

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£7,000
Chopard Alpine Eagle 298600-3001 350809
Manufacturer's Warranty

Chopard
Alpine Eagle
298600-3001

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£13,900
Tudor Black Bay 58 79030B-JUB 345816
Manufacturer's Warranty

Tudor
Black Bay 58
79030B-JUB

Box
Papers
Year 2022
£14,000
Bvlgari Octo 102963 313640

Bvlgari
Octo
102963

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£5,450
Hublot Classic Fusion 549.NI.1270.NI.ORL23 345747
Manufacturer's Warranty

Hublot
Classic Fusion
549.NI.1270.NI.ORL23

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£8,500
Rado Anatom R10202319 344657
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rado
Anatom
R10202319

Box
Papers
Year 2024
£2,450

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.

Read more