# Review: Diplomat Double Watch Winder



## NoleenELT

The following review is for the item below:
Amazon.com: Diplomat Double Metallic Silver / Black Watch Winder with Built In IC Timer: Watches









About a month or so ago, I purchased the Diplomat double watch winder from Amazon. This same winder is also sold under a few different brand names and on ebay.

I put off buying a winder for a long time, partially because I had a collection of many automatic watches. Recently I received an Omega as a gift, and decided to slim my collection to a smaller group of watches that have more meaning to me, meaning that I had only two automatics and a few quartz watches. Especially with the Omega, it's so accurate that I don't need to adjust the watch preiodically. I just want to keep it running without risking damage to the threads on the crown, or making a mistake adjusting the date mechanism, etc. I almost always wear it every other day, but occasionally I let it run down. I'd rather have the minimal extra wear of having the watch running slightly longer.

Because of a this, a double winder was be perfect. I chose this particular model, because it was the cheapest double watch winder available, and it has a vertical orientation. The reason that I wanted this is because I keep it on my night stand next to the bed, and the vertical one has a smaller foot print.

I'm just giving feedback on this product for those who have decided that they want a watch winder. Please do not turn this into a debate of whether or not watch winders are needed

Now on to the review:
*First Impressions:
*I think the photos can speak for themselves, I won't describe the appearance of the winder in great detail.

The winder looks to be of high quality from a distance. If you handle it up close, you can tell that it is made of cheap plastic. It's not extremely flimsy though. The lid opens and closes smoothly. The switches are of acceptable quality, and it looks nice and understated.

The plastic carriers for the watches snap into place. They are easy to install and remove, but make a cheap plastic sounding click, making it difficult for me to remove my watch quietly in the morning when my wife is sleeping. The carriers have removable heads for larger watches, which make the carries more difficult to remove, but can keep larger watches from flopping around in there. The rear of the carries are spring loaded to accept most watches.

*Using the Winder:*
Because the carriers are spring loaded, it's easy to put them in and out of a watch with a closed bracelet. If I have a rubber strap on my watch, I generally just tuck it under a keeper without engaging the buckle. This is enough to hold the watch securely. The spring loaded portion has enough travel to accept a wide variety of wrist sizes.

The winder is AC powered only, it does not have a battery.
*
Winder Settings:
*The winder has three switches on the back. After using it a few times, it's easy for me to reach behind the winder to change the settings without looking.

It has the following switches:
On/Of
CW/Alternating/CCW
4 turns per day options (TPD)

The instructions describe how long the winder will spin and stop in each mode. Luckily it also converts this to a TPD value. It has the following options:
342, 864, 1080, 2160.
I wish that the options were better spaced out, but this is close enough for me.

According to the Orbita database, one of my watches requires 650 TPD bidirectional. The other is 650-800 CW. I leave it set to the 864 setting. If both watches are on there, I leave it on CW, if the bidirectional one is on there, I switch the winder to alternating mode.

I also acquired a Seiko kinetic 9T82 watch yesterday. I've read that winders do not turn enough to keep kinetics running. Despite this, I'm going to try to keep it on the 2160 when the other watches are not on there and see how it does.

*Noise:*
In general, this winder is fairly quiet. I keep it next to my bed, and it has not interrupted my sleep. It does make some noise that is barely audible above my house fan. Lately it did also start making a faint clicking noise, so I'll have to see if I can open it up and fix this.

*Operation:
*It keeps my watches running, without me wearing them. What more can I ask for?

If I had to say one minor complaint about the operation, it's that the two carries seem to rotate at ever so slightly different speeds, meaning that if the watches are lined up when you put them in, they are not always lined up again when you take them out. It's not such an extreme amount that one watch is being over or under wound, but just that they will be off by 10 degrees or so after a few minutes of operation for example.
*
Overall:
*It does what it's supposed to do. I'm sure that there are winders out there with better build quality, or that look nicer, but not for anywhere near this price. If you just want a simple device to keep one or two watches running, then it is completely acceptable. I have no strong complaints about this item. I see no reason to spend more money than this on a winder, especially when that money could go towards more watches!


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## gouverneur

Thanks for the review. I also bought a Diplomat just as a back-up in case I needed to keep my watches going. I have only two, a nice one (JLC) and a solid one (a Movado with quartz movement), and given I now wear the JLC pretty exclusively, the need for a winder is fairly minimal.

I can second these impressions, though I have a slightly different model. The exterior is cheap and plasticky looking, but it works as advertised and is very quiet (I also keep mine at bedside). It's not a glamour piece and I wouldn't display it prominently in the home, but it gets the job done.


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## NoleenELT

gouverneur said:


> Thanks for the review. I also bought a Diplomat just as a back-up in case I needed to keep my watches going. I have only two, a nice one (JLC) and a solid one (a Movado with quartz movement), and given I now wear the JLC pretty exclusively, the need for a winder is fairly minimal.
> 
> I can second these impressions, though I have a slightly different model. The exterior is cheap and plasticky looking, but it works as advertised and is very quiet (I also keep mine at bedside). It's not a glamour piece and I wouldn't display it prominently in the home, but it gets the job done.


Nice, I'm sure that most people with a JLC would not put it on such a lowly winder, but it's not like the watch movement knows any difference!


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## cdvma

I have the same one (branded differently) and I've been happy with it for the last 4 years or so. Your review accurately reflects my opinion as well.


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## kshay

I bought the SAME model last Fall 2011 from Amazon___ It just died this week. 
I will not shop with Amazon again.


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## topher512

I have two of these and am very happy with them. They sit right on my nightstand and are quiet enough that they don't wake me up. I agree, the build could be nicer, but it is a great product for a great price.


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## Dancing Fire

kshay said:


> I bought the SAME model last Fall 2011 from Amazon___ It just died this week.
> I will not shop with Amazon again.


has nothing to do with Amazon...just don't buy made in China winders.


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## NoleenELT

FYI, I was able to make the winder nearly completely silent with a little bit of electrical tape around the watch holders. They fit in there nice and snugly now.

Also, FYI I took the back off the winder to check it out. There are two separate motors inside there, not one connected by a belt.


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## orange260z

To revive an old thread, but to provide an "extended-use" review, I've had my Diplomat (same as OP) since late 2012. It's been running continuously since then, mostly on my dresser but sometimes in my safe (with the wire hanging out). It's had a couple of relatively heavy watches on it (Seamaster and an old Seiko auto dive watch), and has been manipulated several times a week to remove watches.

The motors are still running fine. The holders and the contact spots on the winder are showing signs of wear from extended use, but remain functional. The upper receptacle/drum is sagging and is now barely usable, but I'm not sure what is causing this.

Overally, I'm VERY satisfied with a winder that I paid CA$50 8 years ago...


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## NoleenELT

Mine started becoming quite loud to the point that I stopped using it because we keep it in the room where we sleep. I have given up on cheap winders, or a watch winder in general since I have too many automatics anyway.


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