I need more activity here because I like looking at watches so I figured I’d do my part and post my new watch box. Left to right top to bottom: Speedmaster 3520.50, Breitling A13340, SARB, Seiko KS with a rad grey brushed linen dial, Breitling Aerospace, Bulova Sea King, NTH Nacken sub homage. I should have bought the Aerospace first because it’s the only watch anybody needs.
I think watch winders are a novelty - they are desirable but are noisy and not necessary for most watches collectors.
If you have a watch that’s really annoying to set, like a perpetual date or moon phase, a winder can save you a lot of time - it’ll keep the Watch running, so you aren’t needing to jump through hoops if it stops. It makes it more likely that you’ll keep that watch in the rotation.
I only have one watch where winding is a PITA: a GMT where the date is changed by winding the hour hand through each date. I picked up a watch winder for it. The winder is too noisy to keep in my bedroom on the dresser where my watch box lives, so I don’t end up using it. If I leave the GMT on it, in another room, the result is the GMT gets worn even less - out of sight, out of mind.
Furthermore, regular automatic watches, with typical day/date complication at most, I find that I like the ritual of winding and setting the day. It feels intentional to me.