If you've spent any time looking into buying a watch winder then you've probably come across the two major players - Orbita and Wolf Designs.  These two companies are really the market leaders in this fledgling industry and are forging the way with their design and technical innovations.

Wolf Designs have a long and interesting history in jewelery-box creation and this gives them a unique providence in a market generally bereft of longevity.  The latest Wolf family member to lead the company (Simon Philip Wolf) has successfully moved their head office from the UK to the West Coast of America.

Whilst it's true that these machines are constructed in China, Wolf Designs maintains their own facility there and has exceptional standards.  This outsourcing allows the company to compete at a price point which, while some may still find high, actually provides some of the best value available.

_Here at Watch Winders Int. we're big fans of Wolf Designs.  They use solid Mabuchi motors at their core and quality materials.  In the case of the winder presented here, the Roadster Triple, there's also a well lacquered wooden facade, chrome touches and a quality leather finish.

This unit uses the 'Module 2.7' winder which you'll find in some of Wolf's other ranges (such as the Viceroy).  It _allows for 300 to 1200 rotations per day in the usual combination of clockwise, counter clockwise and bi-directional.  The motor is quiet, and the sound is kept even lower thanks to nylon gears and solid housing.

One simple, but brilliantly designed feature is the watch socket.  This is the part of a winder that most companies struggle with.  Some are clumsy or unattractive, others are secure but impractical.  Wolf Designs has found a neat solution.

_On the Roadster, the cushion fits securely into the drum and the whole socket then rotates.  As the barrel is completely self enclosed, none of the watch can touch anything that moves, or catch on anything stationary.  It's an ingenious solution to the central purpose of a winder.

Another often overlooked component is the dual power.  It takes D-cell batteries which can be either Alkaline or Lithium, although Lithium would be the obvious choice because they last twice as long.  Having a battery option to back up the 3.3V adapter frees up the number of locations the winder can be stored in.

It would be sensible to keep this case accessible because, after all, it's more of a presentation case than a safety deposit box storage unit.  The solid glass front provides a great view of the three winders, but there's also storage up-top for 6 more.

___The covered storage compartment showcases 5 neat little off-set bays and a "pull-out travel box".  This secondary case is a nice-to-have feature, but the design is quite flat and may not accommodate some bulkier watches.  As an removable extra compartment though, we're sure buyers will find uses for it.

The Wolf Designs Roadster is an excellent example of the kind of winder this company is well practiced at producing.  The controls are intuitive and the LCD panels are crisp.  The left knob below each winder head controls the direction, while the one on the right is simply on/off.  The two buttons to the left and right of the screen designate the number of rotations.

The unit as a whole looks broad, but refined (it's actually 17.75″w x 7.75″d x 8.75″h) and has an attractive art deco style.  We think it is one of the more tastefully designed winders available on the market.

Check out the video (below) from our friends at Watch Report for an excellent walk through of the Roadster.  It's also worth comparing Wolf Designs to the products coming out of Orbita (such as the one we previously reviewed here).  Both companies have a similar ethos and a track record in making quality, long-lasting and sensibly priced winders.


R.R.P = (USD) $1,099
Find out more at www.wolfdesigns.com