Orbita is one of a handful of manufacturers of luxury watch winders. Watch winders are devices that wind automatic watches for you while you don’t wear them. Any watch collectors knows what a pain it can be to sit there and make sure all your watches are constantly wounds. Otherwise they stop, and each time you want to wear them you have to adjust the time, or more depending on the watch’s complications.

Watch winders are a good idea but usually notoriously expensive. Good models are made with as much quality as the watches you want to place in them, and the alternative is to buy a cheap (relatively speaking) Chinese model that often breaks. Thus, it is a constant uphill battle for owners of automatic watches to keep them wound or face paying a lot of money for a room full of watch winders. Some decadently desirable multiple watch winders will run you many thousands of dollars, up to tens of thousands. These are for the seriously well funded watch collectors only.

Right now Orbita is releasing a rare Beta test of its new Privee RX lineup of single watch winders. The beta test is not free, but it is at a relatively low cost of $200.00 plus shipping per a winder. Enclosed in a variety of fine wood finishes, the Orbita Privee RX watch winders feature multiple settings and programs for all watch winding needs. Details and purchase information can be found at the Privee RX watch winder beta test page here. In exchange for getting a $600 watch winder for $200, you must agree to provide feedback to Orbita from time to time. Personally, I would pay to do this.

The story behind the Privee RX watch winder is perhaps the most interesting part of this product. Originally designed under orders from Breguet, Orbita set out to make a luxury watch winder for the exclusive Breguet watch brand. Nearing the end of the project Breguet pulled out of the deal because the Privee RX watch winder did not have enough Swiss parts. In fact, 50% of the Privee RX is made in the USA. Now Breguet’s loss, the Privee RX is to be beta tested among watch enthusiasts for eventual sale at high end watch stores. The full story of the Privee RX watch winder with Breguet can be found here.

$200 is a very good price for a watch winder of this ilk. There is a very limited availability and units will be shipped out in the beginning or February 2008.

See watch winders available on eBay here.