Watch Winder Reviews: The Orbita Futura 3
Howard Chan is a man who knows watch-winders. As the owner and editor of the highly informative Watch Winders International website Howard shares his detailed and enlightened views on arguably the most essential accessory to any serious watch collection. Fortunately for us he has also agreed to share his knowledge here on The Watch Lounge on a semi-regular basis. We trust you will enjoy what Howard has to say and hopefully you will find some of the information useful, we certainly did!
And so, without further delay, we give you Howard’s first watch-winder review for The Watch Lounge; the Oribita Futura 3.
Orbita Futura 3
Orbita are a real force to be reckoned with. They have been producing quality winders since the late ’90s and they have brought innovation to a market that could easily get stagnant. Their patented ‘rotorwind’ system (reviewed previously here) is a thing of beauty.
However, Orbita have, in the past, been accused of producing tired and stuffy designs. It’s true that they tend to push less boundaries when compared to Rapport or even their main competitor – Wolf Designs. But they are always solid, reliable, effective winders.
In this example, the Futura 3, Orbita have thrown caution to the wind and gone for a more modern look, albeit at the expense of not having their rotorwind system included.
The ingenious solution to winding here is provided by three sets of double rollers. Each pair supports a free-floating steel cup, within which the usual Orbita pillow sits to hold a wristwatch. One of the steel drive rollers in each pair contains an iron-less core Swiss micro motor, while the other is free spinning. The rubber tires at each end ensure there is not metal-to-metal contact.
The overall look is compelling. It is far more chic than most of the other Orbita designs as well as their competitors. Plus, because the brand pays close attention to detail, the fit and finish is impeccable. The switches and tiny LED (which blinks when the batteries need replacing) all sit snugly in place.
The batteries themselves are concealed under each of the three independent base-plates. These squares are designed deliberately to look symmetrical, with the two switches mirroring each other at front and back, and the LED positioned centrally. This allows for the winder to be adjusted for clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation by simply turning the plate around.
Admittedly, this is a neat solution which reduces the number of switches and buttons required. Yet it raises a couple of issues: firstly, Orbita promote this as a ‘programmable’ winder. Having two speeds (1,300 or 800 turns per day) controlled by one switch and on/off controlled by the other is really the bare minimum for something to be classed as ‘programmable’. That is an excusable marketing promotion. However, the other issue is the lack of bi-directional rotations.
Not being able to wind in both directions shouldn’t be an issue for most buyers, but it lacks the efficiency of the rotorwind in other Orbita products. Consider it the price of having a winder which doubles as a desk ornament. The movement competes with any Newton’s Cradle or other executive toy for captivation factor.
Depending on the program, the rollers will spin for one minute and then pause for either four or seven minutes. The simplicity of this process turning the steel cup which rests on top will have buyers flicking the on/off switch repeatedly just to watch them kick into action again. As they are independently driven it is possible to time them to kick in separately, so you’ll never miss the anticipation of waiting for the next cushion to turn.
Be warned, the mirror finished steel is a magnet for finger-prints. This is not a problem if you are careful when you place and remove your favorite watch, but some may find it a nuisance. Just as some may not like the fact that the batteries are Alkaline ‘C’ cells rather than the longer lasting Lithium ones, but there’s also AC power as standard.
The base comes in standard Black Lacquer or the more difficult to find Macassar wood (check our friends at DesignHütte if you get stuck). Here at Watch Winders Int. we prefer the wood, but either will be an impressive display unit for three of your finest watches.
R.R.P = (USD) $1,495
Find out more at www.orbita.com
To learn more about watch-winders from all over the world please visit Howard’s highly informative website www.watchwindersinternational.com.
Category: Watch Reviews
Styling is cool but function seems to lack a bit.