Juvo A1 Watch Winder – A Hands On Review
It’s been a long time since we last reviewed a watch winder. Today we will take a closer look at the winder from a brand that slowly but steadily became a household name in the watch accessories industry; Juvo. Surely there are many different makers out there. From the €50 “eBay” winders to the luxury customizable products that cost more than an average high-end watch. With Juvo you get a bit of both for a very attractive price in amazingly high quality. Our review focuses on the Juvo A1, their entry level, single watch winder. Let’s have a closer look at it.
Juvo A1
Sometimes it is very hard to choose from the mass of product offerings you come across when you search for a winder. Something has to stand out to catch your attention, whether it’s the price, design or features. When I first received the press release for Juvo’s new line I immediately was hooked. The mail featured a beautiful 1960’s sideboard with two Juvo A4 winders. In between them, laid a vintage stereo. The text read; “JUVO’s design inspiration comes from vintage Hi-Fi stereo amplifiers”. Both the image and the text were tasteful and catching without any marketing exaggeration. So, I dug a bit deeper into this brand and I liked what I saw. Fast forward to a few months later, the A1 landed in my office. Ok, knowing Bhanu Chopra, Juvo co-founder, helped a bit as well. Thanks again, Bhanu.
Photo by Juvo
What’s in the box?
For a single winder, the A1 came in a surprisingly large box. That is usually a good sign, as it means that the company cares about the user’s overall experience down to the smallest detail as a carton box for example. The package includes the winder with the AC power adapter but a polishing cloth, a pair of watchmaker/ jeweller glove and the papers of the Juvo A1 in a plush holder are also part of the set. Nothing you could not live without but a nice touch from the brand to offer a bit more than you usually get. The surface of the winder is high gloss wood, so the polishing cloth comes in handy, while the gloves are just great for handling your watches in general. Very important, the Juvo A1 works on batteries as well (AA). But, we are here for the winder itself, right? So, let’s see how the thing looks and works.
Quality
One of the most important features of a winder is the sound the motor makes while in operation. You don’t want to have a watch winder that is awfully loud especially if it’s in your bedroom. I have to say that the JuvoA1 is exceptionally silent. I have other winders from different brands and even compared to them it actually produces fewer decibels (32db) thanks to the excellent Japanese motor inside. The overall look and feel are very solid. You can tell just by looking at them that the materials used are great quality. From the hinges on the glass door to the wood panels even the watch cushion, everything is sturdy and well made. The high gloss black panels pick up fingerprints easily. Though you don’t even have to touch the sides of the Juvo A1, just open the door and place the watch inside the winder.
Operation
To set the Juvo A1 you only have to use the 2 switches on the back. The one on the left sets the number of rotations per day (A-650, B-900, C-1200, D-1500). Once you figured out your rotation number you can set whether the winder should work clockwise, counter-clockwise or bidirectionally. That’s it, you are set. If the motor stops don’t be alarmed. First of all, Juvo offers a 2-year manufacturer warranty for their products. However, more often than not this is not the reason. If the watch is too loose in the winder or the strap touches the inside of the A1 it will shut down to prevent any damages to the watch or the machine. You probably only need to reset the motor. It is a 5-minute process explained in this video better than I ever could.
A3, A4, A6, A8
Don’t worry the above numbers are not some crazy HTML codes. These are the other models in Juvo’s A series collection. Obviously, the numbers highlight how many watches can you put in each winder. The A8 is the largest one not only in the A series but among all of Juvo’s winders. Their other line, M, offers a bit more “out there” designs with colors like red, silver and back. Those are more vibrant products; the A series is more subtle and elegant. Due to its size at 14X14.2×16.5cm, it is compact enough to fit into a middle to large size safe or on your bookshelf. Regardless of its size, the Juvo A1 can take even a larger 44mm or more watch comfortably.
What else?
I can talk as much as I want about how cool the Juvo A1 is, you guys probably want to know one thing before you decide on buying it; the price. Well, it is 1 cent shy off of $300 (circa €256), which does not make the Juvo A1 one a cheap accessory, but it makes it a fairly priced single watch winder. Besides, you must decide whether you want a quality product for your quality watch or just a cheap winder from eBay. The Juvo A1 is not that category. Very well made with quality materials, firmly put together. The fact that it actually is a nice object helps the case too. Whether the larger (3-watch, 4-watch etc.) versions compete with the excellence and price/value ration of the A1 I don’t know yet. Hopefully, we will soon find out.
If you would like to visit Juvo’s website to order an A1 or perhaps browse through their other offers, click here.
