A Firsthand Review of Enigwatch’s Impresario Watch Winder Box

There comes a time in every man’s life when he has to ask himself some important questions: 

Is going to college worth it? Should I propose? Do I really want kids? 

But of all the questions a man must tackle as he charts his course through life, there is perhaps no more important question than this: 

Do I really need a watch winder?? 

Alright, fine—so there are a few more important questions. (Only a few, though.) 

Even if it’s not the most life-or-death question you’ll ever ask yourself,  if you own multiple automatic watches, it can still be a head scratcher. 

And once you realize that the answer is yes, figuring out which one to buy presents a whole other set of questions. 

There’s no shortage of winders on the market, ranging from the cheap, plasticky ones that are all over Amazon to high-end display cases that cost more than some used cars. 

Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum sits the Enigwatch Impresario Series 6, a six-watch winder that aims to combine luxury, functionality, and security into one sleek package.

At just over $1,100, the Impresario isn’t exactly an impulse buy. 

But it also promises a level of craftsmanship, precision, and quiet operation that cheaper alternatives just can’t match. 

So the question is: Does it live up to its price tag? 

I’ve spent the past few months testing it out firsthand, and below I’ll break down what it gets right, where it falls short, and whether or not I think it’s ultimately worth the investment. 

So let’s wend our way through this winder. 

(And don’t worry—I swear, that’s the last lame pun. Not the last lame dad joke, mind you, but definitely the last one that’s also wordplay. [Well, probably the last one that’s wordplay.]) 

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Who Wrote This Article:

Irreverent Gent Founder and Editor-in-Chief Dave Bowden has been a style journalist for more than a decade. His advice about everything from fashion to furniture has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, and Men’s Health, among many others.

Review Methodology & Disclosure:

We’ve previously written a few posts about watches, including a review of an automatic watch we tested through the subscription service Watch Gang, but had never heard of Enigwatch before this review.

A company we had heard of is Sohnne, which makes affordable replicas of mid-century modern furniture. They reached out to say that they have a sister company, Enigwatch, that makes a watch winder, and asked us if we would review the product. 

We’ve previously tested and reviewed Sohnne’s furniture and were pretty impressed with the quality and value. And like Sohnne, Enigwatch has good reviews on Trustpilot and other third-party review sites, so we were intrigued.

We agreed to try out the watch winder under the condition that there were no strings attached, and we were free to write whatever the f*ck we want—good, bad, or unnecessarily expletive. 

They agreed and sent the watch winder, which we then loaded up with watches and tested for about two months before writing this review.

All of the thoughts and opinions here are our own, but if you’re curious about how we rate and review products, feel free to check out our product review and round up policy to learn more.

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Unboxing & First Impressions

I don’t like to waste too much time assessing the packaging, because ultimately what matters is the quality of the product itself.

(Feel free to skip down to the Build Quality section below if you want to start getting right into the meat and potatoes.) 

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Good Packaging Often* Contains Good Products

*But not always

But I find that there’s often a correlation between products that are well packaged and well produced; a company that cares about small details like packaging and branding probably also cares about important details like craftsmanship and materials. 

And on that front, Enigwatch made a strong first impression. It was shipped in a heavy corrugated cardboard box and packed with thick pieces of styrofoam that provided a lot of protection, not only to the product inside, but to the packaging. 

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Apple After Dark

Once I stripped away all the foam, I was left with a matte black cardboard box in a thin cloth bag. The box that the watch winder actually comes in was sleek and sophisticated. It reminded me of a darker (and more masculine) version of an Apple product: 

Instead of Apple’s stark white packaging, Enigwatch opted for a matte black that evokes gunmetal, giving it a cool look and feel that made me excited to see what was inside. 

Again, the packaging doesn’t mean much if the product is sh*t. But it’s always a good sign when a brand takes the time to package their products with care, so this was a good start. 

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Build Quality

Heavy & Hearty

Upon taking it out of the box, the first thing I noticed about the Impresario was its weight. It’s heavier and heartier than I expected, even for a contraption that I knew was filled with little motors. 

And that makes sense, because in addition to all the electronic functionality inside, the exterior is made from Macassar wood, a strong type of ebony that The Wood Database rates as “very durable.” 

After a few weeks of testing, I can attest to its durability firsthand. I have two boys under the age of three whose main goal in life is to scratch, knick, pull, kick and otherwise destroy everything in their path. 

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Mercifully Kid Resistant

I made the mistake of keeping my watch winder on the floor, where they have easy access to it, and I’m happy to report that it’s held up quite well.

The lock on the glass door does indeed keep their grubby little hands off my watches the door closed, and the Macassar wood has proven as wear-resistant as advertised. 

It’s only been a couple months, so I can’t attest to its long-term durability, but my boys have already put it through more stress than I would have preferred, and I’ve been pretty impressed by the results. 

Total Score for Build Quality: 4 / 5 

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Design and Aesthetics

Sleek First Impression 

In addition to its weight, there was one other thing I noticed straight away about the Impresario: 

It’s pretty damn sexy. 

I still wasn’t sure if it worked, which is obviously a gigantic caveat (and one I’ll expound on in detail below), but when you see it in person, it’s a real head-turner. 

The piano gloss finish gives it a refined, high-end look, and the Macassar wood adds a nice touch of old-school luxury. 

In addition to being functional, it’s decorative—the kind of piece that would look right at home in a well-appointed study or high-end walk-in closet.

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Lots of Friggin’ Finger Prints 

The Impresario is a smidge too easy to smudge

That said, the glossy finish is a bit of a double-edged sword. While it looks fantastic out of the box, it’s also a fingerprint magnet, and dust seems to settle on it the moment you stop looking. 

That might seem like a minor quibble to some, but if you’re the type of person who likes everything looking pristine – or, like me, you have little kids who love nothing more than getting their grubby little paws on everything you own – you’ll probably find yourself wiping it down more often than you’d like.

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Overall: Elegant, Sleek, Sophisticated 

Still, the overall presentation is elegant and well-executed. The LED lighting inside is a nice touch, highlighting your watches without being too overpowering. 

And while some watch winders can look clunky or a little too industrial (for lack of a better word), this one manages to feel both modern and timeless.

So, while you might want to keep a microfiber cloth handy so you can wipe it down, in terms of aesthetics, this is about as stylish as watch winders get. 

Total Score for Aesthetics: 4.5 / 5 

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Functionality

A watch winder should do two things well: 

Keep your watches wound so they can keep time properly, and not be a total pain to use. 

The Impresario largely nails both—with a few quirks.

One BIG Plus: Programmable Rotors 

First, the programmable rotors are a big win. The ability to customize rotations per hour (RPH) and direction means you can fine-tune the winder to suit the specific movement of your watch. 

This is a step up from cheaper winders, which tend to have a one-size-fits-all approach that often results in overwinding or underwinding.

I don’t have any true luxury watches like Rolex or Omega in my collection – yet!🤞– but if you do, getting the right RPH is key. 

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Great Touchscreen, But Redundant Remote 

The touchscreen control panel is another nice feature. It’s intuitive, responsive, and doesn’t require a degree in engineering to operate. 

The inclusion of a remote control is a nice convenience, especially if you store the winder in a hard-to-reach spot.  

But I keep mine on an accessible shelf, so to be honest I hardly use the remote—it’s definitely more of a “nice to have” than a “need to have.” 

Plus, when I did use it, I found it a bit finnicky; you sometimes need to be at just the right angle for it to register commands. 

It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does feel like an area where Enigwatch could improve.

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Quiet Luxury 

I said earlier that a watch winder should keep your watches wound and not be a pain to use, but I forgot to mention one other key criterion: 

It shouldn’t make a ton of noise, either. 

Fortunately, the Japanese Mabuchi motor is impressively quiet, running at just 10 decibels.

That’s about the volume of a whisper, which means that unlike other (cheaper) models, running the Impresario doesn’t mean dealing with an annoying hum that runs in the background. 

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LED Lighting 

One last feature worth noting is the SMD LED lighting system. 

As mentioned above, this is a subtle but effective way to highlight your watches, and with a 50,000-hour lifespan, it’s not something you’ll have to worry about replacing anytime soon. 

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Overall: Good Features, Great Functionality

All in all, functionality is a pretty big win for Impresario. 

The customization, quiet motor, and sleek touchscreen make this a high-end, user-friendly experience. 

The only real downside is the remote, but given that the touchscreen works perfectly well (and most guys will store the winder somewhere within reach), it’s hardly an issue. 

Total Score for Functionality: 4.5 / 5 

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Durability & Longevity

So Far, So Good

(But, Again, I’m Only 2 Months In)

If you’re going to drop over a grand on a watch winder, you want to know it’s built to last. 

At the time of this writing, I’ve only been testing out the Impresario for about two months now, so I can’t speak to its longevity over years. 

But in my experience so far, it certainly seems like a premium product that’s likely to hold up well. 

As noted above, the Macassar wood exterior gives it a strong and steady casing that can stand up to a beating from my boys. This isn’t one of those flimsy, mass-produced winders with cheap plastic parts that start rattling after a few months—this thing is solid. 

And (more importantly) the Mabuchi motor is Japanese-made and runs smoothly, so I expect it’ll also perform quite well as time goes on. 

But again, I’m only a few months in, so who knows what will happen in the future. 

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Lengthy Warranty & Return Window

The good news is that Enigwatch offers a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, which is practically unheard of in the watch winder space. 

Plus they also have a 365-day return policy, meaning you’ve basically got a year to test it out for yourself before deciding whether or not it’s worth the money. 

Taken together, the warranty and return policy suggest that Enigwatch is pretty confident in their product, and after my first few months of testing, I can understand why. 

Overall, the build quality, reliable motor, and lengthy warranty make durability a strong selling point here. 

Yes, you might have to deal with some dust and fingerprints, but with proper care, this is a winder that will likely last a decade or more.

Total Score for Functionality: 4 / 5*

*With the (obvious) caveat that it’s only been a few months.  

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Price & Value

At just over $1,100, the Impresario sits at the higher-end of the watch winder market. 

The price tag might cause some initial sticker shock for some people, and it’s admittedly pretty high—I know a lot of guys who don’t own a single watch worth a thousand bucks, never mind a case to wind them. 

But for me there are two important elements to consider when it comes to price. 

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More Moving Pieces = More Need for Premium Quality

First, a watch winder (quite literally) has a lot of moving pieces. 

From the motors that rotate the watches and the straps and cushions that hold them in place, to the digital controls and even the locking mechanism on the door, there are a lot of things that need to function properly in order for a watch winder like this to work well. 

You can easily cheap out and buy a more affordable model on Amazon, but most of them have sub-par reviews and warranties of two years or less. So the risk of something breaking is high, and when it does, you may be sh*t out of luck. 

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The BMW of Watch Winders 

Second, and this goes back to what I wrote above in the Design & Aesthetic section, this thing is pretty damn sexy. 

While you can probably find a cheaper model that works fine, part of the appeal of the Impresario is that it doesn’t just work well, it looks great. 

The comparison here is to something like a BMW or a Mercedes. 

Sure, you could drive a Toyota and feel confident that it’ll get you from point A to point B efficiently; but if you want both substance and style, you’ll need to pay a premium for a best-in-class product. 

Of course, that only value proposition only makes sense if the product in question really is best-in-class, and as far as I can tell, the Impresario fits the bill. 

When you factor in the high-quality materials and advanced features like the fingerprint unlock system, the investment becomes more justifiable. 

Overall, the Impresario presents a pretty classic case of getting what you pay for—a premium product that delivers on its promises.

Not everyone will be able to afford it, but for serious collectors who want luxury, functionality and security, it’s a worthy investment. 

Total Score for Price and Value: 4.4 / 5 

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Pros and Cons

I’ve thrown a lot at you in the preceding 2,500 words, so you could be forgiven for feeling a bit overwhelmed.

To make things a little easier to digest, here’s a quick head-to-head summary of what I see as the Impresario’s main pros and cons.

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Conclusion 

After a few months of in-person testing, overall my impression is that the Impresario is well-built, well designed, and highly functional. 

The customizable winding settings, quiet motor, and fingerprint security set it apart from cheaper alternatives, making it a great choice for serious collectors.

Of course, it’s not without its flaws. The fingerprint-prone finish and finicky remote are minor annoyances. And at more than a thousand dollars, it certainly ain’t cheap.

But it nicely balances luxury with performance, providing a strong value-for-money proposition for those who can afford it. 

Overall Score for Enigwatch Impresario: 4.3 / 5* 

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