An
automatic watch, also called a self-winding watch, is a
mechanical watch in which the natural motion of the wearer provides energy to run the watch, making manual winding unnecessary. The watch contains an oscillating weight that turns on a pivot, which is attached to a
ratcheted winding mechanism. The earliest credible evidence for a successful automatic watch is that made by the Swiss watchmaker
Abraham-Louis Perrelet in late 1776 or early 1777.
Photograph: Petar Milošević