Heisse & Söhne is one of the few brands on the watch winder shelf that supplies not just a casing but its own drive technology as well. Instead of a simple turntable, you get modules with five-fold ball bearings, a stop position at twelve o'clock and a sleep phase that gives quiet at night. On this page we classify all thirteen models that are currently readily available, from the compact two-watch unit to the cabinet with sixteen positions and the pure watch box. You can find more manufacturers in our brand overview.
The Heisse & Söhne models at a glance
The following table sorts all twelve models by our editorial rating and shows at a glance how many watches each device holds. Note the distinction between winders with a motor and the pure watch box, as the two serve completely different purposes. We deliberately do not give specific prices, because they fluctuate strongly in specialist retail and on Amazon, but we place each model in a price class.
| Model | Slots/type | Key feature | Price range | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome 4 | 4 positions, winder | Full specification of the Rome range | Luxury class | 4,4/5 |
| Executive 10 | 10 watches, watch box | Clasp system instead of cushions | upper mid-range | 4,4/5 |
| Rome 2 | 2 positions, winder | 8 levels from 450 TPD, fingerprint scan | Luxury class | 4,3/5 |
| Madrid 8 | 8 positions, winder | Large cabinet of the Madrid range | Luxury class | 4,3/5 |
| Collector 8 | 8 positions, winder | 4 programmes, lockable, in white | upper mid-range | 4,2/5 |
| Madrid 2 | 2 positions, winder | Trapezoid wooden shape, clasp holder | upper mid-range | 4,2/5 |
| Vancouver 2+ | 2 positions, winder | Wood and MDF with faux leather | upper mid-range | 4,1/5 |
| Vancouver 2+ second version | 2 positions, winder | Same construction, different finish | upper mid-range | 4,0/5 |
| Heron 10+ | 10 compartments, box | Mineral glass, Saffiano look, drawer | upper mid-range | 4,2/5 |
| Chicago 8 | 8 positions, winder | 8 levels from 450 TPD, fingerprint scan, sleep phase | Luxury class | 4,3/5 |
| Chicago 6 | 6 positions, winder | Same technology as Chicago 8, without storage compartments | Luxury class | 4,3/5 |
| Chicago 16 | 16 positions, winder | Largest version of the Chicago range | Luxury class | 4,3/5 |
| Watch Master 3 | 3 positions, winder | 8 levels from 450 TPD, lock, no storage compartment | Luxury class | 4,3/5 |
The models in detail
Heisse & Söhne Rome 4
- Four watches on individually programmable modules: each watch gets its own direction of rotation and its own number of turns, which is the decisive advantage with mixed calibres
- According to the manufacturer, the Rome range works with eight speed levels from 450 to 1,500 turns per day as well as clockwise, anticlockwise and alternating running
- Five-fold ball bearings, a stop position at twelve o'clock and the Smart-Sleep sleep phase between 10 pm and 11 am are part of the range's technology package
- The Rome 4 is clearly in the luxury class, and for a single automatic watch the cabinet is simply oversized
Heisse & Söhne Executive 10
- The clasp system encloses each strap and holds the watch upright, so nothing gets jumbled when you open it and the straps are protected
- The material mix of high-gloss wood and aluminium clearly sets the box apart from simple faux leather products, with soft velour lining the inside
- The viewing window in the lid shows the whole collection without you having to open the box, and still keeps the dust out
- Pure storage without a motor: an automatic watch that is rarely worn simply stays still here, and with very narrow straps you should compare clasp width and strap circumference beforehand
Heisse & Söhne Rome 2
- Eight speed levels from 450 to 1,500 turns per day cover practically every common automatic calibre, plus clockwise, anticlockwise and alternating running
- The electronic lock with fingerprint scan secures the cabinet without a key, and LED interior lighting and RGB module lighting additionally show off the watches
- The wood and MDF body measures around 35.5 by 18 by 23.5 centimetres and holds the watches via the High-Flex watch clasp with velour cover
- The Rome 2 runs exclusively on the power adapter, so it is ruled out for a certified safe without a power feed-through
Heisse & Söhne Madrid 8
- Eight moving positions keep a complete collection wound, and each module can be set individually for direction and speed
- According to the manufacturer, the Madrid range is offered with two, four, six and eight positions, so you can move up within the same look
- Clasp holders instead of loose cushions, a wooden body, a viewing window and separately switchable lighting make the cabinet suitable for the living room
- An eight-position unit needs a lot of space and permanent power, and for two or three watches it is the considerably more expensive solution
Heisse & Söhne Collector 8 White
- Four fixed programmes with 650, 900, 1,350 and 1,800 turns per day reach into ranges that many competitors do not offer at all
- Each watch can be programmed individually for direction and speed, and the lighting can be switched separately via its own control panel
- The lockable wood and MDF body measures around 43 by 27 by 39 centimetres according to specialist retailers and looks considerably lighter in white than the black cabinets
- With four speed programmes, the Collector 8 falls behind the eight levels of the Rome and Madrid ranges, and the grid is coarser for exotic calibres
Heisse & Söhne Madrid 2
- Eight speed levels from 450 to 1,500 turns per day with clockwise, anticlockwise and alternating running, each watch individually programmable
- The three-part watch clasp with stainless steel ball catches holds even heavier cases securely, and the viewing window shows both watches
- The trapezoid wooden case measures around 33 by 25 by 23 centimetres according to specialist retailers and looks more compact than the numbers suggest
- The Madrid 2 also runs only on mains power, and as with all the brand's models, there is no independently measured figure for noise level
Heisse & Söhne Vancouver 2+
- The wood and MDF body with faux leather cover looks less like a display cabinet than the Rome and Madrid models and suits homely surroundings better
- According to the manufacturer, the Vancouver range is available with two, four and eight positions, so the concept can be scaled up as the collection grows
- Here too the brand's clasp principle applies, wrapping around watch straps instead of laying them on a loose cushion
- For the exact rotation programming of the Vancouver 2+, the manufacturer gives no reliable information in the Amazon listing, so you should ask about it specifically before buying
Heisse & Söhne Vancouver 2+ second version
- Technically it is the same Vancouver 2+, offered under this item number in a different version
- For two automatic watches the concept stays identical: wood and MDF for the body, faux leather for the covering, clasps instead of loose cushions
- The duplication is practical when one version is currently not available and you do not want to give up on the series
- Because the two listings do not differ in essence, it is worth looking at both product pages before buying, otherwise you pay more than necessary for the same technology
Heisse & Söhne watch box Heron 10+
- For this box the manufacturer gives unusually specific dimensions: each compartment measures roughly 93 x 52 millimetres, and the watch cushion is roughly 51 millimetres wide with a circumference of roughly 190 millimetres
- According to the manufacturer, the viewing window is made of mineral glass, not acrylic, which is the noticeable difference from many boxes in this class
- Below the ten slots there is a drawer roughly 41 millimetres high, divided into four sections, with a wave-shaped insert on the left for rings and cufflinks
- The interior is lined with faux leather in a Saffiano look, which makes the box seem considerably more valuable than its material construction suggests
- A box moves nothing. If you want to keep your automatic watches running, you need a watch winder; this is purely about protected storage
- The manufacturer gives no reliable information on the closure; to our knowledge it is not a lockable box
Heisse & Söhne watch winder Chicago 8
- Eight rotation settings with 450, 550, 650, 750, 850, 950, 1,200 and 1,500 turns per day, plus clockwise, anticlockwise and alternating rotation: this lets you set every movement to its database value
- Each motor is individually programmable, and there is also a 12 o'clock stop position and a sleep phase from 10 pm to 11 am, during which the device stands still
- The High-Flex clasps with velour covering run on stainless steel ball bearings and fit strap circumferences from 14 to 22.5 centimetres, from very small to oversized watches
- Electronic fingerprint lock, LCD control display, LED interior lighting and a programmable RGB light that reacts to movement
- At 48 centimetres wide, 35 centimetres high and 12.1 kilograms, the device needs a sturdy piece of furniture, and it runs on mains power only, so it is ruled out for the safe
Heisse & Söhne watch winder Chicago 6
- The Chicago series is a pure capacity ladder: model number, dimensions and weight change, the technology package stays. The six-slot model therefore inherits it completely
- Eight rotation settings with 450, 550, 650, 750, 850, 950, 1,200 and 1,500 turns per day, with a choice of alternating, anticlockwise or clockwise rotation, selected separately for each motor
- H&S Perfect-Stop 12 stops every watch at twelve o'clock, H&S Smart-Sleep pauses from 22:00 to 11:00, and the modules sit on 5-fold ball bearings
- Body 38 x 34 x 24 centimetres made of wood and MDF, high gloss meets satin-matt open-pore black ash, plus chrome elements, velour, LCD display, fingerprint lock and a 2-year warranty
- Unlike the Vancouver models, the Chicago series offers no additional storage: storage compartments and a drawer are missing, although buyers often expect them in a display cabinet of this size. The device also runs on mains power only
Heisse & Söhne watch winder Chicago 16
- Sixteen individually programmable motors serve a collection that would otherwise need two display cabinets side by side
- In width the sixteen-slot model stays at the size of the Chicago 8, that is 48 centimetres, and grows only upwards: 53 instead of 35 centimetres in height with the same 24 centimetres of depth
- Eight rotation settings from 450 to 1,500 turns per day, three rotation directions, Perfect-Stop 12, Smart-Sleep from 22:00 to 11:00 and modules on 5-fold ball bearings
- Fingerprint lock with Fin-Protect, LCD control display, LED interior lighting plus separately switchable RGB Motion Light, High-Flex clasp for 14 to 22.5 cm strap circumference, 2-year warranty
- 17.5 kilograms and mains-only operation rule out a safe and a wobbly chest of drawers. The series offers no storage space: if you need storage compartments or a drawer, you end up with the Vancouver models
Heisse & Söhne Watch Master 3
- Eight rotation settings with 450, 550, 650, 750, 850, 950, 1,200 and 1,500 turns per day, each motor individually programmable, plus anticlockwise, clockwise and alternating rotation
- Three slots close the gap that the Chicago series leaves between two and four slots, with the same technical equipment including the 12 o'clock stop and a sleep phase from 10 pm to 11 am
- Lockable lock, LCD display, separately switchable LED interior lighting, door with mineral glass, modules on 5-fold ball bearings, clasp 6 centimetres wide for circumferences from 14 to 22.5 centimetres
- No drawer and no storage compartments, as with the whole Chicago family: anything that does not sit in one of the three slots needs its own watch box
- Mains-only operation at a weight of 6.6 kilograms; the device is not suited to a safe without power
Heisse & Söhne: origin and technology
The brand goes back to the family business Heisse, whose founding is dated to 1976. The addition since 1976 is even part of the official brand name and appears on packaging and product pages. In 2010 Heisse & Söhne was taken into the portfolio of Designhütte GmbH as a premium brand; that company had been founded in 2006 by Jan Heisse. Both brands therefore come from the same house, which you can also follow on our page for the brand Designhütte.
Development, design and component selection are based in Halver in Westphalia. There, in 2013, the company set up its own production site with a CNC machining centre and a specialised paint shop, which explains the characteristic high-gloss finishes of the cabinets. According to company information, the group now works with more than 2,500 sales partners in more than 70 countries. This structure is the reason why you find Heisse & Söhne both at the jeweller's and on Amazon.
Technically you recognise the brand by a fixed package of features that appears across all winder series: separately programmable motors for each watch, five-fold ball bearings, a stop position at twelve o'clock, LED interior lighting and a sleep phase. This sleep phase is called Smart-Sleep and lets the modules rest between 10 pm and 11 am, which takes the edge off night-time operation. There is also the clasp system, which wraps around straps instead of laying them on a cushion and, according to the manufacturer, covers circumferences from 14 to 22.5 centimetres. The Chicago series shows how consistently the brand carries through this package: it ranges from two to sixteen watches and differs within the series only in model number, dimensions and weight. We classify the small versions under watch winders for 2 to 4 watches, the large ones under watch winders for 6 watches or more.
We deliberately leave one important point open: Heisse & Söhne gives no measured decibel value for its winders. We could claim a figure here, but it would not be verifiable, and that is exactly what we do not do. For our assessment we rely on the construction, that is the five-fold ball bearings and the sleep phase, and for the bedroom we still recommend a decoupling pad. How to judge running noise realistically is explained in our guide to noise levels.
Who Heisse & Söhne suits
Heisse & Söhne suits you if you own several automatic watches with different calibres and want to supply each movement precisely. That is exactly what the separately programmable modules are made for, because a single shared motor can only ever run a compromise. If, on the other hand, all your watches carry the same movement, you do not need this flexibility and will save money with a simpler device. You can find out how many turns per day your calibre really requires in our turns table.
For two watches, the Rome 2 is the fully equipped choice, the Madrid 2 the more distinctive in form and the Vancouver 2+ the homelier. You can see all three in a wider context in our comparison of watch winders for two to four watches. If the collection grows beyond four pieces, the Madrid 8 and Collector 8 are in a different league, which we classify under watch winders for six watches and more. The Rome 4 sits right in between and is the most sensible end point for many.
The brand is not suitable in two situations. First, if you are looking for a battery-powered device for a certified safe, because the models listed here run on a power adapter and drilling one in afterwards costs your safe its certification. Second, if you simply need storage without a motor, because you wear your watches every day or own quartz watches. For the second case, the Executive 10 from our watch box overview is the right answer, and for the first it is worth a look at watch safes with a winder.
Alternatives to Heisse & Söhne
The closest alternative comes from the same house: the winders from Designhütte share the drive philosophy, but look more technical and work with LCD control instead of a high-gloss display cabinet. If you prefer modularity to finished pieces of furniture, you are better off with Beco Technic, whose Boxy modules you stack like building blocks and supply via a shared base. Both routes lead to a system that grows with your collection, only the way there is different.
If you value solid wood and a calm, classic design, MODALO is the German alternative with solid wood cases and MV4 motor technology. If, on the other hand, you are deliberately looking for a cheaper entry point, among the affordable watch winders you will find devices that fulfil the basic purpose without offering the depth of features of the Rome range. Honestly, that is entirely sufficient for many collections, because a movement does not care how expensive the motor turning it was.
If you are torn between brands, a look at our individual analyses helps. In the review hub you can compare winders, display cabinets and boxes side by side and see where the differences actually lie. You will find the two models of this brand already reviewed, the Rome 2 and the Executive 10, there with all the data in detail. For the remaining models on this page, we classify them so far based on manufacturer and specialist retailer information.
Editorial verdict
Heisse & Söhne is one of the few brands on the watch winder shelf with a genuine German development history and a feature package that stays consistent across all ranges. Separately programmable modules, five-fold ball bearings, a sleep phase and the clasp system are demonstrable advantages and not marketing phrases. Anyone who wants to supply several calibres precisely and accepts the price gets one of the most mature solutions on the market. Our recommendation for most collections is the Rome 4, and for two watches the Rome 2.
Two points need to be stated honestly. First, there is no reliable figure for noise level, so our classification is based on the design and not on a measurement. Second, the devices are mains-dependent, which rules out use in a safe and leads to a short pause in the event of a power cut. Anyone who can live with that gets display cabinets that are technology and furniture in one, and with the Executive 10 also a watch box that truly presents its collection.
The text of this page was created with an AI language model and was reviewed and approved editorially before publication. Editorial responsibility lies with Seydhan Cakmak. The product images shown are not AI images but manufacturer and retailer photos from the Amazon catalogue, which we embed unchanged.
A limitation we disclose: Amazon and the retailers selling there now use generative tools in their listings themselves. Whether an individual catalogue image is affected, we cannot check from the outside, so we claim it neither one way nor the other. As soon as an image demonstrably comes from a generative model, we label it visibly on the image with the label AI image. More on this on the AI transparency page.