n. 1. A stem-winding watch. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: (Fig.) Anything of superior quality, as was attributed to the stem-winding watch; -- esp. used to describe a stirring speech, as in the phrase “a stem-winder of a speech” or “delivered a stem-winder”. [ PJC ]

a. Wound by mechanism connected with the stem; as, a stem-winding watch. [ 1913 Webster ]