Watch maintenance: 5 tips for care

A watch needs proper maintenance and care to preserve its aesthetic appeal and ensure its reliable functionality over the years.

Watches symbolize sophistication and elegance, treasured as lifelong investments.

Buying an expensive watch doesn’t mean it will last longer over the years. Ensure its lifetime durability by actively engaging in daily actions that preserve its quality.

A watch is like a car, you have to take care of it to maintain its performance at the top. You have to clean it, store it, service it, be aware of the environment and how to use it properly.

I know what you thinking, where do I start? Well, let’s start from here.

1. Do not expose to the environment

Watches are very sensible to the environment so it’s important to know which factor can affect your timepiece, like:

1.1 Magnet maintenance and tips

Exposing your watches to powerful magnets for an extended period tends to mess with the internal functions. It affects the accuracy of the mechanism.

Especially those with mechanical movements, which rely on a balance wheel and hairspring to regulate the release of energy.

The exposure to a magnetic field can magnetize these components causing inaccuracy and altered movement. Magnetic fields can seriously inhibit its function or even stop it altogether.

Avoid leaving your watch too close to anything that contains a strong magnet, such as speakers, refrigerators, or your phone.

Sometimes, you may suspect your watch has been exposed to a strong magnetic field, noticing erratic timekeeping.

For watch maintenance, I advise you to have it checked by a professional watchmaker. They have the tools and expertise to diagnose and address magnetization issues, ensuring your watch keeps the time precise.

1.2 Water maintenance and tips

Water resistance is a crucial factor when buying a watch. Especially for those who have a lot of water-related activities because not every watch is appropriate for every water activity.

Each watch withstands water pressure up to a certain depth without leaking. This rating is expressed in either atmospheric pressure (atm) or water depth (m). In brief, the basic water resistance levels are:

3 ATM/30 m, splashproof, resistant to accidental splashes and rain, not suitable for swimming.
5 ATM/50 m, brief swimming, appropriate for pool activities but not recommended for snorkeling or diving.
10 ATM/100 m, light snorkeling, suitable for swimming and water sports but not scuba diving.
20 ATM/200 m and higher, scuba diving, designed for various water activities.

Also take note that, water resistance is a valuable feature and it’s not permanent. In fact, water resistance can dimmish over time due to aging gaskets or seals.

The temperature of the water is a big variable in water resistance. Sudden temperature changes can affect the mechanism of a watch.

For watch maintenance, I advise you to avoid going from hot to cold water and vice versa. Never wear your watch in hot tubs or saunas as extreme heat can affect the seals and reduce water resistance.

Ensure your watch maintains its water resistance by regularly having a professional watchmaker pressure test and service it. Remember, water resistance doesn’t guarantee protection from water damage in every situation.

1.3 Chemical maintenance and tips

For watch maintenance, avoid exposing it to chemicals to maintain the integrity and appearance of a watch. They can be like detergent, perfume, alcohol, lotion, and other chemicals.

Chemicals can damage the materials present in the watch, like metals, plastic, and crystals. It can corrode the metal case, bracelet, or worse the internal movement parts. This leads to compromising the lubricants and leading to increased friction which leads to serious damage.

Other than the internal movement can damage the crystals covering the watch face, usually glass or sapphire. They are very sensitive and such exposure can lead to cracks in the crystal.

Another part very sensitive to chemicals is the strap or bracelet. Especially those made of leather, rubber, or certain types of metal.

Exposure to chemicals is fatal for those types of bracelets. Because they react very poorly and can cause them to stain or tear over time.

1.4 Sun maintenance and tips

The last environmental factor is the sun.

Avoid exposing your watch to extended periods of direct sunlight. This means doesn’t leave it lying in the sun because exposure to strong sunlight can:

Fade the colors on the watch;
Damage your straps or bracelet;
Dry the lubricants;
The heat can shorten your watch’s battery life if it is a quartz watch.

If you notice any changes in its performance due to extended exposure to sunlight. For optimal longevity and performance, we recommend having a professional watchmaker check your watch and perform regular maintenance.

2. Clean your watch

Every day your watch picks up grease and dirt from your skin and surroundings. Even in places you will never imagine. So how to keep your watch clean without damaging it?

For a superficial cleaning, a soft lint-free, microfiber, or cotton cloth to wipe away dust, fingerprints, and smudges.

Instead for the tighter gaps is recommend cotton buds. Personally, I wouldn’t use them because leave wisps of cotton and won’t get in the narrowest gaps. Usually, I use an old toothbrush and a wooden toothpick.

Never use solvents as they can damage some parts of your watch, that’s why we don’t recommend using soap solutions. Even if the watch is filthy you should be good with a little water on the cloth or brush.

To look more brilliant, you don’t have to buy a polish product, is enough a microfibre cloth to make it shinning. Otherwise, you will likely add a gun back into the crevices and you may damage the elements of the watch.

For this type of cleaning, we’ve covered steel or gold type of bracelets. For other kinds of straps the tips can be different based on the type of material used in the strap:

Rubber, wash or wipe with a wet cloth;
Fabric or textile, machine wash or scrub by hand with fabric detergent. But first, check with the manufacturer the type of material because there is a wide array of fabrics;
Leather, keep it dry, and wipe it with a dry or damp cloth. For optimal results, dry thoroughly and consider investing in a specialist leather cleaner after checking the type of leather.

Also, if the watch is particularly dirty or has persistent stains. The best thing to do is take it to a professional watchmaker for a good cleaning session.

3. Have your watch serviced for better maintenance

Servicing a watch is crucial to maintaining its accuracy, longevity, and overall performance. Ensuring everything works smoothly, it’s like servicing your car once a year.

Unless you are an expert, don’t attempt to service a watch yourself because can lead to irreversible damage. Always seek professional help for watch servicing.

Always visit an authorized service center or reputable watchmaker, as they have the expertise and tools necessary.

The steps in watch servicing, in general, are:

Dismantling, carefully removing the case back to access the internal mechanism and separating its various components;
Cleaning, use specialized solutions, ultrasonic cleaners, or other tools to clean every part thoroughly, removing old lubricants and dirt;
Inspection, analyze every part for wear, damage, or other issues, and we replace any damaged components.;
Lubrification, applying new lubricants to the moving parts for lubrication to reduce friction;
Reassembly, place each part back in its proper position;
Timing and regulation, test the movement for accuracy with timing and regulation;
Sealing and pressure testing, seal and pressure test the watch to ensure water resistance;
Final inspection, conduct a final inspection to ensure all functions are working together. Subject some watches to additional quality control before returning them to the owner.

Service your watch whenever you notice a decline in performance or opt for servicing every 3-6 years to ensure optimal functionality.

Servicing a watch is not cheap but it definitely worth the investment to keep the overall performance and preserve its longevity.

4. Maintain the watch by winding with care

Based on the fact that a watch has a lot of pieces in the inner mechanism, you should know how to wind it with care. This prevents you from ruining the mechanism on your watch.

Don’t wind your watch when it’s on your wrist. Because you will pull out the crown up towards you trying to wind it at an awkward angle creating pressure on the steam and causing it to bend or break.

Certainly, you don’t have to wind it while you walking or doing something else in the meantime, not even in the bathroom with a chance to drop it. So, the ideal place is a flat surface, like a table, and you don’t have to rush it when winding.

For mechanical watches with a date function, you have to be careful when winding. Most important don’t change the date when the time is between 9 pm and 3 am.

This is because most watches have to carry out the automatic date change and the gear mechanism that controls the date actually begins its steady advance before midnight and doesn’t finish until several hours afterward.

This movement uses less energy and makes the construction of the movement considerably simpler. But if you engage with it during that time, you risk damaging the whole thing.

Our advice is to make a habit and change every time at the same time. For example, changing the date to 6 pm.

5. Keep it in a watch box for maintenance over time

When you do not intend to use a watch for a period, the best thing is to properly store it. Keep it away from dirt, dust, and moisture throughout a watch box.

Possessing a watch box is beneficial for some reason like scratches and damage. Even minor scratches can affect the appearance and value of your watch. That’s why a watch box provides a designated space for your watch.

If you think that you will not use a watch, you have to consider the fact that can attract dust. That it may enter the movement and affect its accuracy. Also, dust particles can be abrasive and harmful to the delicate components of a watch.

The best watch boxes are the ones that prevent magnetization, sunlight exposure, moisture, and humidity damage.

Some boxes have antimagnetic properties with a controlled and dry environment providing a more stable temperature for watch storage.

If you feel more secure you can add a lock to your watch box providing a layer of security for your valuable timepieces.

For watch maintenance, a watch box it’s an investment for watch enthusiasts who want to preserve the condition of their watches.

Conclusion for watch maintenance

To maintain and preserve your valuable watch, you must actively care for it, regardless of its price, as each timepiece holds unique requirements.

You have to be conscious of what can affect the performance of your watch and prevent damage to preserve its value in time.

It’s a huge satisfaction seeing your watch in perfect condition over time and keeping the story behind that watch intact.