Talk to me about general watch care…

Watches are not just timepieces, they are also a reflection of your style and personality. They require proper care and maintenance to keep them in good condition. In this blog, we will discuss some general watch care tips to help keep your watch looking and functioning like new. Whether you are a watch enthusiast or just someone who appreciates a good timepiece, knowing how to take care of your watch is important.

 

Tip 1: Check your water resistance rating

 

Most modern watches are manufactured to a certain level of water resistance, ranging anywhere from 10m to 1000m. Contrary to popular belief this does not mean that wearing your watch to the stated depth is safe to do. It is highly recommended that only specially designed dive watches should be exposed to water in any meaningful way. The safest course of action is to avoid water exposure altogether.

 

Tip 2: Be careful in temperature extremes

 

Extreme water temperatures can cause small changes to the shape of the gaskets. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid hot showers and ice baths, especially going from one to the other. Soap can also be harmful to your watch so if exposed to it, be sure to thoroughly rinse after. This will ensure no lasting damage occurs.

 

Tip 3: Screw your crown down

 

If your watch is equipped with a screw-down crown or screw-down pushers, make sure they are fully closed before entering the water. Also, good advice for King Charles to stop his hat from falling off.

 

Tip 4: Keep your watch clean

 

Outside of water, dirt is the biggest enemy to your watch. If your watch isn’t water resistant then it likely isn’t dust resistant. If dust enters the movement it is only a matter of time before mechanical problems arise. Even if your watch is dust and water-resistant you must keep your watch clean, especially if it is on a metal bracelet. A build-up of dirt between the links of the bracelet will see premature wear as the gritty deposits grind away the metal. If you don’t want your bracelet to become loose, give it a clean with warm water and a toothbrush. Click here for an example from our TikTok.

 

Tip 5: Avoid magnetic fields

 

Magnetism does not mix well with mechanical watches. Whether caused by a magnet or prolonged exposure to some electrical appliances, the result is likely to be erratic timekeeping. This will ultimately make the watch run much faster than it should. Not permanent damage but it will likely require a trip to your watchmaker to fix.

 

Tip 6: Keep your watch wound

 

Quartz watch owners can skip to the next tip but mechanical watches need winding, even automatics. First things first, you can’t overwind a watch. When rotating the crown, it will come to a natural stop once the mainspring is fully coiled. It would take some real effort to overcome this to the point of failure. Once a day is usually recommended for manual wind watches.

 

Automatic watches are designed to run without manual winding but this does depend on the activity level of the wearer and the state of wind when they put it on. A watch which stops overnight is usually the result of it being worn at the lower end of its power reserve during the day. Once removed from the wrist, it will wind down and eventually stop. Almost all automatics can be manually wound so don’t be afraid to do so. 20-40 winds should do the trick and provided the watch moves around enough during its daily routine, should keep it going indefinitely.

 

Wind your watch whilst not wearing it. Trying to do so whilst on your wrist can put unnecessary pressure on the winding stem and on occasion can cause it to snap.

 

Tip 7: Beware of shocks

 

If you are likely to be in an environment with severe vibrations or impacts, best to put your G-Shock on. Although modern watches are shock-protected to some degree, they will not appreciate sudden knocks. Should the worst happen and your watch drop onto a hard surface resulting in smashed glass, pull out the crown immediately as in most cases this will stop the hands from moving and dragging any loose shards around the dial. Then, get booked in with your local friendly watchmaker as a service will most likely be needed.

 

Tip 8: Only change the date when it’s safe to do so

 

It is now very common for watches to feature a quick set date. This makes changes much quicker and easier than they once were. However, depending on the design of the movement, there can be safe and unsafe times to do so. As a general rule of thumb, only change the date via the quick set when the hour and minute hands are in the lower half of the dial.

 

Tip 9: Have your watch regularly serviced

 

Your watch is like your car and needs regular servicing to keep it in good running order. Every 3-5 years would be a good starting point although manual wind dress watches may be more frequent. This will be due to the extra stresses on the winding mechanism. A full service will see the mechanism fully disassembled, cleaned and lubricated with any repairs undertaken at the same time. Re-sealing and water resistance tested where appropriate. Good watchmakers will stand by their work and offer a guarantee, typically 12-24 months.

 

Don’t forget your quartz watches too. Whilst they may only need a battery change it is important not to leave a dead battery in the movement as there is always the risk of leakage which will do irreversible damage. Battery and a re-seal every year or two should be good enough until you start to notice your power cell lifespan shortening to a matter of months.

 

Tip 10: Use a watch winder…or don’t

 

There are two schools of thought on this subject so take your pick. My opinion - If you are fortunate enough to own a Patek Philippe perpetual calendar, then sure, a watch winder is a good idea for those periods away from your wrist. Setting it up every time you decide to wear it would be a serious inconvenience. For more commonly seen watches with run-of-the-mill complications, they aren’t necessary. Ask yourself, would you leave your car running on your driveway 24 hours a day if you only drove at weekends. It seems like a recipe for accelerated wear and tear to me.

 

Watches to start your collection

 

With these general watch care tips in mind here are a few examples of watches from a previous auction. These are great watches to look out for and to start your watch collection. Let's see how they got on at auction!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auction Details

 

Watches & Watch Accessories | Thursday 6th April 2023

 

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