A watch does more than just tell the time. Often, there are personal stories associated with a watch, which makes the sentimental value of the timepiece far greater than its financial value. If taken care of properly, timepieces can be passed down through the generations, and the stories along with it.
Luxury timepieces cost a great deal of money and are made to last a very long time, with the movements continuing to provide accuracy and provision. However, if the watch is not properly taken care of, then it will be much more difficult to pass down a working watch through the generations.
Many people do not take the small amount of time required for basic watch care, which can increase the lifespan of your watch and allows you to get more value out of it.
It’s not difficult to properly take care of a watch, especially if one is truly passionate about it. Here are some things you can do to make your new luxury watch last longer.
1. First of all, if your watch has a quickset feature, do NOT use it for setting the time between the hours of 8:00 pm and 4:00 am. This can severely damage your timepiece.
2. Always remove your watch to wind it or set the time. Pulling up on the crown while it’s on your wrist to adjust it will damage and loosen the crown over time.
3. Consider activities you plan to undergo and choose your watch accordingly. For example, if you plan to play golf or tennis do not wear an automatic or manual wind timepiece as the impact of these activities can jar the movement.
4. If you are bathing, taking a shower, or washing dishes, it’s always a good idea to remove your watch. The hot water and soap can permeate the gasket and weaken it, causing water to enter the watch case.
5. Always rinse your watch off after swimming to remove chlorine and salt water. And remember never wear a watch with a leather band in water, whether swimming, bathing, washing dishes, or any other water activity. Very few leather bands can stand up to moisture.
Here are some basic guidelines to what you can do with watches of various water resistance:
- Water resistant to 30 meters or simply labeled “water resistant”— Can withstand splashing.
- Water resistant to 50 meters— Okay for light swimming but not prolonged immersion
- Water resistant to 100 meters— Good for all types of swimming
- Water resistant to 200 meters— Safe for diving
- Water resistant greater than 200 meters— Suitable for deep diving
6. Don’t expose your watch to excessive heat, such as saunas or leaving it out in strong sunlight. This can dry up lubricants and cause premature aging of dials and cause dial lacquers to lift or bubble.
7. At the end of the day when removing your watch, take a moment to clean smudges and fingerprints from the case, crystal (the watch glass), and metallic watchbands. Leather bands can be cleaned periodically with a leather cleaner and conditioner.
8. If your watch is water resistant to 50 meters, you can use a little bit of soap and water with a soft brush to clean your watch. For WR levels less than 50, use a bit of mild jewelry cleaner on a barely damp small brush. Work gently but purposefully to remove dust and skin particles, particularly from those hard to get at areas at the back of the watch, between the bracelet links, under the clasp, etc. Once the watch is clean, dry it all off with a soft cloth.
Read Also: Timeless Care Tips for Your Timepiece
