Watch Care

A luxury watch is built to last decades, but only if it is looked after. Most damage to fine timepieces comes not from accidents but from small habits — a crown left unscrewed, a watch worn in the shower, a service postponed one year too many. This guide covers what actually matters.

Everyday Care

Regular cleaning and sensible handling preserve both the appearance and the function of a watch. Wipe the case and bracelet with a soft, dry cloth to remove dust, skin oils and perspiration, which are mildly corrosive over time. Avoid contact with perfume, hairspray, solvents and household cleaners — these attack gaskets and can dull a polished finish.

Cleaning a Water-Resistant Watch

If the watch has a verified water-resistance rating and a screw-down crown that is fully closed, you can clean it with lukewarm water and a drop of mild soap. Use a soft toothbrush to work between the bracelet links and around the lugs, rinse with clean water, then dry thoroughly with a lint-free cloth — paying particular attention to the gaps between links, where moisture sits longest.

Cleaning a Non-Water-Resistant Watch

Watches with no water-resistance rating, or with a leather strap, should never meet water. Wipe the case with a dry, soft cloth only. Remove dust from around the crown and lugs with a soft dry brush. For anything beyond surface cleaning, take it to a professional rather than risking moisture near the movement.

Water and Moisture

Always confirm the crown is fully screwed down before any contact with water. An unsecured screw-down crown removes the watch’s primary seal and is the single most common cause of water damage.

Even a well-sealed watch should stay out of the shower. Steam consists of water molecules small enough to pass gaskets that would stop liquid water, and hot water expands the case and seals at different rates, momentarily breaking the seal. Soap and shampoo attack the rubber compounds directly.

Handling and Impact

Handle the watch gently and be deliberate about when you wear it. Sports involving sharp shocks — racquet sports, golf, weight training — transmit impacts directly into the movement, and a hard knock can disturb the balance staff or shift a gasket seating even when the case shows no mark.

Put a watch on and take it off over a soft surface. Most drops happen during those few seconds, not during wear.

Straps and Bracelets

Check your strap or bracelet regularly and replace or repair it when worn. On a bracelet, inspect the spring bars, the clasp and the link pins. On a leather strap, look at the area where it bends against the lugs — that is where the material fails first, usually without warning.

Leather straps have a working life measured in months to a couple of years depending on wear, particularly if exposed to perspiration. Rubber and metal last considerably longer.

Storage

Store watches in a dry place, out of direct sunlight and away from strong magnets — speakers, laptop closures and magnetic phone mounts are all sources strong enough to magnetise a mechanical movement and disrupt its rate. A watch box or soft pouch is sufficient for most collections.

A watch winder is worth considering for an automatic with a perpetual calendar, where resetting after the watch stops is genuinely involved. For a simple automatic, it is a convenience rather than a necessity.

Batteries and Servicing

Replace a quartz battery promptly when it runs low. A depleted cell can leak and corrode the movement, and that damage often costs more than the watch is worth. Have it done by a professional who will replace the case-back gasket and pressure test the watch afterwards — a battery change is one of the most common moments for water resistance to be quietly lost.

A full mechanical service involves dismantling the movement, cleaning every component, replacing worn parts, re-lubricating and regulating the watch, then testing it across positions. It also covers the case, crystal and bracelet. The interval most manufacturers recommend is five to seven years.

Caring for Iced-Out Pieces

Stone-set watches need a gentler routine. Rinse with clean water after wear and dry thoroughly, working carefully around the settings where residue collects and dulls the stones faster than anything else. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners entirely — the vibration can loosen settings.

Have the settings checked when the watch is serviced. A stone that has begun to work loose is far cheaper to re-set than to replace once lost.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Showering with the watch on. Steam and heat defeat seals that would comfortably hold against a swimming pool.
• Leaving the crown unscrewed. It removes the main seal entirely and is the most common cause of water damage — and the easiest to prevent.
• Skipping the pressure test after a battery change. Opening the case back breaks the seal. Without a new gasket and a re-test, water resistance is unverified.
• Waiting for the watch to stop before servicing. By the time a movement visibly fails, its parts have usually been wearing against each other for years.
• Storing a watch next to magnets. Laptop closures and magnetic phone mounts are strong enough to magnetise a movement and throw its rate out by minutes a day.