Taking Care Of Your New Luxury Watch
Now that you’ve purchased your beautiful luxury watch, you want to
be sure that your timepiece provides you with years of reliability
and precision. After, all, you’ve spent a great deal of money on
your special timepiece and so you want to be sure you get your
money’s worth from the watch. And to be sure that your luxury watch
serves you faithfully, you should take good care of your watch by
giving it the attention and care it deserves. The kind of attention
a watch requires is proper care, maintenance and storing it at the
right temperature, as that will extend the life of your luxury
watch.
Protect Your Luxury Watch From Damage
Naturally, because you love your new luxury watch, you’re probably
going to wear it very often, but a watch that is worn regularly is
exposed to the elements and therefore requires some extra protection
from abuse and damage. To extend the life of your fabulous watch,
there are certain things you can do to make sure your luxury watch
gives you many years of service and pleasure. One of the first
things you should do to protect your luxury watch is making sure you
don’t leave the watch in extreme temperatures for any length of
time. The reason? High heat shortens the life of the battery and
very cold temperatures prevent the watch from keeping time
effectively. When not wearing your watch, it’s best to keep it
stored in a soft cloth.
Routines for Your Luxury Watch
In general, a mechanical watch should be serviced every two or three
years while a quartz watch should be served every three to four
years to assure perfect time keeping. If you do wear your watch
almost every day, you should wipe it off at the end of the day to
remove dust, dirt and perspiration. Even just a small piece of dust
can keep your luxury watch from functioning properly.
Water Resistant & Not Water Resistant Watches
If your watch is not water resistant and it gets wet, be sure to dry
it as soon as possible. And if you are working or are going to be
around water, it’s best to remove your watch if you think it might
get wet. Of course, if you tend to wash your hands often, be sure to
remove the watch to keep it dry. And if it is a waterproof watch,
you should still wipe it clear to remove any chlorine that may have
been left on the watch after swimming in a pool of water. Most water
resistant watches are protected if exposed to small amounts of water
for a short period of time, but even when a watch is water
resistant, the resistance may not remain in tact forever. Continuous
exposure to water will eventually penetrate the watchcase and over
time, gaskets or glass weakens and should be changed if necessary.
It’s also a good idea to clean the battery hatch when you have the
battery changed.
Caring For An Automatic, Self-Winding or Manual Watch
If you have an automatic watch, and it hasn’t been worn for a while,
it may stop working. If that happens, turn the crown clockwise a few
times, then set the necessary time by pulling the winding stem out
one notch. Generally speaking, to wind an automatic watch, it would
be best to turn it 30 times the first time you wear it. For a
self-winding watch, the watch should be slightly shaken as a way of
getting it started. When it comes to a manual watch, it’s best that
it be wound at the same time each day, preferably before wearing. By
winding it at the same time, you ensure its accuracy and power
reserve. As you wind the watch, remember, it’s best to stop winding
if you feel even the slightest bit of resistance.
The Watch Band
Many luxury watches come with leather straps, which are selected to
highlight the beauty of the luxury watch and therefore requires
special care. The first thing to consider about leather straps is
that they should not be exposed to water, as water can weaken the
strap and cause it to tear. Another detriment to leather straps is
when women wear perfume. Unfortunately, perfume tends to weaken and
damage a watchband so be cautious when spraying the wrist with
perfume. Best to put the perfume on before putting on the watch.
Then give the perfume time to dry so that it won’t damage the strap.
A note of caution: Even if you care for your leather strap very
carefully, extreme weather conditions can affect the duration of the
leather band.
Reading Your Luxury Watch Manual
A luxury watch requires regular maintenance, which may include
cleaning and lubrication of the movement. To be sure your watch
gives you years of enjoyment, it’s always best to read the manual
that comes with your watch, as it offers recommendations for your
particular luxury timepiece. Since every watch is unique, your watch
may come with special instructions, so never generalize the care of
your luxury watch. Instead use the instruction manual that tells you
exactly what type of care it requires. Also, never open your
timepiece, as it may expose the watchcase to moisture or dust, which
can impact on the reliability of the watch. And finally, if your
watch needs repair, by no means should you try to repair it
yourself, but instead, be sure to have your luxury watch looked at
by a reliable watch repair service.
Water resistancy
A simple outline for water resistancy:
- No indication of water resistancy: The watch is not water resistant and is not designed to come in contact with water. This includes rain and even washing your hands.
- Water resistant or, 30m and 50m: This implies that the watch is designed to withstand water from accidental splashing. Submersion in water should be avoided.
- 100m or 10 Bar: The watch is designed to withstand pressure up to 100m. This includes water exposure from splashing, swimming and submersion.
- 200m or 20 Bar: The watch is designed to withstand water pressure up to 200m. This includes SCUBA diving and other recreational water sports. These watches typically have a “lock in crown” which should always be tightly screwed down.
The most important factor to keep in mind about water resistance is that when a watch is new it meets its water resistance specifications as indicated on its case back. However, over time, the gaskets and seals can become dry and brittle, diminishing its water resistancy rating. If you notice any condensation under the glass, at any time, visit your nearest watchmaker to have the movement of the watch inspected and resealed if necessary.
If you do swim with your watch, either in chlorinated water or sea water, always rinse your watch with fresh water in order to keep all the seals clean from sediment. Finally, many people prefer to shower with their watch on. This is not recommended since the regular expansion on contraction of the seals, caused by the exposure to heat, can deteriorate the effectiveness of these seals.