How To Take Care Of Your Watch

Just like any valuable item, your luxury watch must be taken care of. However, watches are such complex instruments that knowing exactly how to properly take care of them can seem overwhelming to begin with. 

But not to worry, there are just a few basic maintenance steps you should know to keep your watch in perfect condition, and we've compiled them here. 

4 ways to take care of your watch:

1. Correct storing
2. Regular cleaning
3. Keeping it in a watch winder 
4. Servicing

1. Correct Storing

Whether you’re at home or on the move, your watch should be stored in a quality watch case away from direct sunlight or heat. Storing it this way will preserve the watch, and keep your collection scratch-free. 

Some people store their watches in the watch boxes that they come with, but we do not recommend doing this. Taking the watch out and putting it back in too frequently could damage the box.

At Watch Obsession, we stock a wide range of top quality watch storage solutions, from 10-piece leather watch boxes to single watch travel cases and everything in between. 

 

JPM 2-Watch Leather Travel Storage Case

The stunning JPM 2 Watch Travel Storage Case features an exterior of black Italian calfskin leather, with space to accommodate two full-size watches, each nestled in a soft black suede recess with a protective divider that offers exceptional defence against marks and scratches.

Browse our full range of watch cases here.

 

2. Regular Cleaning

Naturally, the oils we produce from our skin alongside general outdoor grime will make our watches dirty. Dirt can dull a watch and in some cases, can even damage it by wearing down the links and blocking the crown and dials.

If you are going out and want your watch to look its best, we recommend giving it a quick once over with a clean cloth. This will remove excess moisture, dirt and any lotion build-up, making your watch sparkling new. Avoid using your shirt or a cloth that you may use for other purposes as that can put scratches in the highly polished surfaces of your watch. 

You can also take precautions to keep your watch clean, such as keeping your watch away from the sunlight, lotions and perfumes. Still, every so often, we recommend performing a deep clean on your watch.

How To Clean Your Watch 

If you have a bracelet strap, place it in a bowl of warm water and mild dish soap. Instead, if you have a leather strap, you can place it in a bowl of warm water and leather cleaner. 

Once the dirt has separated from the strap, take a watch brush and lightly scrub the strap. This will help to loosen any leftover dirt. Rinse the strap with clean water until the dirt is removed. 

Finally, take a microfibre cloth and dry the strap, making sure you absorb all the moisture to prevent mildew. 

HELI Professional 4-in-1 Watch Cleaning & Polishing Cloth

The Heli 4-in-1 Watch Cleaning & Polishing Cloth is a great maintenance accessory, especially for those with a more varied collection of watches or jewellery. 

This special cloth features four different materials: one side each is designed for the cleaning of steel and chrome, precious stones and gold or platinum; the fourth quadrant is a finishing cloth that gently buffs all materials and gets them looking their absolute best. 

Browse our extensive watch care range here. 

3. Keeping It In A Watch Winder

For automatic watches, it can be advantageous to keep them in a watch winder.

As well as being a unique display piece, a watch winder will keep your premium watches running when not worn. This enables your automatic watch that is ever running to display time and date accurately, so you never have to worry about reading false information. 

Using a watch winder will also extend the life of your watch. Your luxury watches must undergo maintenance around every three years. Unfortunately, the maintenance alone will not prevent wear and tear of the gears. If your watch is continuously running, it should self-lubricate to help make it durable. A well-designed watch can last up to 150 years provided that it is kept wound.

Not only that, but they also protect your luxury watches against damage and loss. A watch winder helps to safely store your valuable watches since the watch bands can wrap securely and tightly around a pillow in the winder. 

WOLF ROADSTER Single Watch Winder

The incredible Wolf Roadster single watch winder is a meticulously engineered watch winder with a sharp design. It features black pebble faux leather, a backlit LCD display, Ebony Macassar wood veneer faceplate, locking glass cover, chrome finished hardware and a single winding module. What more could you want from a watch winder?

Learn more about watch winders here and shop our full range of Watch Winders on our site. 

4.  Servicing 

Finally, we suggest adhering to your watch manufacturer’s suggested service intervals. You can find this in the watch manual that comes with the watch and by contacting the manufacturer or contacting your local watchmaker. 

For maintenance between services, you may also want to get your hands on a quick service tool kit, such as the Bergeon Watch Tool kit, which allows you to carry out simple tasks such as bracelet adjustment, battery replacement, watch strap replacement and many more.

 

So, there we have it! Follow these 4 simple steps to help keep your watch clean and efficient for a long time to come. 

Shop our luxury watches, watch straps and watch tools and accessories on our website.

Written by Kate for WatchObsession.