Quality designer wristwatches can be major investments. If you’d like your luxury watch to remain in the best possible condition for years to come, then you’ll need to maintain it properly. But what does effective wristwatch maintenance actually look like?
Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Models from Rolex and other major brands tend to require regular cleaning with a mild soap, a soft brush, and microfiber cloths. Do not allow moisture to become trapped within the watch – it will often inflict major unseen damage to the internal mechanisms. You’ll use the cloths to dry the face – although air-drying is also an option. Don’t immerse the watch in water – a little bit goes a long way. The soft bristles of a brush will be able to get into all of those nooks and crannies.
Professional Servicing
There are certain things that a user might not be able to achieve through cleaning. This is why bringing in a professional to take a look at the internal mechanisms is often worthwhile. Depending on how often you wear the watch, you might elect to get it serviced as often as once every five years, or as rarely as once every ten. A professional will be able to not only clean the watch, but also lubricate, calibrate, and generally renew it.
Proper Storage Practices
If you aren’t storing your watch properly when it isn’t in use, then you’ll leave it vulnerable to suffering countless nicks and scratches. You should store your watch indoors, in a dry place that’s free from major swings in temperature and humidity. You can buy special boxes, designed to keep your watch safe. These, along with a quality safe, will be able to protect your investment, not just from environmental stress, but also from burglars.
Avoiding Common Risks
When you wear a watch everywhere you go, you’ll often expose that watch to a range of hazards. This goes especially if you work in a hazard-filled environment, like a laboratory or a factory. Physical impacts can upset the delicate balance of gears within your watch. Abrasive chemicals can tarnish the metal, and leave it permanently discoloured. Magnetic fields might disrupt the mechanisms, and in some cases ruin the watch.
You’ll want to take particular steps to protect your watch if you know that you’re going to be coming up against a harsh environment. Take yours off before you go sailing, soldering, or swimming.
If you want to wear a quality watch while you’re doing these things, then you might consider investing in a different model. Fortunately, there are countless quality watches to choose from, some of which are built to stand up to rugged environments, and to provide features that can be helpful in those environments.
