Expensive Watch Care
You’ve finally done it, you’ve plunked down the big bucks for a piece of wrist candy that you’re going to keep the rest of your life. With any luck, you’ll pass that Rolex watch down to your kiddos, a memento to your keen sense of style and investment in their future. Maybe you bought an Omega watch and the message is that you’re a lover of mechanical quartz movement. Whatever the desire may be, the need to care for and keep that expensive watch in its premium finish is primary.
Super high-end dress watches, as well as men’s watches under $5,000 all, require the same sort of proper care and feeding. Their needs vary not by kind, but by degree. So, regardless of your timepiece of choice, let’s see if we can’t add a little life to that expensive wristwatch and help you look your best while doing so.
Basic Care and Watch Cleaning
First, you’re going to want to establish whether your watch is water-resistant or not. Given that there is such a wide variety of expensive watches on the market, there’s a chance that yours is either designed for heavy water use or more likely to be used in the shallow end of the pool.
Once you’ve established that, if your watch isn’t water-resistant, you’re going to need to source some microfiber towels, and if you’ve got some pipe cleaner that would be handy, too. Using a microfiber cloth, work your way around the metal pieces, paying close attention to discoloration. The pipe cleaners will come in handy if you need to work something in and through the intricate pieces often found making up the band.
If your watch is water-resistant to at least 10 meters, you’re in luck. Drop a little bit of mild dish soap (Dawn is awesome) into some lukewarm water. At the same time, keep a clean dish of water next to the sink. You’re going to want to use soapy water for the band (if it’s metal) and clean water for the face. Using either a microfiber cloth or toothbrush (not yours, though), work your way around the parts of the watch paying particular attention near the band’s joints. Though you may not see a massive color change each wash, know that every time you do this you’re avoiding buildup that will eventually tarnish the finish of your timepiece.
To dry your watch, simply wipe it down with a fresh towel and lay it out to dry. Avoid putting it in direct sunlight, however. Many premium watch owners do not realize that the color of the face of their watch can fade over time with too much-prolonged sun exposure.
What to Avoid
Your watch is a precise instrument. A simple version of a mechanical watch contains approximately 130 components, but a premium watch can contain hundreds more. So, you want to be mindful of what you’re up to when you’ve got that all-expensive timekeeper on. Impacts and high g-forces can negatively affect a watch’s functionality, even if it’s designed for active use. Avoid situations where you may take a great impact (no pickup football games, sorry) and you can be sure that those tiny moving parts stay in motion for the long haul.
Magnetic fields can also cause havoc on mechanical watches, especially those that are quartz driven. We’re not just talking about avoiding the Bermuda Triangle here, avoid everyday magnets as well. Speakers, cabinet latches, electric motors, and many electric devices contain magnets, so do your best to avoid those while wearing your watch. If you do come in too close of contact with a magnetic field, your watch’s full mechanical reset may be in order.
Get a Professional
The best way to keep your little time telling a friend in tip-top shape is to take it to a technician who can run through the internals and keep things running strong. If you have a quartz battery in your watch, you’re going to need to replace it about every one to three years, which might be a good interval to have a technician check out your investment ensuring that you can pass it on once your precious time with it has come to pass.
Sources
10 Tips For Maintaining A Luxury Watch – Precision Watches & Jewelry – Precision Watches