In collaboration with Berry Harleman - Expert of watches
Whether you bought a new Rolex in a jewellery store or won a vintage Art Deco watch on the Catawiki Exclusive Watch auction; you probably wish to enjoy it for quite some time. Maintenance is essential to keep your watch in good condition! Read along for some tips and tricks.
Wear carefully
To start with the obvious: a mechanical watch is -generally -not made for playing tennis or visiting the sauna. In order to keep your watch safe and sound be careful of water (while sailing or dancing in the rain), shocks and bumps (which your watch is at risk at during a nice game of soccer), and large fluctuations in temperature (do not wear your watch in the sauna and preferably not while sunbathing). Leather straps are not just sensitive to water but also to the perfume you wear on your wrist and to grease drops coming from the food you eat!
Storage
Not everyone buys a watch to wear it: some collect, others like to safe the watch for a very special occasion. In this case it is extra important to pay good attention to the storage of your watch. Keep it safe in a dry, dark, temperature- controlled environment. Humidity can cause movements to rust while light can fade colours. The latter, interestingly, is not always a disadvantage: in exceptional cases (often with Rolex watches) faded colours can make a watch more desirable. This particular Patina adds value to certain watches, but in most cases it is by far best to store your precious watch away from light. The original box of the watch is often a good place for storage.
Clean regularly
To keep your watch in good condition you can clean the watchcase gently with a soft toothbrush and some water. A leather strap stays soft and supple by regularly waxing it.
Keep it running
Keep the movement moving: if you do not plan to wear your watch regularly, wind it up daily to make sure the oil does not run dry and gears start to stiffen. However, you should also give the coil spring in your watch the chance to end and release its tension. A watch winder can help to regularly wind up automatic watches by moving the watch in a way that simulates human motion, activating the self-winding mechanism without over winding.
Be aware when to set the date
Do not set the date on your mechanical watch between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. for it can interfere with the date-changing mechanic and damage the watch.
Service
Last but not least: make sure your watch gets serviced by a specialist every few years, even if your watch seems in good shape. A specialist can see what part of your watch needs fine-tuning and thus prevent it from breaking down or faltering later on. Always inform the watchmaker or specialist if you do not want certain parts of your vintage watch to be replaced, or polished, or adjusted. While regular service is needed to keep your watch running smoothly, sometimes it needs extra maintenance. Check the glass on your watch for damage from time to time and be alert for condensation behind the glass.
If you wear, store and maintain your watch accordingly, chances are you will enjoy it for many years. Wish to add another beauty to your collection? Check out our Exclusive Watch auction or our Rolex Watch auction!