A fine watch asks very little to stay at its best — but the little it asks matters. A few
simple habits will keep a watch running well and looking sharp for decades. Here’s everything
worth knowing, without overcomplicating it.
Everyday wear
The kindest thing you can do for a watch is also the simplest: wipe it down. After a day on the
wrist, a soft, dry cloth removes the oils, dust, and sweat that dull a case and wear at a
strap. For a metal bracelet, an occasional clean with a soft brush and mild soapy water — with
the crown closed — keeps it bright; rinse and dry thoroughly afterward.
Take a watch off before activities that a watch shouldn’t share: heavy manual work, contact
sports, and anything with sharp knocks or strong chemicals. Most damage is a single avoidable
impact, not slow wear.
Storage
When a watch isn’t on your wrist, store it somewhere dry, stable, and padded — a watch box or a
soft pouch, away from windowsills and radiators. Avoid extremes of temperature and humidity,
which stress seals and lubricants over time.
If you own several automatics, a watch winder keeps a rotation running so they’re ready to
wear and correctly set. It’s a convenience rather than a necessity — a stopped automatic takes
only a moment to restart and set.
Magnetism
Modern life is full of magnets, and mechanical watches don’t love them. Laptops, speakers,
tablet covers, and magnetic clasps can magnetise a movement and throw off its accuracy — a
watch suddenly running fast is often magnetised rather than broken. Keep watches a hand’s width
from strong magnets, and if one does start running oddly, a watchmaker can demagnetise it in
seconds.
Moisture
Keep the crown pushed fully in (and screwed down, if it screws) whenever the watch might meet
water, and never operate the crown or pushers while the watch is wet. Steam and hot water
degrade seals, so keep watches out of showers and saunas regardless of rating. If you ever see
condensation under the crystal, have it looked at promptly — trapped moisture is one of the few
things that can seriously harm a movement.
Servicing
A mechanical watch is a machine with lubricated parts, and like any machine it benefits from
periodic servicing — cleaning, fresh oil, new seals, and regulation by a qualified watchmaker.
Intervals vary by watch and use; follow the maker’s guidance. Servicing is a real ongoing cost
of mechanical ownership, and it’s also precisely what allows a good watch to run for
generations. A quartz watch needs far less — mainly a fresh battery every year or two, ideally
fitted by someone who reseals the case properly.
Straps
Straps are the wear item, and replacing them is normal, not a sign of neglect. Leather softens
and eventually tires, especially with sweat and water; rotating between two straps extends the
life of both. Rubber and fabric straps are easy to rinse and dry. Swapping straps is also the
simplest way to refresh a watch’s character — a single watch can feel like several with a
change of strap.
Travel
For travel, a padded case or roll protects a watch far better than a jacket pocket. If you’re
crossing time zones, set the time gently and avoid changing the date between roughly 9pm and
3am on mechanical watches, when the date mechanism is engaged and can be damaged by forcing it.
The short version
Wipe it down, keep it dry, keep it away from magnets and hard knocks, store it somewhere calm,
and have a mechanical watch serviced when it’s due. Do that, and a well-made watch will keep
excellent company for the rest of your life — and beyond it.
Continue with the Complete Buying Guide, the
Water Resistance Guide, or explore the
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