So you have invested in a luxury watch. You did so with the thought that it would last a lifetime, so it made for a wise investment decision. But did you know that if you’re not taking the necessary steps to maintain and care for it, it may not last nearly as long as you had thought? With that in mind, here are some simple tips that will help extend the lifespan of your luxury watch, ensuring you can enjoy it for many years to come.
Keeping It Clean Is Simple and Necessary
This simple tip can’t be stressed enough, as it is one of the most important things you can do to maintain the lifespan of your luxury watch. Keeping it clean means that dust, dirt, and grime don’t get into the inner workings of your watch. Should that happen, you could be dealing with an expensive professional cleaning and fix.
The safest and most effective way to clean your watch is to use a soft microfibre cloth that is lint-free to gently “wipe” it. You can do so with a dry cloth, as that is usually enough. Should it need a more thorough cleaning, opt for a small soft-bristled toothbrush. Just be sure not to use too much pressure with the toothbrush, you need to be gentle.
Keep Your Watch Dry Unless It’s Waterproof
While a little rain or splash of water may not be a big deal, you never want to soak your watch – or even worse submerge it in water if it’s not waterproof. Even waterproof watches have limits on how deep they can be submerged and for how long.
If your watch does get wet, be sure to pat it dry immediately. You may need to remove it and let it air dry after patting it dry to be safe.
Store Your Watch In a Safe Spot
A luxury watch is a true statement piece, but that doesn’t mean you want to wear it every day. When you’re not wearing it, it should be stored in a safe spot. A “safe spot” is enclosed so that dust and dirt can’t settle on it, it should have soft padding, and ideally, the sun isn’t getting at it. Leaving your watch in direct sunlight for extended periods is never advisable since it can fade the components.
If your watch didn’t come with a storage case, it would be well worth purchasing a high-quality one.
Be Sure to Wind Your Watch Regularly
If you have a mechanical-style watch with a winding mechanism, be sure to wind it regularly. Even if you aren’t wearing it daily and instead have it stored in a case, take it out once in a while and wind it. Should you fail to do this regularly, problems can arise such as the spring unwinding, which means the watch will no longer work.
Get Your Watch Professionally Repaired Promptly
Even with all these tips, issues and accidents can still arise. Should your watch stop working properly, don’t put off the repair. It should be looked at as soon as possible by a professional with experience. Attempting to repair the watch yourself means you risk causing further damage to it, which may not even be repairable.
Should you have a luxury watch that isn’t working properly, we invite you to contact us at Martins of Glasgow at 0141 946 6333 or visit us online at www.martinsjewellers.co.uk. We have plenty of experience with vintage and luxury timepieces, and we’d be happy to help you with your repair.