Wondering how to take care of your automatic watch? Then this is the article for you.
In the luxury watch industry, there’s no doubt that automatic reigns supreme. These self-winding machines are perfect for the low-maintenance among us. Rather than demanding to be wound daily, automatic watches convert wrist movement into energy.
This process is carried out by the motor which spins on an axle. This action winds the mainspring and, ultimately, provides your watch with power.
Whilst the process of creating power is evidently a mechanical one, automatic watches do need to be wound occasionally.
Ideally, you would wear your watch daily to keep it running efficiently and accurately. That way, you can enjoy your purchase for many years.
However, if you aren’t wearing it often, your watch will need dialing to maintain its performance.
Of course, taking care of your watch consists of more than simply keeping it fully wound. It’s essential to keep it safe, clean and protected.
For helpful tips on how to take care of your automatic watch (including cost-friendly suggestions), keep on reading!
Know Your Watch
First and foremost, the best thing you can do to take care of your watch is to read the product specification. This will give you a good idea of the quality of the watch. In turn, guiding you on how to protect it.
For instance, it’s important to know the materials used to make the watch. One of the most common materials is stainless steel, a strong metal that doesn’t rust.
However, at three times the strength of stainless steel, titanium would be an even more durable choice. By knowing this, you can be aware of how well your automatic watch will deal with wear and tear.
Moreover, reading up on the water-resistance of your watch is a useful tip. Generally, we advise to avoid all water, however, this isn’t necessary for every watch.
For watches with a water resistance of 30ATM or more, you can safely go swimming, diving, or play water sports. On the other hand, if your watch is only water resistant to 3ATM, it cannot tolerate much more than the odd splash.
Finally, why not check the power reserve of your watch? This is the energy stored in the mainspring. When you want to take your automatic watch off, knowing how long it will last before it stops running will allow you to wind it in time.
The average power reserve is around 36-42 hours.
Keep It Safe
The best place for a watch to thrive is in a dry area with no sunlight. If your watch is exposed to too much light, the colour could fade. And too much moisture means rust is a possibility.
Further risks include dust exposure and shock.
To maintain the security of your automatic watch in a budget-friendly way, it’s a good idea to keep the original box.
That way, when you aren’t wearing the product, you can rest assured that it’s in a secure place. Away from moisture and light. What’s more, you can’t possibly forget where you left it!
If you’re looking to protect your watch even more securely, we would suggest buying a safe. Jewellery safes range from £54 to £3146; there’s something for every price range.
With a safe, your product will be protected from theft and secured in a safe environment. That’s how to take care of a watch!
In terms of keeping the watch safe in your day-to-day life, it’s advisable to avoid sports when wearing a watch. Not only could this be uncomfortable, it also risks damage to the watch and arguably isn’t worth the hassle.
Finally, a more obvious suggestion is to leave the watch out of the shower. As stated previously, watches do not like moisture. Whilst an extremely water resistant watch may fare well in the shower, it’s generally not an ideal way to ensure the longevity of your purchase.
Wind With Caution
Daily wear is the goal of keeping your watch fully wound. If you do need to take it off, perhaps for the aforementioned purposes, never wind it whilst on your wrist.
This increases the chances of you dropping the watch and causing damage. Additionally, winding the watch whilst wearing it creates unwanted tension.
Another important tip is to not overdo the winding. It’s true that automatic watches can’t be overwound. However excessive winding can harm the watch. Instead, try to wind it 20-30 times.
Perhaps a watch winder would be a useful purchase for this. You could set your watch down ready to be worn again at any point, without the chore of winding it yourself.
Overall, you shouldn’t wind your automatic watch often as the mechanism is designed for self-winding. However, if you aren’t wearing it often, it’s essential to wind it every now and then in order for it to function well.
Maintain Cleanliness
Regular cleaning of your automatic watch is essential for its upkeep. Make sure you wipe down your watch daily to maintain a sleek, stain-free look.
Before doing this, however, see tip #1- check the specification! Depending on the water resistance of your watch, your cleaning routine could be anything from a brief wipe with a dry cloth to a scrub with soapy water.
The best part is that you can take care of your watch at zero cost just by following these tips.
For a more rigorous polish, we recommend taking your watch to be serviced by a professional. This should be done every 3-5 years for the best results. The servicer may change your gaskets and seals, as well as taking apart your watch for a thorough clean.
Think of this as a precautionary measure; regularly serviced watches tend to last longer.
Take Care With Handling
The last tip for taking care of your watch may seem obvious, yet it must be mentioned.
Be proactive in your handling of the watch. When removing it, be as cautious as the day you bought it by placing it in its safe place immediately.
When you need to adapt the watch, take extra care to not drop it. For example, if you are changing the strap, do this on a secure surface to avoid dropping the watch from a height.
Thankfully, many watches are designed to withstand damage. Here at Uniform Wares, we use scratch-resistant sapphire crystal to ensure you can enjoy your watches for years to come.
However, it remains imperative to take great care of your automatic watches in order to get the most out of them.
To summarise, here’s how to take care of your automatic watch:
Know the details of the product; keep it in a secure place; wind it with care; clean it regularly, and take care when handling it.
If you follow these watch tips, your automatic watch will stay in excellent condition and keep your wrist looking fabulous.
Whilst you’re here, why not check out our stunning range of watches and put these tips into practice! Find your perfect match today!