How To Maintain And Repair Your Men’s Watch 

Wristwatches have been around for a very long time. The Guinness World Records reported that the first wristwatch was created for countess Koscowicz of Hungary. The watch was, of course, made by Swiss Patek Phillipe in 1868.

Since then, watches have become extremely popular, with famous brands such as Rolex, Breitling and even more affordable brands such as Casio and Swatch coming into the fold.

For most well-loved brands, there are care and maintenance guides to help you preserve your watch. These instructions also help with longevity. On that note, let’s look at how you can maintain and repair your men’s watch. 

Firstly, Keep It Clean

We often find that men’s watches are wonderfully stylish but need that extra bit of care because sometimes being a hands-on person means knocking your wrist occasionally. So, let’s start with cleaning. Keeping your timepiece clean is an essential and easy prat of watch maintenance.

Depending on the type of material your watch is made from, you should clean it at least once a week. The idea here is not to allow dirt or moisture into the material. Once a week, grab a cloth and gently clean your straps while also wiping the watch face. Sometimes, you might find specialized cleaning solutions suited to your accessory. 

Always check with the manufacturer’s recommendations as to which cleaning products are safe to use of you particular style of wristwatch.

Your Watch Should Stay Wound

It is recommended that you wind your wristwatch at least once a month. What this does is move the lubricant around. There is nothing worse than the inside of the watch drying out. While this isn’t a major concern with today’s modern watches, watchmakers still recommend winding your watch at least once a month. 

Most watches will reach maximum power by winding the crown 30 to 40 times but this can vary. The second you feel resistance, the watch is fully wound. If your watch is new and you’re feeling unsure, aim to wind the crown 30 times to start with and work your way up from there. 

Wind your watch by turning the crown clockwise, hold the watch facing you in your left hand; pinch the crown between your right fore finger and thumb and rotate the crown clockwise.

Sunlight Is Not Good

For most things, including our bodies, consistent exposure to the sun can have adverse effects. The same applies to your watch. Never expose your watch to direct sunlight. Especially if you have just cleaned it and want to dry it quickly. But why is exposure to direct sunlight so harmful?

Well, it can damage the material and cause it to fray and age faster than usual. It can also dull the colour of your straps. But that’s not all. It can shorten the battery life. Even Apple watches have ideal operating temperatures, and it is advised to keep them out of the sun. Now let’s look at how to repair these timekeepers. 

Quartz 

The most affordable type of watch you will find. And there is usually only one reason you need to repair one, its battery. There will not be many repairs, but rather replace your battery. This is relatively easy to do since you can gently pop the back-off, remove the old battery and replace it with a new one.  

Mechanical Or Automatic

You will notice that with mechanical watches, it slowly starts to glitch. This usually means that it is due for a service. Automatic watches are more intricate and have more parts, so it is advised to go to a watchmaker instead to have it serviced.  

Automatic watches are regarded as an advanced type of mechanical watches. While their manual counterparts rely on constant hand-winding, they have a rotor attached to the engine that winds the mainspring in response to the movement of the wearer’s wrist.

Vintage

These watches have been around for a long time and often require special tools to open them up. It would be best if you always headed to a watchmaker when you need to repair your vintage accessory. 

In many cases, watchmakers can repair vintage watches due to parts no longer being in production or not having the tools to make the repairs. Here it might take you a while to get your treasured item repaired. You might even have to send it to the manufacturer if they are still in existence.  

Have a look at the 2023 watch trends, especially if you are in the market for a new time-keeping piece, and remember the tips to maintain and care for it. 

A Full Service

Which generally means the watch being entirely dismantled and cleaned. If parts are broken or need replacing, these parts will be replaced and the movement will be re-assembled and lubricated. If you watch is waterproof the gasket will need to be resealed and pressure tested.

Most watches will need a service once every five years to keep them fully maintained but some watchmakers may recommend a more regular service timescale.

A watch that has never been serviced is more likely to need a full repair at some point as the mechanism can become dry and in turn damages some of the moving parts. Regular servicing will inevitably be less expensive than a repair or replacement.

What To Look For In A Service Provider

Watchmakers are experts in repairing and sometimes even making your watch. They understand what makes up different types of watches and how we can look after them to ensure longevity.

In most cases, it is almost always advised to send your watch to the manufacturer as they are equipped with the knowledge of what makes up the watch and how to repair it. Third-party service providers might need help understanding how the watch works and could possibly cause further damage. 

With brands such as Omega and Rolex you are unlikely to find a general jeweller capable of fixing your watch. In these cases, you should always take it back to the manufacturer, and they will be able to fix it.