Watch maintenance is an issue you’ll have to deal with at some point if you want to keep using that favorite timepiece. No watch is “set it and forget it.” They all require proper TLC to keep moving forward.
In the following article, we’ll be giving you a quick guide that you can use to maintain your watch of choice. This includes watch maintenance tips for quartz, mechanical, digital, and solar. Let’s begin!
Caring for a Quartz Watch
Watch cleaning depends on the style that you carry. One of the easier to maintain is the quartz watch because it has fewer parts that command your attention. Again, these run on batteries, so there isn’t a lot of opportunity for gears and pieces to collect dirt and other contaminants.
You’ll want to keep these watches dry, store them away from magnets which can fully negate their operations, and clean with water and soft, dry cloths. While rinsing the watch, turn the bezel. This can dislodge microscopic pieces of dirt and grime.
Caring for Mechanical
One of your best watch options is the mechanical watch. This intricate piece of machinery has remained the same for more than a century. That’s because it works!
We could devote an entire book to the number of parts on a mechanical watch, so we won’t get into all of them here. Suffice it to say, there are more than 130 on your typical watch of this type.
To care for it properly, wind it away from your wrist to reduce tension on the winding stem. Keep it dry, use gently, and again, keep it away from magnets. These are delicate pieces of equipment, but truly beautiful to see when in working order.
Digital Watches
Digital watches are great because they tend to last longer (sometimes up to six years) than other types of watches. However, this can come at the loss of design and craftsmanship.
Getting a new watch these days could also mean “smart watches” or “digital” watches. A smart watch receives text messages and interfaces with the apps on your phone to bring more functionality to the digital watch.
A simple digital watch, on the other hand, merely gives you the time and date in numbers. This is easier to use in that you don’t have to deal with the 1-12 dial, but it also lacks the intricacy and craftsmanship.
Solar Powered Watches
Whether buying a new or used watch, you might wish to go the solar route. Specifically, if you’re sick of asking the question, “Where can I buy watch batteries?,” solar might be the answer.
This watch type benefits you by being powered by the sun. The drawback is that it can be spotty when it comes to functionality and visibility. Particularly, these can be issues when you fail to keep the watch next to a light source.
Proper Watch Maintenance Can Keep Yours Running for Years
No matter what type of watch you wear, you need to act to preserve its integrity. We hope this quick guide to proper watch maintenance will give you some idea of what it takes to keep your timepiece in tip-top shape.
Best of luck as you care for your watch of choice. For more lifestyle and gear tips, check out some of our additional posts!
