Tips on Caring for Your Watch by Aaron Brooks

A watch is more than an accessory and if you take good care of it the watch could become a family heirloom. Caring for a watch is not tedious.

* Always place your watch in its case at the end of the day. If you leave in it a bag or purse or on a table it could get scratched badly.

* Unless you watch is water proof or resistant you must protect the watch from high humidity levels. Watches that have leather bracelets should not be worn for a swim or dipped in soap suds. The leather will get ruined.

* If you want a watch to outlast you then set up a service schedule like you do for your car. Get the watch serviced by its own manufacturer as far as possible. This way you will protect the watch's authenticity. And, you can be assured that duplicate parts will not be used. The authorized center will service the watch and replace any worn out parts, lubricate the watch, and clean its case.

* Read the care booklet carefully. And follow the instructions given.

* If the watch is a mechanical one try not to be rough when winding the watch.

* If the watch has a metal strap, you can clean the strap in water or use soap, water, and an old toothbrush to clean all the grime away .Take care not to let water into the case. And wipe the case gently with a soft cloth.

* Leather straps must be protected from perspiration and expert's advice that watches with leather straps should be worn loose in summer. When wet the strap must be dried with a soft cloth. Never use a hair drier it will crack the leather up.

* Protect your watch from high temperatures, contact with leaking batteries or harmful chemicals, magnets, strong sunlight, and shocks.

* If you want to adjust the strap length, place the watch on a flannel piece or cloth. Be gentle or the spring will fly out and never be found again. If you have clumsy hands then take the watch to the service center for adjustments.

* If the watch needs winding you must wind it at the same time everyday. Research indicates that winding in the morning is beat. Wind a watch slowly and consistently. Stop winding when you meet with resistance. Be careful or you will break the spring if you continue to wind the watch.

* If the watch is automatic then you cans wing the arm around in an arc to get the watch running. Some watches have winding too, and then give the watch around 25 gentle turns to get it running smoothly. Automatics can be left off overnight without winding.

* If you need to remove any scratches you can do so with a gentle cleaner and soft cloth to rub the scratch away. Many people use products that range from Brasso to toothpaste to Polywatch.

A watch will work for 10-15 years without breaking down. But sometimes not servicing the watch regularly can lead to huge expenses when a final break down occurs. The adage "a stitch in time saves nine" applies to the world of watches.

How To Care For Your Watch by Amy

Looking after a watch properly can extend its life by many years. There are a number of easy ways that you can do this.

Treat your watch according to its water resistance rating. Every watch has a water resistance rating.

Do not expose your watch to rapid temperature change. It is best not to wear your watch in a sauna or in a cold plunge pool. This is because rapid temperature change causes materials to contract, if the seal (that makes the watch water resistant) changes size and/or shape it could mean that your watch is no longer water resistant.

If the air under the glass rapidly cools it may mean that the water in the air will condense. In most cases this goes away without any intervention, but water can get into the workings of the watch. The best course of action to take if this happens is to have the case opened and left to dry as soon as possible.

Once the case has been opened the water resistance rating can not be guaranteed until the watch has been tested in a pressure tank. If you frequently use your watch in water it is best to send it back to the manufacturer as local retailers are unlikely to have the equipment necessary to do this.

Do not knock your watch. Undue shocks can damage the internal workings or scratch the glass. It is generally inadvisable to wear a watch during sports, unless it is specifically designed for them. This is especially important if you have a watch which has moving parts. Mechanical/automatic watches and quartz watches contain moving parts. A digital watch has no moving parts so an impact should only damage the glass.

Avoid wearing perfume or moisturisers in the same place that you wear your watch. Watch bracelets, straps and the internal workings can be susceptible to corrosion from cosmetics.

Check straps and bracelets regularly. Ensure that they are not loose or too worn. If necessary get the clasp tightened or obtain a new strap, both of these tasks can be done by your local jeweller. Keep hold of any additional links that you have for the watch, these will come in handy if one breaks.

Keep your watch clean. If it has a water resistance rating of 50m you can clean your watch with luke warm water and a very small amount of soap. A tooth brush or similar object can be used to easily loosen dirt. Make sure that you remove all soap and dry it thoroughly afterwards. If the water has a rating of less than 50m the best thing to use is a soft cloth and a dry toothbrush to clean between the links.

Change the battery when necessary. If a battery powered watch has stopped or is losing time it probably needs a new battery. Even if you do not intend to wear the watch for a while it is better to keep it running as the mechanisms inside may seize up if they are not used. It is advisable to get the battery changed by a jeweller as there are a number of small parts which can easily be lost. Remember that water resistance cannot be guaranteed unless it is tested.

Get your watch serviced. If you have an automatic, divers or a particularly expensive watch it is recommended to have it serviced every 2-3 years. Otherwise the cost of servicing is likely to outweigh the cost of replacement. If the watch is under guarantee ensure that the service centre used is one recognised by the manufacturer so that the warranty is not invalidated.