Taking care of your watch – Part 2
Let us continue the discussion on how to take care of your watch to preserve its aesthetics, functionality and value.
One of the common mistakes of owning a mechanical watch is failing to read the care guide of the watch. In it, there is usually an instruction on how to set the date and time. On a watch with a date indication, it is important to move the time of the watch to a position that is away from the time between 9pm and 3am. During this time on the watch, the date gear is normally engaged and setting the date during these positions may damage the said gear. It is even more essential that similar instructions be followed on a watch with perpetual calendar functionality as there may be more gears involved and any damage incurred may prove to be severely costly.
Instructions to set date/day on a mechanical watch should not be taken lightly.
The first thing we recommend one do when getting a new watch is to remove all protective stickers from the watch. If left on the watch, the stickers may pit and cause long term damage to the case of the watch. It is also advisable to keep the watch clean from grime and dirt. Occasionally give it a good wipe with a wet non-abrasive towel. Hairline scratches may appear if a cloth that has nylon threads or a paper towel are used to wipe down the watch.
Protective sticker on a new watch.
The modern mechanical watch has shock protection mechanisms to allow for daily knocks but it is also necessary to be aware that the shocks the watch can survive has a limit. One example is to take the watch to play golf. The impact of the golf swing may be detrimental to its parts and may cause some of them to dislodge during this activity.
Finally, it is important to note the water resistance rating of your watch. Should you submerge your watch and water enters the case (you can sometimes spot this if you see fogging inside the crystal of your watch), then proper servicing must be conducted on your watch to prevent its components from rust and other further damage.
