How to look after your watch: cleaning, storage and servicing

A good mechanical watch can last for generations, but only with a little care. None of it is complicated. Here is a simple routine for keeping your watch clean, accurate and in good condition.

Cleaning the case and bracelet

Skin oils, sun cream and dust build up between bracelet links and around the case. Every few weeks:

1. Check that the crown is pushed in, or fully screwed down if it is a screw-down crown.
2. If the watch is water resistant, brush the bracelet and case gently with a soft toothbrush and lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap.
3. Rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly with a soft microfibre cloth.

If you are unsure about your watch's water resistance, skip the water and use only a dry brush and cloth. Keep leather straps dry, as water and sweat shorten their life.

Avoiding magnetism

Strong magnets can magnetise the hairspring in a mechanical movement, which usually makes the watch suddenly run fast. Common sources include speakers, tablet and laptop covers, magnetic phone cases and bag clasps. Keep the watch a little distance from them. If your watch has started gaining minutes a day, a watchmaker can demagnetise it quickly.

Winding and setting

• Manual-wind watches: wind gently until you feel resistance, then stop.
• Automatic watches: wearing them keeps them wound. If one has stopped, a few turns of the crown will get it going.
• Changing the date: on many mechanical watches, the date mechanism is engaged late in the evening. Avoid setting the date when the hands are between about 9pm and 3am, unless the manual says otherwise.

Storage

Store each watch in a soft-lined box or roll, in its own space, away from heat, damp and magnets. A watch winder is optional: it keeps an automatic running, but letting a watch stop does it no harm.

Shocks, heat and cold

Modern watches are shock resistant, but a hard drop can still damage the movement. Take the watch off for sports with hard impacts, and keep it out of saunas and hot cars, where heat can affect seals and lubricants.

Servicing

A service cleans and re-lubricates the movement, replaces worn parts and seals, and tests water resistance. Most brands recommend one every five to ten years, or sooner if the watch starts losing accuracy, its power reserve shortens or condensation appears under the crystal. Ask whether polishing is included, and decline it if you want to keep the original finish.

Protecting the finish

Cleaning keeps a watch fresh, but it cannot undo scratches. To keep the clasp, bracelet and case free of everyday marks, see how to protect a luxury watch and our watch protection service.