A mechanical watch is built for decades — whether it reaches them with dignity is decided by everyday life. The good news: watch care is not rocket science but a handful of habits. Know them, and you spare your watch the most common damage and yourself expensive repairs.
The daily basics
- Keep the crown closed: screw down screw-in crowns after every adjustment — an open crown is the number one entry point for moisture.
- Do not wind or set on the wrist: the angled pull strains the stem. Take the watch off, then set it.
- Avoid the date “danger zone”: on many movements the calendar mechanism engages between roughly 9 pm and 3 am — manually switching the date in that window can damage it.
- Avoid shocks: golf, tennis or hammering are poison for mechanical movements — that is what robust sports or quartz watches are for.
Cleaning without risk
For routine care, a soft microfibre cloth is enough. Steel bracelets and cases with intact seals occasionally tolerate lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap and a soft brush — dry thoroughly afterwards. Leather straps stay dry as a rule and like neither sun nor perfume. Keep away from polishing pastes: every polish removes material and rounds edges — polishing is the watchmaker’s job, and even there: as rarely as possible.
The invisible enemy: magnetism
Speakers, tablet cases, bag clasps, induction hobs: everyday life is full of magnetic fields, and a magnetised hairspring is the most common cause of a watch suddenly running minutes fast per day. Modern movements are better protected than old ones, but not immune. If the watch abruptly runs noticeably fast, demagnetising at the watchmaker takes seconds — and costs next to nothing.
Storing correctly
- Dry, temperature-stable, dark: moisture corrodes, UV light bleaches dials and lume.
- Not in the bathroom — the humidity there is constant stress for gaskets.
- Watch box or pouch instead of a drawer: scratches usually happen in storage, not on the wrist.
- Long-term storage: wind and run the watch occasionally so the lubricants stay distributed — and keep the crown closed.
What belongs in professional hands
Opening cases, replacing gaskets, resizing bracelets, polishing, demagnetising with diagnosis — all watchmaker territory. Likewise the regular service, whose intervals and costs we cover in a dedicated article. DIY saves little at best and costs the movement at worst.
Conclusion
Crown closed, shocks and magnets avoided, gentle cleaning, smart storage — four habits that prevent ninety percent of avoidable watch damage. The watchmaker handles the rest at service time. That way a good watch remains what it is meant to be: a companion for decades.