Watch Care Guide
A guide to caring for watches
How to care for watches
Watches are remarkable pieces of jewellery. Not only are they functional symbols of status, they are incredibly delicate and beautiful. These multi-layered benefits mean that watches are often worn daily.
Watches are not just valuable because they are made from precious metals. They often have sentimental value, and can be passed down from generation to generation. If you have a special watch that you want to preserve for your children or grandchildren, you'll need to take proper care of it.
At Bevilles, we want to keep everything ticking along smoothly. Follow our watch care tips below, or visit a Bevilles store near you to have your piece professionally cleaned.
Easy watch care at home
If you wear your watch on most days, it's important that you keep the outside of it clean. Attending to the build up of dirt and grime will prevent contaminants from affecting the inner mechanisms of your watch.
- For water resistant watches, use normal water to clean the face of the watch, and soapy water to clean the metal band.
- For non-water resistant watches, use a dry soft cloth to clean with the face and the band.
Watch water resistance
Not all watches are water resistant by design. In fact, water resistance is determined on a scale. Some watches will be waterproof to a certain depth, while other will be resistant to splashes and brief submersion. Water resistance can also degrade over time. A brand new watch will be more water resistant than the same model in 20 years' time. You should always have the water resistance of your watch tested every few years, and have any compromised seals and gaskets replaced.When wearing your watch in the water, be sure to:- Never press or move the crown or push any of the side buttons.
- Wash your watch down with fresh water after swimming in salt or chlorinated water
- Completely wipe your watch down and dry it off after every swim.
Other watch care tips
Aside from general care and maintenance, there are many things you can do to keep your watch operating at peak performance.- Read your watch manual cover to cover.
- Store your watch in its box when you aren't using it.
- Keep your watch out of the sun to avoid fading and sun damage.
- Have your watch serviced regularly by a professional jewellery or watchmaker.
- Only ever have the back of your watch opened by a professional.
Things to avoid
If you wear your watch every day, you are exposing its delicate mechanisms to environmental hazards. To prevent from early degradation, and to give your watch a longer life, here are some things you should avoid.- Heavy impact can cause irreversible damage to your watch. If you work with machinery or tools, you should remove your watch to prevent the risk of damaging its delicate inner mechanisms.
- Extreme temperatures can affect the water resistance of your watch. As a rule of thumb, try not to expose your watch to environments below 0°C and above 60°C.
- Atmospheric pressure can crush small, internal mechanisms. Always obey your watch's specifications when swimming and diving.
- Magnetic fields can cause your watch to run incorrectly. Keep your watch at a distance from motorised appliances, toys, debit cards, magnetic door latches, speakers, phones, and computers.
- Chemicals can degrade your watch. Perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, and detergents can wear away at your watch face, leather band, and other joints and mechanisms.