How to Care for Your Luxury Watch

A luxury watch is made to be worn. Small marks and signs of use are a natural part of ownership, but thoughtful care can help preserve the condition, performance and appearance of the watch for years to come.

Good watch care is not about keeping a piece hidden away. It is about understanding where unnecessary damage can occur, knowing the limitations of the watch and maintaining it properly when attention is needed.

Be mindful during everyday wear

Luxury watches are often more robust than people expect, particularly modern sports models, but repeated knocks and contact with hard surfaces will still affect condition.

Desk edges, door frames, jewellery, stone surfaces and metal objects can all leave scratches or dents. You do not need to become overly protective, but being aware of your surroundings can prevent unnecessary damage.

Keep the watch clean

Oils from the skin, dust and everyday dirt naturally build up on a watch over time, particularly around bracelet links, clasps and the underside of the case.

A clean, soft microfibre cloth is usually enough for regular surface cleaning. Avoid aggressive household cleaners or abrasive materials, which can affect finishes and create fine scratches.

More thorough cleaning should only be carried out when you are confident the watch is sufficiently water resistant and all crowns or pushers are correctly secured.

Water resistance should never be assumed

A watch may originally have been rated for significant water resistance, but seals and gaskets deteriorate with age.

If you intend to swim or regularly expose the watch to water, periodic pressure testing is sensible — particularly on an older or pre-owned piece where the service history may not be completely known.

Always make sure screw-down crowns are properly secured before contact with water.

Be aware of strong magnetic fields

Magnetism can interfere with the operation of some mechanical movements, potentially affecting accuracy.

Modern watches increasingly incorporate anti-magnetic technology, but it is still sensible to avoid prolonged exposure to particularly strong magnets and magnetic equipment.

Mechanical does not mean indestructible

Mechanical watches contain numerous small components operating together at extremely fine tolerances.

Many modern watches are designed to tolerate everyday shocks, but activities involving repeated heavy impact can place unnecessary stress on the movement.

The appropriate level of caution depends on the watch. A professional sports model and a highly complicated dress watch should not necessarily be treated in exactly the same way.

Take care when setting the watch

Setting a mechanical watch should never require force. If the crown, pushers or calendar mechanism feel unusually resistant, stop rather than attempting to push through it.

Certain mechanical movements also have periods during which manually changing the date or other calendar functions is not recommended because the mechanism may already be engaged.

If you are unsure about the correct setting procedure for a particular reference or complication, check the manufacturer's instructions before adjusting it.

Do not overthink winding

Automatic watches are designed to wind through movement of the wrist, while manually wound watches require regular winding through the crown.

A manual movement should be wound gently until resistance indicates that it is fully wound. There is no benefit in forcing the crown further.

Store it carefully when it is off the wrist

When a watch is not being worn, keep it somewhere dry, secure and away from situations where it may be knocked or scratched by other objects.

A soft-lined watch box, pouch or original presentation box can all provide suitable protection.

If multiple watches are stored together, make sure cases, bracelets and clasps cannot rub directly against one another.

Do you need a watch winder?

For most straightforward automatic watches, a winder is a convenience rather than a necessity.

It can be useful for watches with complicated calendar functions that are inconvenient to reset, but there is usually no problem allowing a simple automatic watch to stop when it is not being worn.

Different straps need different care

Leather straps should generally be kept away from excessive moisture, which can affect appearance and longevity.

Rubber and composite straps are often considerably more resistant to water and everyday wear, while metal bracelets benefit from periodic cleaning to remove dirt between the links.

The strap or bracelet should also fit properly. A watch worn excessively loose can move around the wrist and experience more contact with surrounding surfaces.

Take extra care when travelling

If you travel with more than one watch, use a proper watch roll, case or individual pouch rather than allowing pieces to sit loose together in luggage.

Keep valuable watches secure and consider whether your insurance provides appropriate cover while travelling.

Servicing matters — but there is no single timetable for every watch

Mechanical watches require servicing periodically, but the correct interval can vary by manufacturer, movement, age and how the watch is used.

Manufacturer guidance is a sensible starting point. Changes in timekeeping, power reserve, winding feel or unusual behaviour may also indicate that professional attention is required.

If a watch has an unknown service history, having its condition professionally assessed can provide useful reassurance.

Think carefully before polishing

Light surface wear is normal. You do not need to polish a watch simply because it has accumulated scratches.

A carefully executed professional refinish can improve appearance, but repeated or aggressive polishing can soften edges and alter the original proportions of the case and bracelet.

Particularly on collectible watches, preserving original finishing may be more important than making the watch appear cosmetically perfect.

Know when something needs attention

Sudden changes in accuracy, condensation beneath the crystal, difficulty winding or setting the watch, unusual noises or a significant reduction in power reserve should not be ignored.

If water has entered a watch, professional attention should be sought promptly rather than waiting to see whether the moisture disappears by itself.

Wear it

It is easy to become so conscious of preserving condition that owning the watch stops being enjoyable.

Unless you own a particularly rare collector piece that you intentionally want to preserve, a luxury watch is ultimately something designed to sit on the wrist.

Scratches will happen. Bracelets will show signs of use. That does not necessarily mean the watch has been poorly cared for — it often simply means it has been enjoyed.