Watch Use and Maintenance Tips

The service life of a watch is related to whether the wearer uses and maintains it correctly. This article will introduce basic watch maintenance knowledge.

    I.  Watch Water Resistance 

    Watch water resistance relies on waterproof rubber gaskets at the watch crystal, case back, crown and other places to achieve the corresponding standard. No water-resistant watch should be worn for hot baths, saunas, or in environments with drastic temperature changes. Because waterproof rubber gaskets are affected by temperature, they will expand and contract, creating gaps and accelerating aging, thereby causing water ingress and condensation inside the watch, and in severe cases, damaging the movement. The waterproof rubber gasket and crown   (containing an internal waterproof ring) of a watch should be replaced regularly depending on usage. Quartz watches must have their waterproof components replaced at the same time every time the battery is changed to ensure good water resistance performance.  

    II.  Timekeeping Error 

    Usually, the allowable error for mechanical watches is around 30 seconds per day, and for quartz watches around 15 seconds per month. Two-hand analogue quartz watches should be advanced by one minute when setting the time, because the hands do not move immediately after pushing in the crown once set. Watches should avoid contact with magnetic fields. Automatic mechanical watches and automatic quartz watches left un-worn or with insufficient swinging will cause the watch to stop; after stopping, they should be fully wound again before being worn again.  

    III.  Watch Crystal, Case and Strap 
   
    Crystal materials are divided into acrylic, ordinary glass, sapphire crystal, etc. Common materials for cases and straps include plastic, brass, stainless steel, tungsten-titanium alloy, high-tech ceramic, gold, etc.
Sapphire crystal, tungsten-titanium alloy and high-tech ceramic are scratch-resistant materials. Although these materials are scratch-resistant, they cannot withstand heavy impacts, and substances of equal or higher hardness may damage them. Grindstones, sandpaper, nail files, granite surfaces, concrete walls and floors all contain the above substances and can scratch the surfaces of these materials. Cases and straps need to be cleaned regularly, as sweat, dirt, etc. will corrode the exterior components of the watch and may cause skin allergies in some individuals.

    IV.  Maintenance of Mechanical Watches 

    The most common reasons for mechanical watches requiring repair are water ingress and impact damage. Unless a mechanical watch is explicitly marked as water-resistant, you must avoid getting the case wet, as water causes severe mechanical corrosion. Seawater, in particular, must be avoided at all costs. Even for watches marked as water-resistant, the guarantee only lasts for one year. Due to the inevitable wear and tear of the waterproof seals over a year, combined with external factors like sweat and dust, the seals will eventually lose their effectiveness. Therefore, they must be replaced annually to maintain water resistance.   Beyond water resistance, protection against impact is essential. If your budget allows, it is advisable to have two or three watches for daily rotation: wear a mechanical watch for static activities and a sports watch for physical exercise. Using the right watch for the right occasion helps extend the lifespan of your timepieces.   Mechanical watches operate through the movement of gears and mainsprings. Friction is inevitable during operation, so regular lubrication is necessary to reduce component wear. If you wait until a malfunction occurs before seeking repairs, the damage is often already severe. It is best to have your mechanical watch serviced annually to check for improper use or water ingress. This is especially important in humid climates where sweat, rain, and polluted air can cause chronic, long-term corrosion to the movement at a much higher frequency and intensity than in Europe, Japan, or the US. Consequently, regular inspections are vital, with a complete cleaning and maintenance service required every three years.   The safest way to maintain and repair your watch is through an authorised dealer. Internal cleaning must be performed by a professional watchmaker, but you can handle external cleaning yourself. Use a soft brush with a mild cleaning solution to scrub the bracelet, then rinse with clean water. Water-resistant cases can be cleaned in the same way; however, never scrub cases that are not water-resistant. Daily external cleaning is crucial, as sweat and dust accumulate invisibly and can cause the bracelet to rust, corrode, or become brittle if left uncleaned. Therefore, owners should clean their watches frequently.   Gold-plated watches are prone to fading   Gold-plated watches are essentially electroplated. For gold-plated watches sold in the Taiwan market, the plating thickness typically ranges from 3 microns   to 20 microns. A micron is one-thousandth of a millimetre and is the unit used to measure metal plating and coating thickness. Theoretically, if the gold plating is too thin, it will fade easily and is less durable than thicker plating. Some brands now use Titanium Nitride (TiN) coatings (PVD). Because Titanium Nitride has a spectral reflectance similar to gold and adheres well to stainless steel, it is less prone to fading in hot and humid climates, making it a good choice for consumers.   Lustrous K-gold watches - Gold and White Gold   Pure gold is 24K, but it is too soft for watchmaking, so the ideal hardness is found in  18K gold alloys. The advantage is that they do not change colour over time. However, K-gold watches can oxidise and develop a patina, and some people may have skin allergies to gold. In such cases, you might consider 'pure white gold'   (PLATINUM). The benefits of pure platinum watches are that they are harder than gold or K-gold and more resistant to strong acids and alkalis, though they are significantly more expensive.   Pay attention to your watch's water resistance  1.   No water or moisture resistance: Ultra-thin watches, artistic watches, ladies' watches, and jewellery watches often fall into this category. It is recommended to keep them away from moisture and store them in a dry, non-humid place. 2.  Water-resistant watches / 30M: Standard water resistance, usually achieved via a snap-on case back, provides protection against moisture ingress. However, they are not suitable for submersion or swimming, as they only feature basic water-resistant seals.  3.  Water-resistant watches / 100M and above: Featuring a screw-down case back, these can be submerged but are not suitable for swimming or diving.   4.  Diving watches / 200M and above: Both during diving and daily use, ensure that after adjusting the time, you always   securely lock all waterproof crowns.

    V.   Usage Tips

    Handling incorrect chiming in mantel clocks If you are not careful when winding or adjusting mantel and wall clocks, they may chime incorrectly. The adjustment method is as follows: if the hour hand is at ten o'clock but it chimes eight times, use your left thumb to hold the hour hand in place and use your right hand to turn the minute hand clockwise for two full rotations. It is important to wait until the chime finishes before moving the minute hand when it reaches the half-hour or the hour. If the hand is at ten o'clock but it chimes twelve times, follow the same method but turn the minute hand anticlockwise for two full rotations. Cleaning wall clock components When there is a lot of dust inside a wall clock, place a cotton ball soaked in kerosene into a small bottle cap and set it inside the clock, then close the door tightly. After a few days, remove the cotton ball, and most of the dirt will be removed. If there is too much dirt, you can repeat this method several times. Two alternative uses for a watch ① Determining direction: Divide the current standard time by two, find the corresponding position on the dial for the quotient, and point it towards the sun; the direction indicated by  twelve on the dial will be north. For example, if it is ten o'clock in the morning, divide by two to get five; point the five on the dial towards the sun, and the direction of twelve will be north. Once north is determined, the other directions will be clear. Remember, if it is in the afternoon, you must use the twenty-four-hour clock system. For example, if it is four o'clock in the afternoon, it should be counted as sixteen o'clock. Using this method to find direction is as accurate as a compass. To make this method easier to remember, here is a mnemonic: halve the time and point to the sun, twelve points to the north; calculate morning time as is, and double the afternoon time for the same orientation. ② Measuring body temperature: If you want to measure your body temperature but do not have a thermometer on hand, your watch can help. When a person's body temperature is normal (36.8~37°C), the pulse beats 76 times per minute. When you use a watch to measure a pulse of one hundred to one hundred and twenty beats per minute, the body temperature is 37.5~38°C, or if the pulse is one hundred and twenty to one hundred and forty beats per minute, the body temperature is above 38°C (excluding patients with sinus tachycardia). 　　　 

    Two methods for removing moisture from a watch Step one: If a watch becomes damp, wrap it tightly in several layers of toilet paper or moisture-absorbent flannel. Place it approximately fifteen centimetres away from a forty-watt light bulb and heat it for about thirty minutes to remove the moisture. Step two: If there is moisture inside the watch, you can wear it in reverse on your wrist with the crystal facing inwards and the case back facing outwards; the moisture should be removed after two hours. If there is excessive water inside the watch, the case must be opened for cleaning. If you are not confident in handling this yourself, you should send it for repair promptly. Simple anti-corrosion method for watches Apply soap to the metal case of the watch and wipe it clean with a flannel cloth to prevent corrosion from sweat. Method for renewing the watch crystal If there are scratches on the watch crystal, apply a small amount of toothpaste and wipe back and forth with a cotton ball; the crystal will become as bright as new. Treating a magnetised watch Once a watch is magnetised, it will affect the accuracy of its timekeeping. The method for removal is simple: just find a non-magnetised iron ring, place the watch inside the ring, and slowly pass it back and forth. After a few minutes, the watch will be demagnetised and restored.