Essential Basic Knowledge About Watches

　　Below, I will share some essential watch basics for the watch-buying process. Welcome to read.

　　How to Choose a Watch Based on Its Appearance

　　(1) The watch glass should be clear, bright, free of bubbles, scratches, and cracks, and fit tightly with the case.

　　(2) The watch case should be even in colour, free from obvious scratches, defects, and corrosion.

　　(3) The markings on the watch case back should be clear, fit tightly with the case, and the gasket must not be exposed.

　　(4) The hour, minute and second hands should be straight, with appropriate clearances between the hands themselves, between the hands and the dial, and between the hands and the watch glass.

　　(5) The dial should be clean with an even colour, and the brand logo, graduations and scale markings should be clear and evenly spaced. The date numerals should be positioned appropriately within the aperture, with clear and undamaged digits.

　　(6) The movement of a mechanical watch (exhibition case back or skeleton type) should contain no plastic components, and the oscillating weight should rotate smoothly.

　　Common questions regarding mechanical watch maintenance

　　a. Regularly use a soft cloth or silk to gently wipe away dirt and sweat stains from the case.

　　b. Manual-winding mechanical watches should be wound at a fixed time, preferably fully wound in one go. When winding, turn the crown at an appropriate speed and do not wind it too tightly. If it is too tight, the mainspring can easily become stuck by the oil in the barrel. When the mainspring relaxes, it can easily break due to excessive tension.

　　c. Watches are most sensitive to violent vibrations; it is best to remove the watch when playing ball sports or hitting things with your hands.

　　d. Watches are also susceptible to water damage. Therefore, it is best to remove your watch when washing clothes, washing hands, or doing other work that involves contact with water. If condensation or water droplets appear under the watch crystal, it should be serviced promptly to wipe away the moisture and dry the movement. However, if there is only a small amount of condensation, it will disappear on its own once the weather dries up.

　　e. Please do not bring the watch close to magnetic objects such as radios and televisions, so as not to affect accuracy.

　　Differences between mechanical and quartz watches

　　Mechanical watches rely on a mainspring for power and use gear trains to keep time. Mechanical watches are divided into manual-winding and automatic mechanical. Due to their complex structure, they tend to be thicker and heavier. Because of the principles of their operation, they are affected by gravity, mechanical friction, temperature changes, and usage conditions, making their deviation relatively larger than that of quartz watches. Quartz watches rely on a battery for power and use the extremely stable high-frequency vibration of a quartz crystal as the time base, so quartz watches are more accurate and relatively cheaper to produce, offering excellent value for money. Of course, although the advent of quartz watches had a huge impact on traditional mechanical watches, they still cannot completely replace them. Many men and collectors still prefer the traditional feel of mechanical watches.

　　What to do if water gets inside your watch

　　If there is only a small amount of condensation, it will disappear on its own over time, or you can dry it under a light bulb, but do not heat it over an open flame. Alternatively, you can wear the watch backwards on your wrist with the crystal facing inwards and the caseback facing outwards; the moisture should clear after two hours. If a significant amount of water has entered and visible droplets are present, you should take it to a professional watch repair shop as soon as possible. Although water-resistant watches have undergone some water-resistance treatment, they are generally not rigorously tested, so it is recommended to avoid contact with water as much as possible when wearing them to prevent any accidents. A watch is a high-precision item, so please handle it with care.