Explanation of Watch Basics

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

　　Selecting a Watch by 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 issues in 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. The speed of turning the crown when winding should be moderate, 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 on the watch crystal, it should be serviced promptly to wipe away the condensation and water droplets, and dry the movement. However, if there is only a small amount of condensation, it will disappear on its own once the weather becomes dry.

　　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 gear trains to keep time. They are classified into manual-winding and automatic-winding models. Due to their relatively complex construction, they tend to be thicker and heavier. Because of their timekeeping principles, they are affected by gravity, mechanical friction, temperature variations and usage conditions, resulting in larger timekeeping tolerances compared to quartz watches. Quartz watches are powered by a battery and use the extremely stable, high-frequency vibration of a quartz crystal as a time reference, making them much more accurate and relatively inexpensive, offering great value for money. Of course, while the advent of quartz watches had a massive impact on traditional mechanical watches, it has not been able to replace them entirely, and many gentlemen and collectors still appreciate the traditional appeal 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 warm it near a light bulb, but never over an open flame. Alternatively, you can wear the watch backwards on your wrist with the crystal facing inward and the case back outward, which will clear the moisture within two hours. If there is a significant amount of water ingress with visible droplets, you should seek professional watch repair services as soon as possible. Although water-resistant watches have undergone certain waterproofing treatments, they are generally not rigorously tested for prolonged exposure; it is therefore recommended to avoid contact with water during wear just in case. Watches are highly delicate items, so please handle them with care.