What Details Should You Pay Attention to Regarding Watch Maintenance?

　　Buying a watch is not a difficult task as long as you have the money; wearing a timepiece carelessly can cause a small fortune to go down the drain. Below, we will discuss the details you need to pay attention to regarding watch maintenance.

　　Details to Note for Watch Maintenance

　　Water Resistance: Living Up to Its Name

　　The water-resistance performance of watches is usually classified according to their ratings into: non-water-resistant (no mark on the case back), sweat-resistant, general water-resistant, 30-metre water-resistant (30M, 3ATM, 3BAR), 50-metre water-resistant (50M, 5ATM, 5BAR), diving watch 100-metre water-resistant, 200-metre water-resistant, 300-metre water-resistant, etc. However, the premise of this standard is that testing is conducted under laboratory conditions: the temperature is maintained between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, and both the watch and water remain stationary. Remember, in our daily living conditions, the 30 metres in the water-resistance standard only resists water splashes and can be worn while washing hands or the face; 50 metres means it can be rinsed with a small amount of cold water and cannot be soaked; 100 metres can be used in a swimming pool or at the surface of the sea; and only 200 metres and above is suitable for diving.

　　In addition, no water-resistant watch should be worn in hot baths, saunas or environments with drastic temperature fluctuations. Because the water-resistant rubber gasket expands and contracts with temperature changes, creating gaps and accelerating ageing, this can lead to water ingress and internal condensation, potentially causing serious damage to the movement.

　　Adjustment: Regular Timing

　　For watches with the simplest functions of hours, minutes and seconds only, adjustments can be made at any time; however, for watches with a calendar, annual calendar, day of the week, moon phase, perpetual calendar or more complex complications, you must never adjust them between 10 in the evening and 2 in the early morning. During this time period, the calendar mechanism is actively operating and gear meshing is at its lowest, so frequent adjustments will damage the internal components of the watch—referred to in professional terminology as "skipping teeth"—causing irreversible damage to the timepiece.

　　Straps: Adapting to the Seasons

　　Try to wear leather strap watches as little as possible in summer, because sweat makes the strap stick to the wrist, causing discomfort. Furthermore, sweat stains on leather are extremely difficult to clean; long-term wear will not only produce an unpleasant odour, but also cause the strap to warp, harden, and even snap. Metal bracelets easily slip when exposed to sweat. If your watch has a water resistance rating of over 50 metres, you can rinse the bracelet under the tap to wash away sweat. As for rubber straps, they are not afraid of water but are vulnerable to oils, which will gradually harden and crack the material in an irreversible process.

　　Watch Maintenance Knowledge

　　(1) When wearing a watch, perspiration on your hand can corrode the case. All-steel cases have better corrosion resistance due to their nickel-chromium alloy composition, whereas base-metal cases are copper and corrode easily when exposed to sweat for long periods. You should regularly wipe off sweat with a soft cloth or use a plastic watch protector pad to prevent sweat corrosion.

　　(2) Do not open the case back casually, to prevent dust from entering the movement and affecting the normal operation of the watch.

　　(3) Do not place the watch in a wardrobe containing mothballs, to prevent the watch oil from deteriorating.

　　(4) Do not place the watch on radios or televisions, to avoid magnetisation.

　　(5) For watches stored long-term without being worn, wind them regularly once a month to prevent the components from remaining stationary for extended periods, thereby ensuring the movement's running performance.