A luxury watch does much more than just tell time. Whether mechanical or quartz, the high-quality materials and dedicated craftsmanship of a heritage watchmaker make buying a luxury watch a true investment in the future.
When it comes to extending the lifetime of your timepiece, a properly maintained luxury watch can sustain high levels of performance for generations. Even if you don’t intend for your luxury watch to be an heirloom, careful maintenance can bring you everlasting joy as you wear it, time and again, and afford higher resale value in the future.
Our Zadok specialists have created the following guide to help you maintain the performance and value of your investment.
This sounds like common sense, but it’s critical to read and understand your watch’s owner’s manual. Even watches from the same heritage brand are one-of-a-kind.
Proper maintenance of a luxury watch requires knowing:
Precisely following your watch’s care instructions will help you avoid simple, common mistakes that could result in expensive repairs, void your warranty, and, ultimately, devalue your investment.
Use care when winding a manual watch. Stop winding as soon as you feel resistance—if your watch becomes overwound, the springs that power your watch may become damaged.
Even automatic watches require winding if you aren’t active throughout the day. Wind your automatic through the crown to get it running after it has stopped—but do not shake. Unlike a manual watch, you can’t overwind an automatic watch.
Over time, perfumes, colognes, lotions, sweat, and oils from your skin can all damage the materials that make up the exterior of a luxury watch.
Since those materials play a significant role in the pricing of heirloom-quality watches, damaging them with exposure to everyday chemicals is like putting diesel fuel in a Lamborghini. This is easily avoidable as long as you’re armed with a little information.
The tips below can help you avoid damage to the outer housing of your timepiece.
Depending on the age and mechanics of your luxury watch, it’s possible that the magnets inside of cell phones, tablets, jewelry and handbag clasps, or even speakers and hairdryers can magnetize the balance spring inside the watch.
When this tiny, tightly coiled spring is magnetized, it starts to stick to itself and can cause the watch to run fast or slow, or even stop altogether.
Watchmakers know that hidden magnets are an established fact of modern life and do the best they can to design against the risk. And while magnetization almost never causes permanent damage, it does require specialized service from a reputable, skilled dealer to be reversed.
Controlling your watch’s exposure to sunlight, dust, and moisture is key to extending its longevity and preserving its value.
Too much time in the sun can fade a watch’s colors, and the excessive heat can shorten the life of the internal battery. Dust and condensation can thicken the lubricants that maximize your watch’s performance.
Most manufacturers and vendors, including the Houston watch experts at Zadok, recommend storing your watch either in its original packaging or in a premium watch box. Mechanical watches can be stored in a watch winder.
Storing your timepiece in a watch box doesn’t just shield it from the elements but will also safeguard the watch crystal (the glass-like covering protecting the watch face) from scratches and chips. While most watches are crafted with sapphire crystals—which rate a nine on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness and are highly scratch-resistant—careful storage will ensure that the beauty of your watch is preserved.
Luxury cars require regular oil changes, tire rotations, and filter replacements. Premium textiles like leather, cashmere, and silk require professional cleaning and maintenance.
Standard recommendations are to service quartz watches every three years and mechanical watches every five years, but your manual will provide guidelines specific to your watch. Regular maintenance will both ensure that your timepiece retains its high performance and identify potential problems before they become serious.
Luxury watches should only be opened by a qualified professional in an environment dedicated to watch repair. Opening a watch at home will expose the delicate interior workings to the elements and can potentially cause irreparable damage.
Watch specialists are highly trained to service and repair watches for some of the world’s leading brands. They have received the highest degree of training and certification to care for fine watches, including brands like:
With seven generations of experience providing expert service for everyone from the Yemeni royal court to our Houston-area neighbors, our family prides itself on delivering personalized service. Zadok Jewelers offers a state-of-the-art watch service center on-site with five full-time watchmakers on staff.
If you need help with watch maintenance, need an appraisal for insurance coverage, or are looking for guidance buying a luxury men’s or women’s watch, the team at Zadok Jewelers is here to help you realize your goals.
