You have bought a nice watch and it is very beautiful. But, like anything in life, it will not be for long, unless you learn how to care for it. Whether you have an expensive or inexpensive watch you still have to learn how to care for it, if you want to make it last a long time.
First of all, if your watch is a quartz watch, never put your watch on top of electronic equipment such as a television or a computer, because this could drain the battery quickly. Whether you have a quartz or a mechanical watch, never put the surface of your watch facing downwards to prevent unwanted scratches on the watch crystal.
If your watch is not water resistant, take your watch off when you wash your hands so water doesn’t go into your watch and make the battery weak (for a quartz watch). Be careful not to drop your watch too many times because this may cause scratches to the case, crystal, or band, and/or even damage the movement.
If you are not wearing your watch for awhile, put your watch into the box or a safe place. If it is a mechanical watch, you may want to keep it in a watch winder in order to keep the movement running. Because if the watch is stopped for long periods, the lubricating oil can begin to “pool”, thus reducing timekeeping accuracy and possibly wearing out components prematurely. A watch winder overcomes these possibilities by automatically winding the watch as if it were being worn on your wrist. So, if you want to keep your “baby” for a long long time, get a good winder!
Before you go on diving, swimming, or getting wet, check whether your watch is water resistant and how deep you can dive/swim with it. Here is a general guide. If your watch is:
- 30 M water resistant: it means, it may withstand rain or accidental spills.
- 50 M water resistant: it means, you can swim with the watch on, but can’t dive.
- 100 M or more water resistant: it means, you can swim and dive (snorkel), within the indicated limit.
Whether you are aware of this or not, water resistance capability is tested at normal room temperature, so never wear your watch when you are in hot shower, hot spring, or hot sauna. Because internal seal (o-ring) may get deformed due to high temperature, and water may enter in the watch. If the dial on the watch shows fog or water droplets, immediately take to the service center or else … you know.
If you want to know more about water resistance, please check our FAQ on water resistance here: http://www.giovinowatch.com/e/faq/water-resistant/
If the battery (a quartz) is dead, replace it as soon as possible, as there is risk of leakage (of chemicals) if the dead battery is left unattended for too long.
Did you know that if you change the battery inside the watch, it would no longer be as water resistant as it was before, unless your repairman have the water resistance checked as well (if he has the tool). If the watch is taken to an authorized service center, they should have the right tool for correct pressure testing.
Conclusion: If you do the above, your watch will surely last for a long long time!
So, why should you care for your watch? Obviously, if you don’t, you would either buy a new one or pay a high price for repair service.
_____________________
Giovino Watch