TicTac’s guide · Care
Caring for your watch every day
4 min read 5 steps
A fine watch can last a lifetime. Here are the right habits, as the big brands advise.
The essentials in 30 seconds
Remember these three rules
- 1Close the crown properlyThe crown, used for winding and setting the time, must be pushed in or screwed down before water.
- 2Keep it away from magnetsA speaker or a tablet case can make it gain several minutes.
- 3Have it serviced on timeEvery 3 to 10 years depending on the brand.
Step 1 of 5
Winding and setting your watch
A mechanical watch runs on a spring that needs winding.
The right moves
1
Wind it off your wristTurn the crown with the watch in your hand: on the wrist you pull it at an angle and wear its stem, the shaft linking it to the movement.
2
Hand-wound watch: stop when it resistsWhen it starts to resist, the mainspring is fully wound. If you keep going, you can break it.
3
Stopped automatic: restart it by handTurn the crown 20 to 30 times to restart it: you can’t overwind it.
4
Don’t change the date between 9 pm and 3 amAt those hours the date mechanism is already turning: forcing it can damage it. Your manual gives the exact hours.
Step 2 of 5
What it handles in water
The figure in metres is a workshop test, with the watch still. It is not how deep you can go: when you swim, your movements press much harder on the watch.
What you can do depending on the figure
Rain and splashes30 m
You can wash your hands with it on. No swimming, no shower.
A quiet swim50 m
You can swim for a few minutes, without diving or jumping into the water.
Swimming100 m
You can swim and snorkel with it.
Diving200 m and more
You can scuba dive with it, at a club or on holiday.
Very deep diving300 m and more
Made for professional divers. For normal use, you don’t need it.
The rules to follow
1
Don’t operate anything underwaterDon’t use the crown or the pushers: water can get into the case.
2
Rinse it in fresh waterAfter the sea or the pool: salt and chlorine damage the gaskets, the rubber seals that keep water out.
3
Avoid saunas and hot showersHeat damages the gaskets. Have the water resistance checked every 1 to 2 years.
Step 3 of 5
Magnets
Your watch suddenly gains several minutes a day? A magnet has probably upset it, without breaking it.
Good habits
1
Keep it away from magnetsSpeakers, tablet cases and bag clasps contain them.
2
Try the compass testBring your watch near a compass: if the needle moves towards it, your watch is magnetised.
3
Have it demagnetisedA watchmaker removes the magnetism in seconds, without opening the watch.
Step 4 of 5
Cleaning and storing your watch
Sweat and salt wear out the bracelet and the gaskets.
Crown closed tight, scrub the case and metal bracelet with a soft brush and warm soapy water, as Rolex advises.
Leather strap: never get it wet, it would lose its shape.
Not wearing it every day? Omega recommends a watch winder, a case that turns it so it doesn’t stop.
Step 5 of 5
Servicing at the watchmaker’s
Over time the oils inside dry out and parts wear, even if the watch runs fine.
How often? What the brands say
Grand Seiko3 to 4 years
Omega5 to 8 years
Rolexabout 10 years
What the watchmaker does
1
Takes it apart and cleans itEvery part is washed, worn parts are replaced.
2
Oils and adjusts itSo the watch keeps good time again.
3
Replaces the gasketsThen checks that water cannot get in.
TicTac’s tip: keep the invoice: a service by the brand comes with a warranty (2 years at Omega) and reassures the buyer when you sell.