Watch Care and Maintenance: Keeping Your Timepiece Running

A quality watch deserves regular maintenance to keep it running accurately and looking its best. Whether you own a quartz watch or a mechanical timepiece, understanding the basic care requirements protects your investment and ensures the watch serves you for years or decades.

Daily Care Habits

Wipe your watch with a soft, lint-free cloth at the end of each day. The oils from your skin, combined with dust and environmental particles, accumulate on the case and crystal, dulling the appearance over time. A quick wipe prevents buildup that requires more intensive cleaning later.

Remove your watch before applying cologne, lotion, or sunscreen. Chemical compounds in these products can damage leather straps, degrade rubber seals, and leave residue on metal surfaces. Apply your products, wait for them to absorb, then put on your watch.

Remove your watch before sleep. Sleeping with a watch increases the risk of accidental impacts and puts unnecessary stress on the crown and pushers. It also prevents the bracelet or strap from breathing, which extends its lifespan.

Cleaning Metal Bracelets and Cases

Stainless steel bracelets attract microscopic dirt in the links that diminishes their shine. Clean monthly by soaking the bracelet (remove from the watch head first if possible) in warm water with a drop of mild dish soap. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean between links, then rinse thoroughly and dry completely.

For the watch case, a slightly damp microfiber cloth removes smudges and fingerprints. For stubborn residue, a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cloth works for stainless steel but should never be used on gold plating or coating.

Leather Strap Care

Leather straps are the most perishable component of a watch. Sweat, moisture, and oils from your wrist gradually break down the leather. Rotate between two straps if possible to give each one time to dry and recover.

Avoid getting leather straps wet. If they get splashed, blot immediately with a dry cloth and let them air dry away from direct heat. Never use a hair dryer or radiator, which dries the leather too quickly and causes cracking.

Condition leather straps every two to three months with a leather conditioner designed for fine goods. Apply a small amount, work it in gently, and let it absorb overnight.

Mechanical Watch Service

Mechanical and automatic watches require professional servicing every three to five years. During a service, the watchmaker disassembles the movement, cleans each component, replaces worn parts, re-lubricates, and reassembles. This process costs one hundred fifty to four hundred dollars for standard movements and significantly more for luxury or complicated movements.

Between services, keep mechanical watches running if possible. A watch that sits unwound for extended periods allows the lubricating oils to settle and dry, which can accelerate wear when the watch is started again. If you rotate between multiple automatic watches, a watch winder keeps them running during off-wrist periods.

Water Resistance

Water resistance ratings are tested under static conditions and do not account for the dynamic pressure of swimming, diving, or showering. A watch rated at thirty meters (3 ATM) can handle rain and hand washing but should not be submerged. A watch rated at one hundred meters (10 ATM) can be worn while swimming. Only watches rated at two hundred meters or more are suitable for diving.

Have the water resistance tested annually if you regularly expose your watch to water. Gaskets degrade over time, and a watch that was water resistant when new may not be after several years without gasket replacement.

For guidance on choosing a new watch, see our Watch Buying Guide for Men. If you want to change your watch’s look without buying a new one, our Watch Strap Guide covers strap options and installation.