Watch Care

Vintage Watches - Care and Maintenance

A vintage watch is a piece of history that needs to be taken care off. Using it daily is not recommend and by following the next points, you will insure that your watch will be well maintained and reliable for years to come.

1. A vintage watch is a mechanical micro-machine. It will not be as accurate as a quartz watch and it is not as tolerant under certain circumstances. You can reasonably expect that a mechanical watch will run fast or slow a minute per day. Colder and warmer temperatures may affect the timekeeping temporarily. As will extreme circomstances, so better afoid these.

2. Please do not overwind or force your watch. Just wind it slowly until it has enough energy to get the watch off with a good start. If it is an automatic (rotor) type, or if manual, wind until you feel it stop. Do not force the watch past this point, as doing so will likely damage the mainspring or stem, both of which may be costly to fix. In some instances you even need to shake the watch a little to get it going. Nothing to worry about, but just a sign of the years gaining. Be aware the if the watch does not start after a little shake it is in need of a check-up. temporarily.

3. Similar to automatic, a watch will require periodic service to maintain it's optimum condition. A service includes a complete cleaning and oiling and should be performed at intervals of every 5 years, sooner if the watch becomes wet or gains moist under the crystal. If you wear the watch only a few days a week under milder circumstances (as recommeded) a cleaning after 7-10 years will be sufficient. Please make sure to seek a qualified watch maker, experienced in the care and maintenance of (vintage) mechanical watches.

4. Unlike quartz or battery operated watches, a severe jolt or dropping the watch may cause damage to the fine mechanisms inside. Please excercise the care afforded to any vintage item. When putting on or laying off a watch, make sure you do this over a soft surface, like the bed, so that even it may drop, only gets a soft impact. Installing a folding clasp will take care of ever entering this horrid situation.

By following the above steps, you will be able to prolong the life of your vintage watch. Most of all, wear it and enjoy it. If you have a vintage watch already that needs some tender care, maintenance and/or service, please do NOT try to fix it yourself, go to a real watchmaker or check out our services.

Taking care for your case and bracelet

Metal bracelets should be washed carefully in water. If really dirty, use a soft toothbrush with soap and water to brush away the dirt. Finally, rinse with water and dry carefully with a soft cloth. If your watch is not water resistant, be careful not to get water on the case. Cases should be wiped gently with a slightly moistened soft cloth and then dried carefully.

Leather straps should be slightly loosened in the summer, when they may absorb perspiration. A tight strap not only prevents the passage of air over the strap undersurface but can also cause a perspiration rash on the wrist. If the strap ever becomes wet with perspiration, wipe it dry with a soft cloth. When you take off your watch, leave it in a well-ventilated spot. Never put it in a sealed container when it is still damp with perspiration. Avoid leaving your watch in direct sunlight. The strap color may fade.

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