These days, one out of every four people say that they use their watch as a fashion accessory rather than for telling time. Watches are now a status symbol and they can indicate your aesthetic sense and lifestyle choices. Regardless of whether you wear it regularly for its function or its aesthetics, it eventually needs its share of maintenance.
Listed below are basic precautionary measures that can be taken to increase the longevity of your watch. When special care and timely action is taken, you can avoid costly repairs and replacement of parts. In any case otherwise, you might need an expert of watch repair in Littleton, CO.
1. Regular Servicing
A quartz timepiece can be serviced once every 3 years whereas a mechanical watch can be serviced once every 2 years.
But avoid opening the watch yourself. Your prized possession is made of a multitude of individual parts, designed to fit with perfection. It continuously works all-round the year and opening it immediately exposes it to dirt, dust and other undesirable pollutants that can damage its working. It can also expose your watch to water filtration.
Finalize some details about a professional expert of watch repair in Littleton, CO. you need to ensure that the service you are choosing has experienced and certified in-house professionals that are fully capable of dealing with your specific make and model.
2. Cleaning with Cloth
To ensure that your watch remains in proper running condition, experts advise cleaning the watch case and strap regularly. For non-waterproof watches, use a dry and soft cloth to remove excess dirt from watch case and strap. Waterproof watches can be cleaned by a damp cloth.
Easy does it. But if you are still unsure on how to go about it and would like to see an expert at it, then it is advised that you visit your local watch repair in Littleton, CO, and learn from the pro.
3. Contact with Chemicals
Perfumes, cosmetics, detergents and soaps all have differing degrees of chemicals that can damage your precious timepiece. You should wait until the perfumes dries off or the chemicals on your skins are completely dried out before wearing the timepiece again. Sunlight significantly fades the shine on your watch, hence avoid exposure to sunlight as much as possible. In an adverse scenario where your watch endures permanent damage, the strap can be replaced by a new one.
To fully assess damage to your watch, you should get your watch checked by a watch repair in Littleton, CO, who will examine the watch, give you a detailed damage report and possibly advise you on a course of action.
4. Protecting the Leather Strap
The average lifespan of a typical leather is one year. But this lifespan can be brought down to 6 months due to careless use. This can range from using the watch during washing, sports or frequent sea bathing with your leather strap. If diligently cared, the leather strap can be used for 18 months.
Excessive humid and dryness can both damage the longevity of a leather strap. Humidity can cause mildewing whereas dryness can cause cracking on a leather strap. This usually occurs when the leather strap loses its natural lubricant.
In an undesirable case where your leather strap endures severe wear and wear, you should look for a watch repair in Littleton, CO, that has a complete catalogue of leather straps of your brand.
5. Check the Battery
Similar to car battery, a watch battery also needs to be replaced after a certain period of time. It is advisable to replace the battery as opposed to draining it completely. A battery that leaks acid onto the internal components of a watch can cause more damage, resulting in huge repair costs and replacement of inner components, if need be. The following are clear indicators when a battery needs replacement:
- The watch has stopped functioning completely
- The watch has excess of moisture inside
- The watch becomes erratic in its movement
- It is difficult to adjust time and date with the crown
- The second hand jumps at 5 second intervals
In an event any of the above occurs, it is time to take your watch to a watch repair in Littleton, CO, who will simply replace the battery in a matter of 5 seconds.
6. Prevent Scratches
It is a matter of time before your prized possession starts to show clear signs of scratches. To avert this from happening, remove watch during certain activities that invite close contact. In addition to that, avoid wearing bracelets on the same hand. The bracelets tend to scratch the sides or glass of your timepiece. Take special in prevent your watch from an accidental fall. Along with possible scratches, the fall can also damage the internal components, case and crystal.
Visit an expert of watch repair in Littleton, CO, for an expert opinion on which parts can be salvaged successfully.
7. Safe Storage
It is advised to safely store your timepiece when it is not used. To prevent exposure to dust and humidity, store it in its original box. Also, if you have more than one watch, store each of them separately to circumvent any chance of scratches caused by friction. Place the watch in the exact position as it was originally, but avoid placing it face down.
In an event you feel that your watch has been majorly exposed to dust, dirt or moisture, you should show it to an expert of watch repair in Littleton, CO. The expert will inspect your watch thoroughly and give you detailed analysis of his findings.
Conclusion
These are precautions that you can take to avoid a visit to a watch repair service. On the other hand, certain measures are required to be taken just as well since a watch; as any mechanical component, is vulnerable to wear and tear. Ensuring proper maintenance guarantees a long-lasting shelf life of a watch.
About Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry
Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry has been providing quality products and professional services to the metropolitan Denver, CO area since 1951. The very first watch repair and service facility ever opened in Colorado. Dan Matheu, watchmaker, pioneered watch repair and services in Colorado. Today, Scott Matheu is at the helm steering Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry. With his vision, Scott opened a watch store in Highland Ranch and has made Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry not only one of the largest watch stores to provide watch repair in CITY but also the entire state.
Whether you need watch repair in CITY, watch engraving, or even if you have an antique watch that you would like appraised, you can count on Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry to provide you with superior service each and every single time. All of our watchmakers are factory trained and we have CW21 Certified by the American Watchmakers and Clockmakers Institute (AWCI) on site. This certification has the most stringent standards for watchmakers performing repair, restoration, and service work on watches. With one of the largest service centers in the metropolitan Denver, CO we are not only able to provide watch repair in CITY but to the entire 50 states as well.
Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry is also a factory authorized service center for Cartier, Tag Heuer, Philip Stein, Swiss Army and many more brands. When you use Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry for your watch repair in CITY, you can rest assured knowing that you will receive our (3) three-year warranty on major watch repairs that we provide. If you are looking for the best watch repair service center throughout the United States, you cannot go wrong when you choose Matheu’s Fine Watches & Jewelry. With certifications from not only AWCI but SAWTA too, we not only stand out from the pact; we lead it.