Education > H2O Resistance / Timepiece Tips / Precious Metals / Diamond & Jewelry Maintenance / Insurance Coverage

Tips For Maintaining Your Fine Time Piece

QUARTZ WATCHES

If you purchased a quartz watch, that means your watch is powered by a battery. Most watch batteries are 1.5 Volt silver oxide button cells. Most batteries will last 2-3 years before needing to be replaced. Many better quality watches are equipped with a "low battery indicator." If your watch is equipped with this feature, the sweep second hand may move in 5 second intervals, while still keeping time. This is the watch telling you that it’s time for service. Please bring it to Continental Diamond right away for battery replacement. If a dead battery is left in a watch, it can discharge and leak chemicals into the movement, so it’s best to take care of this right away. Watch batteries are available for purchase at most hardware and drug stores, however it is not advisable to “do it yourself.” Continental Diamond's professional watchmaker has tools that allow him to open and close almost any watch without any evidence that it has ever been opened. He will also have the necessary tools to close and seal the watch properly. A fine watch is a delicate instrument, and should never be opened by the consumer. Improper battery installation can severely damage the circuitry of the watch, compromise the integrity of the water seal, or void any warranty you may have.   

MECHANICAL/AUTOMATIC WATCHES

If you have purchased a manual wind watch, that means that it needs to be wound daily if it is going to be used daily.  Wind it fully; which means turn the crown in a clockwise direction until you feel it stop. If you do not intend to wear the watch everyday, it does the watch no harm to wind down and stop. When you are ready to wear it again, simply pull the crown out to setting position, set the watch, and return it back to its original position. Wind it fully, and it’s ready to go. Do not be afraid to turn the crown in a counter-clockwise direction when in the winding position. Turning the crown counter-clockwise is akin to turning the pedals backwards when riding a bicycle, in that you will not go forward, nor backwards, but you will not harm the mechanism. If you purchased an automatic watch, this watch is wound simply by the motion of your wrist. This is also referred to a “self-winding." These watches require daily wear to keep running. If you take the watch off, it should run 35-40 hours before winding down and stopping. When it comes time to wear again, you can manually wind your watch 20-30 times. Many people who own automatic watches store their watch in a watch rotator which simulates the movement of a person’s arm. These are handy in that you can own several automatic watches and if you wish, keep them running perpetually.  Watch rotators are available at Continental Diamond.   

KEEP YOUR WATCH LOOKING AND RUNNING LIKE NEW

Owning a fine watch is truly a pleasure. To keep your watch looking and running as well as possible, it has to be properly maintained; Leather straps should be changed as often as needed (usually 6-12 months). Even the finest straps wear out; a new strap greatly adds to the look of a watch. A worn out strap not only looks bad, but it increases the chance of the watch falling off the wrist and breaking. Bracelets should also be checked periodically; loose clasps should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Spring bars are pins that hold a strap or bracelet to the watch case. Insist on stainless steel spring bars at all times. Brass spring bars can corrode, and are not as strong as stainless steel spring bars. Loose pins in a bracelet should be repaired or replaced immediately. Genuine straps and bracelets are available through most authorized dealers, or you can choose to purchase a “generic” bracelet or strap on your watch. These are usually less expensive than genuine straps, and are often equal quality. Use your own discretion at choosing a strap. A quality leather strap will cost between $20-$150, although exotic skins can cost more. Choose what looks and feels best for you and your watch. Inexpensive leather straps tend to be of poor quality; paper filled with a very short lifespan. The crystal and crown of a watch are not usually covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. These are external parts of a watch and thus are the most likely to be damaged. If your watch is dropped or hit, the crystal may break, crack, or chip. It is important that you bring your watch to your authorized jeweler or watchmaker to have it checked. A small crack or chip is big enough to let water, dust, or dirt inside your watch. The crown on a watch is also subject to damage and wear. Many crowns are made of a base metal such as brass. Even if the crown is not used often, it can corrode and wear away, opening up the watch to anything in the atmosphere. If the watch is mechanical, the crown is manipulated every day that the watch is wound. If you feel it has become difficult to wind the watch, the knurls on the crown may have worn away. A replacement crown can make the watch easy to wind again.