Prevent Watch Repair & Teach Dad Proper Watch Care
Hands down, one of the most common accessories for men are watches. So what will you find on every Father’s Day gift-giving guide published in the last few years? Watches! Since Father’s Day is quickly approaching in June we wanted to share some preventative watch care tips with you. So whether you are buying Dad a watch to wear for work, golf, travel or his favorite sports team there are some ways he can keep it ticking like new for a long time.
Avoid Exposing Your Watch to These Conditions
1. Tough Impacts
Hard shocks or repeated bumps can damage or stop the function of a watch because the gears and movement can be very sensitive. Sometimes the issue may be very visible, like a cracked watch crystal or loose case but in other cases there could be no outward sign of damage. Even accidentally dropping the watch or just hitting it against a desk or table can cause the gears to get off-kilter. This may not stop the watch from working but you may notice it starts to gain or lose time. If the unfortunate happens and you have a cracked watch crystal and need the watch repaired or even if you’re just not sure why the watch isn’t keeping time, your local Gilbert jeweler can diagnose and give you options on how to fix the issue. Try your best to be kind to your watch and if you know you are going to be doing something physical, like a pickup game of football on Father’s Day, either take your watch off and put it in a safe place or buy a watch that is made for high impact sports!
2. Magnetic Fields
There are two main types of watches, quartz movement and mechanical movement. If you’re not sure what type of watch you have look closely at the watch hands to see how they move. A smooth, sweeping motion usually means it is mechanical and a ticking motion of the hands indicates you have a quartz watch. Of course you can always call your jeweler to help you figure it out as well! If you have a watch that uses quartz movement then you don’t need to worry about magnetic fields since these types of watches get their main power from the watch battery. Just be sure to change out the watch battery as soon as you see any sign of slowing to keep all the gears and mechanisms working seamlessly. If you have a mechanical watch, however, you will need to steer clear of any type of magnetic exposure to keep the mechanical movement working properly. Because these type of watches use energy from winding the spring and transfer it through the gears to work properly, any magnetic field will interrupt this flow of power. Signs that your mechanical watch has been magnetized include that it may run fast, run slow or even stop. Try to keep your watch away from anything that contains a magnetic field like computers, speakers and especially cell phones! When you suspect your watch needs demagnetized, bring it to your expert jeweler right away. If the mechanical movement has been too exposed to a magnetic field then a complete watch repair may be needed.
3. Chemical Contact or Temperature Change
Planning to spend Father’s Day by the pool and barbeque or maybe heading to a baseball game? Before getting ready to celebrate Dad’s special day, be aware of the heat and any chemicals you may come in contact with. In Arizona we all know the summer is hot and these temperatures can have quite a draining effect on your watch. Changes in temperature and moisture can slow or stop the timekeeping on your watch and when it’s hot we all perspire more so be sure to wipe your watch clean after a day in the sun. If you don’t have a waterproof watch, then be sure not to wear it around the pool. A day out also means sunscreen should be used but again, these chemicals can damage the watch case and even the gaskets. So before using any type of sunscreen, lotion or perfume apply it and let it dry before putting on your watch. If Dad’s job is cleaning and adding chlorine to the pool or starting the grill with lighter fluid, maybe suggest he take off his watch to avoid unnecessary wear and tear. Always wiping off your watch at the end of the day and storing it a safe, dry place will help extend the life of your timepiece.
Treating Dad with the gift of a watch is so meaningful and who knows, maybe he will hand it down to you or his grandchildren someday. So let’s be sure to help keep that timepiece in good working order and follow these tips to avoid major watch repairs. Of course if something unlucky does happen to your watch, you can always come in to our Gilbert showroom so we can help!