Caring for your watch
How should I clean my watch?
- BRACELET WATCHES: To occasionally clean the bracelet and case, use an old toothbrush with warm soapy water, then rinse with clean water and dry the watch and bracelet completely. If your watch is not water resistant, the same method can be used to clean the bracelet, but maximal care must be taken to ensure that no water touches the watch head.
- LEATHER STRAPS: Any residue, including that from cosmetics and heavy perspiration, should be removed so they do not wash out the natural oils of the strap and cause the leather to deteriorate. This can be done using a damp cloth with very mild soapy water and left to dry naturally.
What should I do if I am wearing my watch every day?
- We recommend that straps and bracelets are always worn slightly loosely to allow air to circulate and any moisture to evaporate.
- Wipe any heavy perspiration or dust off with a soft dry cloth to avoid any unwanted damage to your watch or skin irritation to your wrist.
- We recommend avoiding using cosmetics on your wrist when wearing your watch. Cosmetics such as perfume, aftershave, hairspray, or antiperspirants can damage the surface of the bracelet or case. If in contact with cosmetics or cosmetic residue over a long period of time it can cause the plating of the bracelet or case to potentially become pitted or show sign of corrosion.
What is Water Resistancy?
- Despite common misunderstanding, there is no such thing as a waterproof watch. Water resistance for any given watch is expressed in meters, atmospheres (ATM) or feet. The stated water resistance does not mean that the owner is safe to swim or dive to this depth, but instead means that the watch will remain water resistant at this depth in still conditions.
- What does 30M Water Resistance mean? You must not swim with this watch and these types of watches should be classified as splash proof. Theoretically, a watch of this resistancy will withstand the pressure you get at a depth of 30 metres, which is 3 atmospheres. However, if you were to swim with this watch, the pressure on the front of the watch when your arm is thrust forward, is likely to exceed 3 atmospheres and therefore force water into the watch case. Instead this watch can be worn when carrying out tasks such as washing up or washing a car, and it will not steam up when worn in the rain. Due to the water-resistant seals, dust will also be repelled from entering the watch case.
- What does 50M Water Resistance mean? A watch that is water resistant to 50 metres (5 atmospheres) is considered swim proof. Manufacturers will often advise against wearing this type of watch whilst snorkelling or pool side diving. This is because if a person is snorkelling and dives down to the sea bed, the pressure could exceed 5 atmospheres; likewise if a pool had a wall which you could dive off, the pressure on the watch when you hit the water could exceed this too. Normal snorkelling just below the surface or diving just off the edge of a pool with no elevation is OK.
- What does 200M Water Resistance mean? These watches are water resistant to 200 metres, or 20 atmospheres, meaning they are suitable for scuba diving and other lesser activities in the water.
- Does a higher Water-Resistancy mean better quality? No. To get a different Water-Resistancy, the watches are manufactured in a different way, not a better way. It is better to choose a watch based on what you require the watch to stand up to (i.e. swimming, showering).