Watches are often used daily and quickly lose their shine to dirt and oils from skin, lotions, and other products. Their bands or bracelets are made of a variety of materials, and when removed, are easy to clean. A regular cleaning will keep the dirt to a minimum and prevent any unwanted odors.
As a general rule, a complete maintenance service is recommended every 4 to 5 years, depending on the use of the watch. While your watch is built to last a lifetime, it should be serviced regularly to maintain its performance, reliability and appearance.
When a watch needs to be cleaned, there are a couple of things that can mean. The simpler one is cleaning grime and dirt off of the outside of the watch. This is usually done with an ultrasonic cleaner by a watch repair center or a jeweler. Or for basic upkeep, you can clean off your watch with an old toothbrush when you see it starting to get dirty – just be careful not to get water inside the watch when you clean it. When watches are put through an ultrasonic cleaner, the movement usually needs to be taken out and dried out completely before it is put back in to prevent damage.
The second type of watch cleaning is for mechanical watches, especially older ones. After time, the oil in the watch can dry up and cause friction in the metal gears and pieces that rub against each other, causing them to wear out and not work properly anymore. The oil, when it dries, can also gum up the watch movement and cause it to not work. The service needed on this is called a cleaning and overhaul and must be done by a professional watchmaker. It consists of taking the watch apart, cleaning the old oil off the parts, re-lubricating them, and then reassembling the watch.
A final type of watch cleaning is called “watch polishing.” Metal watches get worn and scratched after time and the band and case can be polished to get the scratches out and get it looking good as new.
When you need help with cleaning or fixing your valuable watch, trust a professional watch repair company.
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