Your automatic watch is one of your most prized possessions, as beautiful as it is functional. You take pains to care for it in the best ways possible, always aware not to subject it to extremes of heat and cold and storing it securely. In spite of all you already do, you may still be wondering when you should take your watch for service. Does it need a regular tune-up like an automobile does or should you wait until problems arise?
There are some precautions you can take to optimize your automatic watch’s performance and extend the time between expensive servicing. First, as we said above, avoid temperature extremes. Also, guard against knocks and drops, as your watch’s delicate mechanism might be damaged. Finally, consider investing in an automatic watch winder, a device which performs a variety of functions. On the surface, these winders are often quite beautiful. Many models are hand-crafted out of fine wood or leather and function as stunning and secure repositories for you to safely store your timepiece when you are not wearing it. In addition, automatic watch winders are designed to simulate the natural movements of your wrist. Calibrated to work with all major brands of watches, your winder can be set to comply with your particular watch manufacturer’s winding guidelines. Once you obtain one of these beautiful devices, your watch will never run down, your settings will not be lost and you won’t need to worry about your timepiece being damaged or lost due to being stored poorly.
Because your automatic watch has moving parts that lose precision and lubrication over time, there will come a point at which you will need to take it to a reputable jeweler or dealer for service. By its very nature, your timepiece will not be as precise as a quartz watch, so don’t expect it to be accurate to the second. However, if it starts to lose or gain more than five minutes over the course of a month, it’s time to have someone look at it. Most fine jewelers have a machine that can measure the vibrations produced by your watch when it is running and indicate how accurately it is operating. If your jeweler diagnoses your watch as in need of service, don’t assume that you will get your timepiece back in a few days or a week. These days, most fine timepieces are serviced at central locations. Your watch will be totally disassembled, with every part painstakingly inspected and replaced or lubricated as necessary. It actually could be several months before you are reunited with your Rolex, Omega or Cartier.
As a lover of fine automatic watches, you have gone to great lengths to invest in your timepiece. You prize the care and attention that was given to every aspect of assembling it. If you continue to treat it right, you should find that your watch will run for years without having to visit the factory for service.