The Savvy Watch Collector: How to Take Care Of Your Luxury Timepieces

Give your timepieces the TLC they need.

By Celine Yap / 22 Dec 2016

<b>05: Customer Care</b><br><br>
To keep your watches tiptop condition, companies recommend annual servicing and maintenance. Getting the movement cleaned and demagnetised is fine, but over-polishing the case and bracelet reduces the precise proportions of the watch, compromising its overall wearability and diminishing its market resale value.<br><br>
By the industry standard, watches typically come with a two-year warranty, except those by Rolex, which have a guarantee of five years. Omega guarantees its Co-Axial models for four years, and Richard Mille offers a three-plus-two warranty.
<i>Omega Speedmaster Moonphase, with a Co-Axial Master movement</i> — <b>05: Customer Care</b><br><br> To keep your watches tiptop condition, companies recommend annual servicing and maintenance. Getting the movement cleaned and demagnetised is fine, but over-polishing the case and bracelet reduces the precise proportions of the watch, compromising its overall wearability and diminishing its market resale value.<br><br> By the industry standard, watches typically come with a two-year warranty, except those by Rolex, which have a guarantee of five years. Omega guarantees its Co-Axial models for four years, and Richard Mille offers a three-plus-two warranty. <i>Omega Speedmaster Moonphase, with a Co-Axial Master movement</i>

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As marvellously engineered as they are, mechanical watches are delicate things, even at their most basic – with a hundred or so components making up even a simple mechanical movement. Mishandling, over-winding, exposure to magnetism, and neglect are the most common newbie mistakes that lead to watches requiring time at the service centre. With complicated watches, things get more, well, complicated.

While it’s not a bad idea to err on the side of caution, there’s no need for kid gloves when you’re handling watches either. The trick is to handle them not just carefully but also confidently like the seasoned collector that you are – here’s the 411 on how to treat your watches right.

Celine Yap has a decade of experience in luxury watch journalism, and has served in senior positions at specialist horology magazines such as World of Watches and Revolution.

Haute Horlogerie