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WATCH MAINTENANCE & WATCH CARE GUIDE
You watch is your style statement, it says a lot about you. Remember the time when you bought your watch, how carefully you selected your distinct timepiece. Similar amount of attention needs to given to maintain your watch and keep it in good working condition. You watch is not only a
jewel, but it's also a precision instrument which keeps you on time and helps you in day-to-day life. Proper Care and regular servicing is required to ensure the smooth and proper functioning of your watch. The normal maintenance procedure includes battery replacements, cleaning and lubricating the mechanism including the movements. If required get your watch services by authorized watch service personnel. However, the
frequency for having your watch serviced depends entirely on the
model, the climate and the owner's individual care of the watch which included how good your store the watch when you not wearing it. But generally every 3 to 5 years you should get your watch services. In any watch the gaskets and the crown which seal the case of the watch gets most affected due to wear under normal use. These are parts which should be inspected and replaced when needed time to time.
Moreover how frequently you need to get your watch serviced also depends upon your watch type. Following is an explanation of different watch types available in the market.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATCHES:
MECHANICALS WATCHES: Mechanical watches are the most traditional
type of watches, they are also called wind-up watches. Now the name
wind-up watches says everything about them, you wind up the main spring
inside the watch mechanism by gently turning the crown on the side of the
watch and the spring inside the watch gets tension from this. The spring
gradually and slowly starts to unwind and turns the small interlocking
wheels in the mechanism which in turn moves the hands on the watch to
display hours, minutes and second.
AUTOMATIC WATCHES: The Automatic watches were quiet a great phenomena
when they were introduced first. unlike mechanical watches, the automatic
watches are engineered to wind up themselves from the motion of wearer
wrist in any direction. This is why they are also called self winding
watches, as you don't have to turn the crown to wind them up. When you
wear automatic watches, your arm actions produce a weight exactly behind
the main mechanism movement which in turn rotates and winds up the main
spring in the mechanism of the watch. The rest of the spring procedure
remains same as mechanical watches. The automatic watches can
also be winded manually if somehow they fail to wind up from the arm
motion or after certain period of inactivity.
QUARTZ WATCHES: Quartz watches are battery powered watches,
they don't have any mechanical spring. So the power is generated from the
battery cells, and this power generates electronic impulses through a small bar of
artificial quartz crystal which vibrates more than 32,000 times per second. Those vibrations are channeled through a series of gears that result in one impulse per second.
The quartz watches can further be categorized into analog and digital
watches, there is no significant difference between these two difference
type of watches apart from the way they display time on dial. The analog
watches displays time in the most traditional and popular way through three
different hands on dial displaying hours, second and minute. Unlike mechanical
and automatic watches the hands on the dial on analog quartz watches are
moved through an motor rather than the tension in spring. Whilst on other
hand the digital watches display the times with digits and they have a LCD
to display time instead of dial. The numbers on this LCD are displayed
through illuminating LED's (light emitting diodes), and these numbers
tells the time.
After the inception of quartz watches they soon became very popular mainly
because of their accurate time keeping and durability. The quartz watches
are more accurate and can measure and keep the time with unprecedented
accuracy as compared to mechanical or automatic watches. The mechanical
watches have lot of moving parts generating more friction which in turn
generates less accuracy, also in order to keep them ticking you will have
wind them up on frequent intervals. With quartz watches you are free from
all these hassles. Quartz watches normally function and run well for years
if taken care off properly. All you have to do is replace the battery
every few years.
SPECIAL FEATURED WATCHES: Once the time keeping was accurate with
introduction of quartz watches, watch manufacturers decided to add other
valuable features in the watch enabling users to do more from their watch
apart from reading the time. Today majority of the watches display
calendar on their dial including month of the year, date, or day of the
week. There are watches available in the market which displays dual time
on the same dial (time from two different time zones, and you can easily
switch between any of them). People are finding these value added features
more convenient and more useful and now watch buyers look for something
more apart from a device which just tells time.
If you are a frequently traveling business person you have a series of
watches available in the market to satisfy your requirements and needs, if
you are a sports person, or a mountaineer there are different watches
available tailored and designed to satisfy all your needs.
Now a days watches are much more than time telling devices they are
becoming like an essential gadget to meet your needs and also on the same
time carry your style statement.
Having said that you should also ensure following in order to take good
care of your watch, your gadget and may be your best companion.
WATCH MAINTENANCE - DO'S AND DON'TS WITH YOUR WATCH
To always keep your watch in good condition and ensure it is delivering
accurate and correct time please always ensure following.
- Clean your watch at least twice a week with a soft dry cloth.
- Don't keep your watch on loudspeakers or refrigerators. These
appliances generate a powerful magnetic field and would damage your watch.
- Keep your watch at a safe distance from and avoid direct contact
with solvents, detergents, perfumes, cosmetics, alcohols or any petroleum products as
these products are inflammatory in nature and can damage seals, case,
bracelet or straps.
- To protect you watch from water and dust always ensure that all the
crowns on the watch are pushed in to the max all the times. Even a little
gap may allow water or dust to enter into the mechanism of watch.
- Be gentle with your watch, daily wear can easily cause tear and scratches.
- Before starting to lift heavy and large objects or do any heavy physical
work please remove your watch.
- If you wear one of those leather strap watches always ensure you don't
fasten the belt too tight or expose your leather belt to water unless the
leather strap on your watch is water resistant.
- Try not to expose your watch in rapidly changing temperatures.
- When you are not wearing your watch always store your watch in a cool
dry dust free environment.
- If you own a mechanical watch, always wind your watch in a clockwise
direction. If you can wind your watch at the same time everyday nothing
could be better for your watch.
- You should never open the watch yourself, even for replacing the
batteries.
SERVICE REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR WATCH
- To ensure proper functioning and accurate performance from your watch,
you get your watch serviced every 3-5 years.
- Always ensure the batteries in your watch are charged. Don't leave your
watch with a dead battery, as dead battery cells can cause permanent
damage to the watch mechanism.
- If you have a water resistant model, then you should have it's seals
and water resistant abilities checked every year or so.
- Always get your watch serviced from an authorized service center or trained
professional. If you have to replace some of the parts in your watch
make sure you get it done from a company authorized service partner.
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