So you decided to go old school and buy a聽mechanical watch鈥攏ot just one with hands and a dial聽but one that鈥檚 powered by a coiled spring and gear train instead of a battery. Congratulations, you鈥檝e got one of the few man-made objects that鈥檚 been built the same way for the past 200 years and will keep running for the next 200鈥攂ut only if you take care of it. I鈥檝e compiled a few pointers for keeping that watch running well and looking good, so you can pass it down one day after it accompanies you on all of your adventures.
One of the most satisfying things about owning a mechanical watch is that it requires your interaction in order for it to function. Unlike a quartz watch, a mechanical timepiece doesn鈥檛 get its energy from a battery. Instead, the power that drives the hands around the dial comes from the unwinding of a tightly coiled flat spring that is meshed with a train of gears. This 鈥渕ainspring鈥 requires regular winding, which, if you bought an automatic, will be wound up as long as it鈥檚 on your wrist (and you move every now and then). If it鈥檚 a hand-wound watch, or an automatic-winding watch that has been sitting on your dresser for a few days, you simply need to spin the crown a couple dozen聽times a day, which is an oddly gratifying chore.
While winding a watch is a simple process, there are a couple things to be aware of. First of all, don鈥檛 wind it on your wrist: the angle can be awkward and put lateral stress on the winding stem. Second, if it's a聽hand-wound watch, don鈥檛 overwind it. When it feels like you can鈥檛 turn the crown anymore, don鈥檛. At that point, it鈥檚 good to go.
Setting the watch is equally as simple: pull out the crown and spin the hands to the desired time. If it has a date mechanism, there鈥檚 a slight caveat:聽avoid adjusting the date between聽8 p.m.聽and 3 a.m., since that鈥檚 when the mechanism that automatically advances the date is engaged, and forcing it can break delicate components.
Though mechanical watches may seem fragile, they鈥檙e actually聽remarkably rugged, a fact that has been proven out on countless battlefields, mountain peaks, and coral reefs for the past hundred years or so. However, watches do have a few enemies, namely shock, magnets, and moisture. Wrenching on your truck or splitting wood are best avoided while wearing a mechanical watch. You should also avoid setting your watch on devices containing strong magnets, such as the TV, your laptop, or stereo speakers, as this can magnetize the movement and set your watch running too fast. If this happens, take it to a local watchmaker or jeweler, who can quickly demagnetize it.
Your watch is likely rated for some measure of聽water resistance, which is plenty for almost anything you could get into. But before you go dive the Andrea Doria, make sure that your watch鈥檚 crown is pushed in all the way. Most dive watches have crowns that screw down tight to the case for an extra measure of safety. A 30- or 50-meter-rated watch is fine for swimming, sailing or snorkeling, but if you plan to go scuba diving, 100 meters is considered the minimum safety margin for water resistance. And if you spend a lot of time in the water, it鈥檚 a good idea to have the seals replaced annually and the water resistance checked.
If you聽wear聽your watch frequently, it鈥檚 bound to get a little dirty and, like any other piece of gear, should be cleaned. Make sure the crown is pushed or screwed in, then have at it with an old toothbrush and some water. Try to avoid using soap, as it can compromise the watch鈥檚 gaskets.
Leather straps look great and last many years, but they can get pretty gnarly from sweat or moisture, so if you鈥檙e wearing your watch in the water or sweat a lot, consider a steel band聽or a rubber or nylon strap.聽Changing straps is an easy task: simply get yourself a and pop off the spring bar, then聽swap in the new strap. Changing straps is a great way to change the look of your watch without spending much聽and can become fairly addictive.
Some regular maintenance for your watch is a good idea. Given that a typical mechanical timepiece ticks almost 700,000 times every day, those gears and springs need attention eventually. So every five years or so, it鈥檚 a good idea to have a watchmaker clean and lubricate the movement. Ask them to聽swap out the gaskets while they鈥檙e at it.
A mechanical watch is still one of the most reliable devices you can own. There are countless watches from the middle of the last century still in common use today, keeping time as faithfully as the day they were bought. I can鈥檛 think of another everyday product that can claim that record of sustainability and longevity. So wind it up and聽wear the hell out of it, but take care of it. It will reward you by collecting the time of your life.