How to take care of your watch

General Recommendations

Passports are the best source of information about how to care for a watch. The owner of the watch will have uninterrupted and correct operation of the watch for a very long time if the rules contained in that document are followed. I would like to highlight the most important points.

Shocks

Keep the watch protected from shocks, falls, and strong shaking - to prevent loss of accuracy and deformation of the mechanism and case.

Magnetic field

Make sure that the watch is not left in close proximity to sources of magnetic radiation in the home (for example, microwave ovens or audio speakers). It is important to note that a strong magnetic field can affect the accuracy of the movement as well as, in general, the serviceability of the mechanism. Mechanical watches are particularly susceptible to this (it is particularly important to remove them prior to going through a metal detector).

Temperature

Keep your watch away from places where the temperature is below 0° and above 45° (for quartz - below 0° and above 45°; for mechanical - below 5° and above 35°). A sudden change in temperature affects the performance of the mechanism and the safety of the decorative elements on the dial.

This does not imply that the watch can't be worn in the cold. In addition, the watch feels comfortable on the hand under the clothes.

Chemicals

Keep your watch away from corrosive chemicals, especially gasoline, thinners, detergents, cosmetics, adhesives, perfumes, and medicines in order to prevent plaque, oxidation, or discoloration.

Water

Because of some design features of the case, ordinary watches are more resistant to water than jewelry watches. The result is that there are practically no waterproof jewelry watches available on the market. On the back cover of the device is a marking indicating the level of water protection. Watches without markings are not water-resistant. A few NIKA Watches models, however, don't have such markings, but instead use a unique "capsule" technology. A non-precious case is used within the mechanism to provide additional protection against moisture and dust. The use of this type of protection enables you to wash your hands, wash your dishes, and be outdoors in light rain. A jewelry watch cannot be worn while swimming, of course. It is recommended that you take the watch to a service center as soon as possible if the glass is fogged up or there is any reason to believe that water has entered the watch.

Storage

It is recommended that you store your watch in a dry place away from other jewelry in order to prevent scratches. An example would be a branded case.

Service maintenance

You should only contact authorized service centers if you experience a malfunction. It does not matter if it is something as simple as changing the battery. This applies even after the end of the warranty period. Why is this so? It is the responsibility of each brand to certify the specialists who provide service support for its watches on a regular basis. An authorized specialist receives timely updates regarding the device of new models and the features of their maintenance. The unauthorised craftsmen - regardless of how good they are - will not have up-to-date information about the complete set of watches of a particular brand. This means that they will not be able to properly handle the watches. There are some brands that produce complex exclusive models, often with unique technologies - these watches are generally serviced only at the factory where they were manufactured.

Let us now examine how to care for watches equipped with different types of mechanisms.

Maintenance of mechanical watches

A mechanical watch requires more careful maintenance than a quartz watch due to its complexity.

• It is recommended that the mechanism undergoes preventive maintenance every 2-3 years. The prevention process is similar to an annual inspection of a vehicle, which involves cleaning, changing, and inspecting the engine oil, seals, and mechanism.
• Hand-wound mechanical watches must be wound regularly in order to maintain their functionality. The grease in the gears thickens faster as the watch is worn more frequently. As a rule of thumb, the clock should be wound once every one to two days, preferably at the same time.
• Ensure that the crown is not subjected to excessive force and follow the winding instructions carefully.
• A self-winding watch winds itself while you wear it, but if you do not wear it constantly, it will quickly cease to function. The winders will watch the clock instead of you in order to maintain the power reserve.

Mechanical watch assembly

Rotor winding

Maintaining your quartz watch

Quartz watches are typically less hassle-free, but there are a couple of interesting aspects of the battery operation.

• If the clock starts to lag or rush strongly, replace the battery immediately without waiting until it completely stops. Most often, inaccurate movements are caused by a battery that is about to expire, but a malfunction of the mechanism may also be involved. Regardless of whether the watch is mechanical or not, when contacting a service center, ask the master to check the mechanism itself before changing the battery - this will also be a form of preventative maintenance.
• It is recommended that you change the battery only at authorized service centers. The installation of the incorrect battery is one of the most common causes of mechanism failure after contacting unauthorized workshops.
• Quartz watches often have the capability of stopping the movement in order to ensure a minimum discharge of the battery. In the event that you are not going to use the watch for a long period of time, you can move the crown to the position of the hands and the watch will stop. In this case, it is crucial that such savings do not result in damage to the watch. It is important to note that this trick does not work with all mechanisms. The Ronda 1032 and Ronda 1042, for instance, consume 7 times more energy when idle. This type of scenario is, of course, warned about by the manufacturer. Additionally, the open crown exposes the watch to moisture and dust.

How to care for silver and gold watches

It is important to take care of precious watches on a regular basis to prevent early tarnishing and darkening of the case. When silver watches and gold watches are taken care of every day, they won't need factory service any time soon. After each use, you just need to wipe the watch with a special microfiber cloth (included).

Silver

Silver oxidizes over time, becoming darker or yellow in color. Silver watches are coated with rhodium (platinum group metal) to keep the light color of the watch as long as possible. This coating lasts for about a year or two, depending on how much wear the watch gets. Rhodium plating will need to be applied again at the factory once the watch darkens or tarnishes. Furthermore, the watch will be polished here to conceal any minor scratches that are inevitable with regular wear.

Gold

Please use any jewelry care product without abrasive inclusions if the gold case becomes dark. In addition to removing impurities, it adds shine to the gemstones. The product can be sprayed directly on the watch and then wiped with a napkin from the set. During heavy contamination, it is recommended to repeat the cleaning procedure or use the brush provided in the kit.

Don't forget the Strap!

The life expectancy of a leather strap is approximately one year. It is important to note that the service life will vary depending on the wear intensity and operating conditions. To avoid deformation and discoloration, the strap should be protected from water, high humidity, prolonged exposure to sunlight, cosmetics and substances containing fats, as well as being protected from excessive tightening (a finger should be placed between the strap).