I wear my watch all of the time, everywhere, I don't take it off.
Fine, providing you take all of the above tips into account. BUT...a watch still needs to be cleaned externally periodically. Presuming your watch is WR to 50m minimum then using warm water, a little soap and a particularly soft brush, you should work delicately but purposefully to get rid of dust, skin particles, and other things from the everyday environment. Clean between the bracelet links, the back of the watch, and under the clasp. The band's particles and grit may cause premature wear as it can act like sandpaper. It should be clean and lovely! You will be confounded at how much nicer your timepiece looks after you clean it and dry it off with a soft cloth.
Can I polish scratched crystal?
If your watch has an acrylic crystal then the answer is yes. Folk use various compounds to try this but it is feasible to use Brasso or specialist polishes like Polywatch; it has been known to use toothpaste, in this case I would advise the smoker's variety! Anyhow, a hardly any of the selected polishing compound on a soft cloth and rub the crystal in circular motions; this should do the trick for minor/medium scratches. Deeper scratches will need more effort and often it's necessary to follow the line of the scratch first as opposed to the round about motion, then the circular motion. Polish dried solution off and hey voila, with a bit of effort the crystal will be almost new.
A mineral crystal is a pretty big problem if it becomes chipped or scratched. You can not polish this yourself unless you've got access to optical lens polishing equipment. My recommendation is to have a new crystal fitted - fairly cheap, quick and straightforward for a good watchmaker or let the professionals examine it.
A sapphire crystal is very very difficult to scratch in the 1st place - a diamond will do it so keep away from diamond jewelery for instance. Avoid metal catches on door frames and such because a sapphire easily chips. Anyway, if the sapphire does get scratches then if it bothers you I'm sorry it is new crystal time. Contrary to popular belief, sapphire crystals are not all costly; you should buy any sapphire and fit it, depending on your watch.
How Often should my watch be serviced?
This is one of those subjects that causes a lot of discussion between watch enthusiasts. I'd say that there is no rule here. Firstly, a mechanical watch applies specific lubricants to decrease wear and ensure consistent smooth running. Now, a lubricant doesn't keep its lubricating qualities for ever - admittedly, nowadays there are certain manmade lubricants used that will last longer and function as they should for a longer period. However if we look at it logically then the service interval will to a certain degree be set by how a watch is utilized and this is just how some manufacturers approach the subject.
So, a diver's watch employed by a commercial diver on a day-to-day basis will be subject to more abuse than a diver's watch worn by an office worker. The seals will exposed to water more often, the watch will theoretically get more vibration and shock - in short, there will more stress put upon the watch and its movement. In such cases, therefore, it may be shrewd to have a watch so heavily used checked for water resistance annual and completely serviced maybe each two years. If the watch is lightly worn, then lubrication can be performed every five years and water resistance checks can be done each two years. I might suggest that no mechanical watch get left for over five years without a service; it is likely that any lubricant will at the least have begun to lose its lubricating capabilities after this time.
Must I follow the "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" principle?
A watch could run for decades without needing attention, but it may be that when the time comes that it does, it could be very expensive. Furthermore, parts may be required that have to specially ordered, therefore extending the time that you are without your watch. I like to restrict the chances of disaster by following the guidelines above! I customarily have my watch serviced every year simply to be on the safe side. To keep the best copy watches running well, they'll need to be serviced from time to time.
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