Caring For Your Watch

Your watch needs care and regular maintenance to ensure its accuracy and protect its appearance. However, each brand and model has its own specific care guidelines. Always refer to the manufacturer's instruction manual or warranty that came with your watch.

- Avoid water damage. Check your watch's water resistance and make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions.
- If water or condensation appear inside your watch face, have it checked by a watch specialist at your nearest Mappin & Webb store.
- Avoid leaving your watch in extreme temperatures. Generally, extreme heat can shorten the battery life of a quartz watch, and extreme cold can cause your watch to gain or lose time.
- Avoid contact with chemicals, solvents and gases.
- Although most watches are, to a degree, shock resistant, avoid extreme shock or impact to your watch.
- Avoid exposing your watch to strong electric fields and strong static electricity. Most electrical household appliances will not affect your watch.
- If your watch has been worn in salt water, and is not designed to avoid corrosion, have it checked by a watch specialist.
- A watch specialist best cleans watches, including their straps.Have your watch checked and serviced regularly by a watch specialist. The manufacturer's instructions will tell you how often you should have your watch serviced.

Caring for your watch strap

These tips will keep your watch strap looking new for longer:

- Don’t wear perfume or moisturizers around your wrist, as the chemicals will erode the metal, leather and plastic of watchstraps.
- Avoid leaving the watch in direct sunlight, as this fades leather and plastic straps.
- Metal bracelets should be washed carefully in water. If your bracelet is really dirty, use a soft toothbrush with soap and water. Finally, rinse with water and dry carefully with a soft cloth. If your watch is not water resistant, be careful not to get water on the case. Cases should be wiped gently with a slightly moistened soft cloth and then carefully dried.
- Leather straps should be slightly loosened in the summer, when they may absorb perspiration. A tight strap not only prevents the passage of air over the strap undersurface but can also cause a perspiration rash on the wrist.
- If the strap ever becomes wet with perspiration, wipe it dry with a soft cloth. When you take off your watch, leave it in a well-ventilated spot. Never put it in a sealed container if it is damp with perspiration.