Caring for your Vintage Timepiece

One thing that makes vintage watches so desirable is that they are unique and hard to find. It is this fact that also makes their maintenance essential.

It is important to remember that if a watch has regular servicing by a well trained watchmaker and care is taken when in use, it can remain in beautiful condition for generations to come. It is highly recommended by most watchmakers that any vintage watch being worn regularly should have its mechanism cleaned and oiled at least once every 3-5 years - more frequently if the watch is not water or dustproof. Even small amounts of dust or grime in the gears can cause irreversible wear to parts which may be very difficult to replace.

If a watch is not functioning properly due to an accidental drop or exposure to water it MUST be taken to a qualified watchmaker as soon as possible. A broken part can sometimes cause damage to other parts if left unchecked and many of the wheels and gears will rust within a few days if humidity is not removed. While some vintage watches are amazingly tough, it should be said that in general they are more fragile then what is being produced today and need to be treated accordingly.

Here at Meticulous we believe watches are meant to be worn and enjoyed, we only suggest that sufficient care is taken when using them in order to insure future generations can enjoy them too.

"Waterproof" Watches

Many of the watches listed on our site indicate that they are "waterproof" or "water resistant" on their dial or case. Even if this were true when originally sold years ago (many were not) they should not be treated as such today unless they have passed a full waterproofing test. Sometimes this is simply due to an early or unreliable "waterproof" case design or because the rubber gaskets are now old and stiff. Either way you are wearing a rare and collectable timepiece, so to keep it in good shape it is always best to stay away from water and humidity whenever possible.

Magnetization:

While most magnetization issues with watch mechanisms were basically resolved by the early 1950's, we still recommend that to be safe, all our watches should say clear of magnetic fields whenever possible so their timing is not affected.   This is especially important in watches from the early 1900's to the 1940's as they are more easily affected.  Cell phones, computers, tablets and magnetic bracelets are all a common source of strong magnetism in today's world, so whenever possible we recommend trying to keep these items from coming in contact with your vintage timepiece as much as possible.  De-magnetization of a watch is a relatively simple process but one only a qualified watchmaker must perform to have it done correctly.