A watch does more than just tell the time. Often, there are personal memories associated with it, making it an incredibly sentimental object. And, if taken care of properly, you can pass your watch on to future generations. Watches are built to last, and it’s not difficult to properly take care of it to keep it in top shape:

Clean your watch as often as possible. Take a soft cloth and wipe down the band and the case to remove any dirt or dust. Soak the watch in soap and water (you can follow these steps) every couple of months to loosen the dirt.

Get your watch serviced every two or threes years for a mechanical watch and three to four years for a quartz watch. (Read: Watch Maintenance 101: How Often Should You Service Your Watch?)

Avoid magnets. Some of you may not be aware that placing your watch close to a magnet can negatively affect the timekeeping of your watch.

Know your watch’s water resistance. Most watches these days are built with some water resistance, but vintage watches tend to lose their waterproof-ness over time. If your watch is not water resistant, it can still handle small splashes of water, but it’s best to avoid it. And, if your watch has a leather band, avoid getting your watch wet—water weakens the leather.

Take care of the crystal. This is quite obvious, but it’s still important and worth mentioning. Take every precaution you can to prevent from banging the crystal of your watch against a wall or any other objects that may cause scratches.

Keep your watch box for storage. When not wearing your watch, it’s best to keep it in the box it came in. By setting the watch on its side or on the crystal, there is always the possibility the watch could get scratched. The watch box is made to keep the watch safe and offers protection for the watch.

Avoid extended exposure to sunlight. Sunlight can fade the color on your watch. Also, heat can shorten the battery life, so it’s best to prevent your watch from being placed in direct sunlight.

Avoid contact with chemicals, such as cleaning supplies. Also, it’s best to avoid contact between your watch and perfume, especially if the watch has a leather band. Perfume can damage the band, weakening it and potentially causing it to tear. When spraying perfume or cologne, let it completely dry before placing the watch on your wrist.

Never open your watch by yourself. Leave this to a watchmaker. Opening your watch can expose it to dust, dirt, and other particles that can get inside the movement, so it’s best to leave this up to a professional.

Read your watch manual. These steps will most likely apply to the care of every luxury watch. However, there are certain things that are specific to each watch and these tips will most likely be listed in the watch manual.

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