How to Store Your Luxury Watch - Safely

 

                                             

 

 

Consider the value of your watch 

How much did you pay for your luxury watch and what is it worth now? Consider what the sale value of it might be in a year or two - or five.  It’s certainly worth some serious safety consideration.  

 

Here we cover all your choices and considerations for storing your watch or watch collection safely, including some links to some nice choices. 

Consider a safe

A watch fits in a pocket.  It’s an easy item to steal, probably won’t be missed for a while, and quite easy to misplace, come to that.  You take it off to have a shower, come back and … where did you put it down? 

 

Do you have a burglar alarm to protect your house?  If you know your watch is worth a large percentage of the value of your house, why wouldn’t you take similar precautions with it, even if it’s within the house.  If you want to check on the value of your watch, or you’re considering selling, get in touch with Chrono Hunter for a free valuation.  

 

Insure your watch 

Although you might have content insurance on your house, it’s worth investigating taking out an insurance policy just for your luxury watch - or collection.  Get several quotes and investigate the insurance companies before you take out a policy.  

How to store your watch

If you’re not going to be wearing your watch regularly, make sure you store it in a way that keeps it safe and in good working order.  There are several things you want to consider, including some you may never have thought of.  

Batteries 

Quartz movements use batteries.  If you’re storing your watch long-term and don’t plan to wear it for quite a while, remove the battery first.  Batteries can leak and cause corrosion.  This can be a very costly fix.  If you’re not sure how to remove the battery, take it to a reputable dealer and have them do it for you.  

Mould and mildew 

If you keep your watches anywhere near a bathroom - or in a room where you suspect there may be dampness, use silica gel to stop mould or mildew developing anywhere near your watch.  Mould and mildew are more likely to affect the storage box your watch is in, but it could have a negative affect on the mechanism in the watch.  

 

Silica gel is a desiccant - meaning that it attracts any moisture in the air to it, rather than to the item it’s protecting. Widely available and inexpensive, it’s well worth keeping these around and popping one in your watch storage case. How long a silica gel sachet lasts depends on the size and brand of the one you buy, but it should indicate on the packet.  Generally, once the gel has absorbed moisture to the 50% mark, it isn’t as affective, so changing the sachet every month or so is a good rule of thumb. 

Avoid magnetic fields

 

Keep your watch away from your mobile phone and computer. Such technology can cause your watch to slow down, speed up or even stop completely.  There can be small magnets around the house that you don’t even know about - for instance, on a fridge door - that could potential mess with your watch.  

 

Watch makers have been aware of this problem for many years and are constantly experimenting with different materials to counter the problem.  But these days, magnets are all over the place - in hair-dryers, in hard drives, in iPads.  Most shouldn’t have a noticeable affect on your watch, but be aware of them, and do take care not to store your watch near any magnets. 

 

                                               

 

Daily storage 

 

Keep your timepiece in a watch box - but preferably not the one it came in.  The box your watch came in is quite valuable, especially if you think you might sell your watch one day.  The better condition the watch box, the higher the price your watch will fetch with a “full set” of box and papers. Keep your watch paperwork with the box so it’s in the right place and remember to get the paperwork updated if you have the watch serviced or any parts replaced. 

 

Boxes that are designed to store luxury watch have the best and softest materials for the watches to rest on.  Fabrics such as silk, velvet or suede make sure no scratches are going to be caused, as well as spacing the watches well apart in multi-watch storage boxes. 

Watch display table 

Imagine being reminded of all your success and good taste every time you walk into your dressing room or bedroom.  Having a display table can put your mind at rest as you can see your watches every time you pass them.  They are also on display to anybody who visits you and might enjoy looking at them and asking you about them.  Watch enthusiasts can talk about watches for hours! 

 

If you have a substantial watch collection - or you’re planning to build one - you might want to invest in a beautiful display case.  

 

If you don’t care to display your collection, you can invest in a drawer insert that will keep the watches in great condition. 

 

                                                     

 

 

Watch box 

A small multi-watch box can sit on your bedside table within sight when you fall asleep and wake up.  If you need a reminder of your success, you might enjoy this. Invest in a beautiful and well-made watch box to match the quality of your timepieces. 

Watch rack 

A watch rack hangs your watches - but they are not supported nor protected from dust.  This might be ok if your watches are lower-end or get a great deal of use, but not the best choice for investment pieces.  As a box cushions the watch and keeps it protected from the elements, this is a better option. 

Watch stand 

A watch stand stores the watches on their sides and not hanging like a watch rack.  They are a bit better than a rack in that the watch is a bit more supported, however, again, there is nothing to protect the watches from dust and grease, so not long-term storage for watches of high value. 

 

If you don’t care to display your collection, you can invest in a drawer insert that will keep the watches in great condition. 

 

                                                         

 

 

Travel case

 

Travel watch cases are a great investment if you’re travelling and want to take a few of your timepieces with you.  The watches fit very snug into the specially selected materials used to line the case.  You can get fine Italian leather cases which you’ll feel your watch deserves.  It will give you peace of mind knowing your watches are well protected while they travel with you.  When you get to your destination, check the watches to make sure they are ok.  They come in single watch or multiple watch options. They also come in a “roll” which does the same thing and may take up less space when you’re packing. 

Leather pouch - these take up a lot less space when you’re travelling so you might consider this for trips.  It’s not advisable to keep your watches in a pouch like this for long, however, as it doesn’t support the shape of the watch.  

 

                                                             

 

 

Valet tray

If you have one watch that you wear very regularly, you could use a valet tray.  This is a softly cushioned rectangular tray that can be kept on top of a bureau or in a top drawer for storing often-worn jewellery at night.  As it has no covering, it’s best for jewellery and watches that get a lot of daily wear.  Keeping a collection of watches on a valet tray wouldn’t be the best idea. 

 

 

Automatic watch winder 

 

Watch winders come in single, double, triple and more.  Battery operated, they deliver around 900 movements per day to keep the watch wound and ticking.  

There are various opinions about whether these are necessary, or even good for a well-made watch.  A top-end watch should be just fine with not being worn a lot, and not being wound on a daily basis.  If you don’t wear your automatic watch for a few days, it may well stop and you’ll have to reset the time and date.  For many people this is not a problem, but if you find that annoying, this could be the storage solution for you.  However, if you have a perpetual calendar watch, this might be a good idea as it’s a much bigger job to reset the calendar watch. 

 

Conclusion 

 

The more valuable your watch or watch collection, the more worthwhile it is to invest in good storage solutions that covers all the basics: Protection from theft, dust, damp and losing shape.  Store the boxes all your watches came in, along with paperwork, in an equally safe place - away from the watches so that you can always find them, but they are kept in pristine condition. 

 

However you decide to keep and display your watches, enjoy your success and take pride in them. 

 

Buy Or Sell A Luxury Watch The Smart Way With Chrono Hunter 

If you are considering your new purchase or perhaps the sale of a beloved timepiece don't forget that Chrono Hunter is the smart way to buy or sell a luxury watch.

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