Why buy a watch online?

Online retailers have a lower overhead than jewellery shops. It's a convenient way to order a gift for someone in another part of the country. Online shops often have lower prices because of their lower overhead. In some cases, they can be legitimate means for vendors from other countries to sell watches cheaper than mainland U.K. vendors.

Be aware that some online retailers really are illegitimate, however. One certain way to tell if a watch is legitimate is a serial number. If a company promises you a numbered watch, this is one indication that they are legitimate.

How do I open my watch case to replace the battery?

Watches are very delicate, and breaking open your watch case is potentially disastrous. A licensed jeweller has all the tools necessary and will likely charge you no more than a few pounds to open your case. Why take a chance on ruining your watch?

How long is the lifetime of my watch battery?

Watch batteries last anywhere from two to five years, usually, depending on the kind of watch, its size and the number of extra functions it has. Chronographs are likely to use batteries much quicker.

What exactly does water resistant mean?

Some watches are merely marked "water resistant" with no indication of depth or high pressure. These must still meet the terms of NIHS 92-10 standard (corresponding to international standard, ISO 2281). These watches are still designed for everyday life but should never be used for deep sea diving, of course.

Most watches come with a guarantee to a measured water depth. This means the casing and seal have been tested at the pressure indicated, and usually for some length of time.

What is the best way to care for my watch during and after swimming or usage under water?

Before entering the water, if it has a screw-in crown then please ensure that the crown is fully tightened (usually clockwise) before you enter the water.

For chronograph watches you must not push the buttons underwater as this could let water into the mechanism (There are exceptions which can operate the buttons underwater)

If you wear your watch after swimming then it is best to rinse the watch under warm running water as the salt and other chemicals may damage the seal of the watch.

What is a unidirectional bezel?

This is actually a very handy device for timing events. The bezel is the outer ring of the watch case. If it has numbers or markers on it, this means it can be moved. Unidirectional bezels will lock so that they can not be accidentally jarred out of position. For diving this provides a perfect means for timing your dive. It is also useful in other sports.

How do I clean my watch?

To clean watch cases and metal bracelets if you have fingerprints and minor dirt on the metal then all you need to do is wipe it clean is a dry clean soft cloth (we recommend a micro-fibre cloth) to wipe the watch clean.

For heavier dirt marks then use a toothbrush with warm soapy water then wipe the metal dry with a soft cloth.

What are some tips for quartz watches?     

Operating a Quartz ( Battery) Watch

•  If the watch is not going to be worn for a long period of time, stop the movement by pulling the crown out to time setting position. This will stop the watch and preserve the battery.

•  Have the battery checked every two years by a competent watchmaker.

•  When the battery is changed, have the watchmaker insure the watch is pressure-tight to withstand dust and moisture

•  If the second hand starts advancing in four-second increments, the battery needs to be replaced.      

What are the different types of movements available

Automatic Watches: A rotor on the movement keeps the watch powered by the motion on your wrist. If worn everyday, an automatic watch will run for life (or until it breaks). Automatic watches generally have 100´s of parts inside their small cases. If an automatic watch has stopped, it is best to wind it via the crown 20-30 times to give it a good kick start. If not wound manually, wrist motion is generally not enough to keep it running accurately.

Quartz Watches: The quartz movement became common for watches in the 70´s. They are powered by a battery and need little maintenance except for a battery swap every year or so. They are highly accurate compared to mechanical watches.

Manual Wind Watches: A manual wind watch must be wound every one or two days by the crown in order to run. Even with that perceived inconvenience, they are still produced in Switzerland and can even be found on watches well over $5000. Many collectors find them highly desirable. It is easier to make a thinner and lighter watch without the self-winding mechanism. Some unique movements can reserve up to 8 days of power and will usually have a power-reserve indicator on the dial.

What are the different watch crystals available?

Sapphire, Mineral, and Plexiglass (typically called plastic) are the three main crystals used on watches today.

Plastic is the least expensive and commonly found on vintage watches and many modern watches. These crystals scratch easily, however they are cheap to replace and easy to buff scratches out. Sapphire is the most expensive and the most scratch resistant. It can only be scratched by diamonds and other surfaces with a mineral hardness of 10. They are generally over £100 to replace and basically impossible to buff any scratches out. Since they are so hard, they are more likely to shatter on heavy impacts than a plastic crystal. A mineral crystal is between plastic and sapphire in cost and scratch resistance. It is virtually impossible to tell the difference between mineral and sapphire without taking a steel knife to the crystal to test it (not recommended!).    

How do I maintain my watch?

Although automatic mechanical watches do not have batteries, some simple maintenance is necessary for continued and long-lasting accurate use.

Self-winding automatic watches depend on the movement of the arm to operate and do require some winding, even if you wear your watch on a daily basis.

If you wear your automatic watch every day, it is best to wind it once every two weeks to keep the wheels in motion and lubricated with oil fluid. Simply wind the crown (the same knob used to adjust the time and date) until you meet slight resistance.

If you do not wear your automatic watch every day, you should try to wind it at least twice a week to ensure continuous operation, as well as keeping the inside mechanism in complete running order.

Try to wind your mechanical watch at the same time every day. This is extremely beneficial for the mechanism.