What Makes a Watch Last
Service intervals, water ratings, crown discipline, and the habits that separate decade watches from drawer watches.
Service on schedule
Oils dry and migrate over years. A mechanical movement wants fresh lubrication and new gaskets roughly every five to seven years, sooner if it runs fast, slow, or the reserve shortens.
The warranty covers five years. Book the first service just after it ends and the watch never knows it aged.
Watches rarely die. They get neglected, then blamed.
Crown discipline
Push or screw the crown fully home before water gets near the watch. Set the time by moving past and back rather than forcing the hands. Wind smooth, never against resistance.
Most water damage stories start with a crown left out after setting the time in a hurry. Two seconds of attention prevents all of it.
Wear it
Stored watches dry out. Worn watches stay distributed and honest. Rotation is fine, but nothing preserves a movement like regular running.
Scratches are not damage, they are documentation. Polish the display surfaces at service if you like. Leave the case flanks alone. They are keeping score.