Basic care and maintenance of Rolex watches

Rolex watches are known for their precision as well as their elegance. Such an excellent combination of beauty and excellence may be the reason why they are priced so high. Every person who owns a Rolex treats it like a prized possession. If you own a Rolex and want to treasure it forever, then you need to learn how to take proper care of it. A simple program of basic care and maintenance will not only keep your Rolex in perfect working order for years to come, it will also give you the feeling that you are wearing a new Rolex every time you wear your watch.

The basic care and maintenance program for Rolex watches includes the following steps:–

1. Wear your Rolex regularly
Regular use of your Rolex will keep the watch in perfect working order. By doing so, you can ensure a constant flow of lubricants into the movement. If not used regularly, these lubricants can harden and cause friction within the movement. Eventually, this friction can damage the operation of the movement. If you don’t wear your Rolex regularly, be sure to wind it at least once a week. This will keep the watch gears moving, thus preventing the lubricants from hardening.

2. Cleaning your Rolex
Like any other intricate work of art and technology, a Rolex requires occasional cleaning and maintenance. There are many places on the watch where dirt, body oils, and other greasy particles collect, such as between the bracelet links, the area that joins the case and bezel, and around the Cyclops lens. With repeated use, you will clearly see such dirt particles on your Rolex. When such particles are seen, the watch will require a thorough cleaning as described below:

– Before you start cleaning, make sure the winding crown is securely screwed into the case.
– Since you will be using your hands to clean your watch, wash them thoroughly with soap or hand wash to avoid transferring dirt or grease.
– Use lukewarm water to rinse your watch.
– Fill a container with warm water and mild soap without ammonia.
– Apply this soapy water all over your watch with your hands.
– Now, gently rub the watch to clean it from all the dirt particles. Your old toothbrush can be used as an ideal scrub for this purpose. During scrubbing, soak the watch and toothbrush in soapy water at short intervals.
– Once you are sure the Rolex has been cleaned, rinse the watch with lukewarm water.
– Using a clean, soft cotton cloth, gently pat the watch dry.
– Since your cloth may not reach the links of the bracelet, you should use a blower or hair dryer to remove excess water from the inner surface of the links.
– In order for your Rolex watch to dry completely, you can also use a dry towel to remove any remaining moisture.

3. Removing scratches from your Rolex watch strap
Your Rolex bracelet needs special care as it is prone to scratches. This is especially true of the Oyster bracelet, which features polished center links. By polishing the bracelet once every few months, you can keep your Rolex looking new forever. You can easily remove scratches from polished center links with little effort and time. All you need is a good quality polishing cloth which can be chosen from products designed to remove scratches from polished stainless steel and gold surfaces. This cloth is soaked in a special liquid intended for polishing. These polishing cloths are inexpensive and can be used multiple times. When using the polishing cloth on the surface of your bracelet, there are several things to keep in mind, including:

– Make sure to use the cloth only on the polished surface of your bracelet. If you use it on the unpolished surface, it will damage the brushed finish.
– One way to avoid this error is to use a Q-Tip. You can wrap the fabric around your head and comfortably restrict your movement to the polished surface.
– Do not apply too much pressure while polishing because only a moderate amount of pressure is needed.
– Avoid the use of circular or crossed movements during polishing. Instead, try to go with the flow of the metal. In other words, go with the grain of the surface and not against the grain.
– A minute of polishing is usually enough to remove fine scratches that look like hairlines. However, you may need to spend more time if the scratches are deeper or more prominent.
– Finally, avoid polishing surfaces that do not have scratches. You will end up removing a thin layer of metal from the surface by way of polishing because the surface has not suffered any scratch marks. Less is more.

4. Wind up your Rolex
Rolex watches (except Oysterquartz) are perpetual, which means they are automatic. On average, Rolex watches have a power reserve of 48 hours. If it is not wound after 48 hours, your Rolex will stop working and appear dead. However, it is not a major problem as you can manually wind your watch. Simply unscrew the crown to position 2 and turn it around 30 to 40 times and once you have done this screw the crown back down. There are a few points to keep in mind when winding your watch. They include –

– You should avoid winding your Rolex while wearing it on your wrist.
– If you find it dead or in a non-working mode, please don’t shake your watch.
– Even after winding, do not shake the watch if it does not start. Simply turn your wrist gently, which will allow the watch to turn as well and give the rotor inside the “jump start” it needs.
– If the watch still won’t start, instead of shaking and possibly damaging your Rolex, simply set the watch aside and allow it to start on its own.
– Never worry about over-winding your watch as each Rolex has a built-in protection mechanism that prevents the movement from being over-wound.

5. Rolex waterproof
Most Rolex watches come with a tested and guaranteed depth rating of 330 feet. This water-resistant nature means that you can not only take a shower wearing your watch, but you can also swim with it. However, avoid diving in scuba gear when wearing your watch, as they are not made for deep water. For such aquatic situations, Rolex has created the Submariner and Sea-Dweller models. However, when diving while wearing these models, make sure the crown is screwed down securely to the case. Underwater, for whatever reason, if you have left the crown loose, there is a chance that the case could be flooded with water, ultimately damaging your watch. If you choose to buy a Rolex watch (non-diving watches), we suggest that you do not wear the watch even while swimming or showering. Treat these watches only as water resistant due to the age and custom work involved. Yes, you can wash your hands while wearing your Rolex, but treat your Rolex with the respect and care that such a great treasure deserves.