How to Maintain Your Luxury Watch: The 2025 Guide

You’ve made the investment and bought the luxury watch of your dreams. The common belief is that the hard part is over. But the reality is that a high-end watch is a precision-engineered machine, and without proactive care, you’re on a fast track to a repair bill that can easily exceed $1,000.

In 2025, with servicing costs soaring and resale value hinging on pristine condition, simply wearing your watch isn’t enough. You need a system. This guide provides a practical, step-by-step playbook to preserve your watch’s performance, protect its value, and avoid the catastrophic repair costs that blindside most owners.

What You’ll Learn

• The 3-Tier Maintenance Schedule: A simple daily, monthly, and yearly plan to keep your watch in peak condition.

• The Safe Cleaning Method: A step-by-step walkthrough to clean your watch without causing damage.

• Servicing De-Mystified: Exactly what a service is, when you really need one, and what to expect.

• The Watch Owner’s Toolkit: The essential, affordable tools every owner should have.

• The Complete Maintenance Checklist: A scannable checklist to ensure you never miss a step.

Core Concept: Your Watch is a High-Performance Engine

The first step is a mental shift. Stop thinking of your watch as jewelry and start thinking of it as the engine of a performance car. It contains hundreds of tiny, intricate parts working in harmony, lubricated by oils that degrade over time.

• Cleaning is like a car wash; it preserves the exterior and prevents corrosive buildup.

• Regulation is like a tune-up; it ensures the timing and accuracy are perfect.

• Servicing is like a full engine rebuild; it’s a deep, intensive process to replace worn parts and restore the machine to factory spec.

Ignoring regular maintenance on a car leads to engine failure. The same is true for your watch.

Why it matters: A standard service for a Rolex Submariner can cost $800-$1,200. If you neglect it and parts start to grind and break, that cost can double. Proactive care is the single best way to reduce the lifetime cost of ownership.

In Practice: The 5-Minute Safe Cleaning Method

Dirt, sweat, and dust are the enemies of your watch. They can wear down bracelet links and degrade the gaskets that ensure water resistance. Clean your watch every 2-4 weeks.

Prerequisite: Ensure your watch has a screw-down crown and at least 100m of water resistance. Do not perform this on a vintage watch or a dress watch unless you are certain of its water resistance.

1. Check the Crown: Make sure the screw-down crown is fully screwed in and tight. This is the most critical step to prevent water from entering the case.

2. Rinse Gently: Use lukewarm running water to rinse the watch head and bracelet. Avoid high pressure.

3. Lather Up: Apply a small amount of mild dish soap to a very soft-bristle baby toothbrush.

4. Scrub Softly: Gently scrub the bracelet, case, and between the lugs. Pay attention to the clasp, where dirt builds up. Never scrub a leather strap.

5. Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse all the soap off under lukewarm water.

6. Pat Dry: Use a high-quality, soft microfiber cloth to pat the watch completely dry.

Pro Tip: For watches on leather or fabric straps, remove the strap and clean only the watch head with a damp microfiber cloth, avoiding any contact with water.

The Watch Owner’s Toolkit

You don’t need to be a watchmaker, but having a few essential tools makes basic maintenance easy and safe.

Servicing: The Long-Term Plan

Every mechanical watch needs a full service eventually. This is when a certified watchmaker completely disassembles the movement, ultrasonically cleans every part, replaces worn components, re-lubricates and reassembles everything, and tests it for accuracy and water resistance.

The Implementation Guide: Service Intervals

• Modern Automatic (Rolex, Omega, Tudor): Every 7-10 years.

• In-House or Complex Movements: Every 5-7 years.

• Vintage Watches (Pre-1990): Every 3-5 years, as lubricants were less advanced.

Pitfall: Do not take your high-end luxury watch to a mall kiosk or general jeweler for servicing. They lack the specific tools and parts accounts for brands like Rolex or Patek Philippe. Always use a brand-certified service center or a highly reputable independent watchmaker.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems

• Problem: My watch is running very fast.

  • Cause: It has likely become magnetized from exposure to speakers, laptops, or phone magnets. This is the most common cause of sudden inaccuracy.

  • Fix: A watchmaker can demagnetize it in under a minute with a simple tool.

• Problem: The date wheel is stuck between dates.

  • Cause: You may have tried to change the date between 9 PM and 3 AM, when the date-changing mechanism is engaged.

  • Fix: Advance the time forward 24 hours manually. If it’s still stuck, it needs professional attention. Never force the date wheel.

The Complete Maintenance Checklist

Use this scannable list to protect your investment.

Daily (5 Seconds)

• Wipe down the crystal and case with a microfiber cloth.

Weekly (1 Minute)

• Check the timekeeping against a reliable source.

• Wind the watch fully if it’s a manual wind.

Monthly (5 Minutes)

• Perform the Safe Cleaning Method (if water resistant).

• Inspect the strap or bracelet for wear and tear.

Yearly

• Have the water resistance tested by a professional if you swim with it.

Every 5-10 Years

• Send the watch for a full professional service based on its age and type.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does a Rolex service cost in 2025?

A standard service from an official Rolex Service Center for a model like a Datejust or Submariner typically starts at $800 and can increase depending on what parts need replacement.

Can you overwind an automatic watch?

No. Modern automatic watches have a slipping clutch mechanism that prevents the mainspring from being overwound. When it’s fully wound, the rotor will simply disengage.

Is it safe to use a watch winder?

Yes, a winder is safe and can be convenient for watches with complex calendars. However, for a simple time-and-date watch, letting it rest when not in use can reduce mechanical wear over the very long term.