If you’re reading this, you’re likely just beginning to immerse yourself in the exciting world of timepieces.

Perhaps you’ve been scouring the internet in search of the perfect watch to start your collection. There are so many unique and wonderful brands to choose from, and so many things to love about each unique watch.

Lifetime investment

 What you might not know when you purchase your first watch is that you’re going to need to take care of that timepiece and have it serviced properly for its entire lifetime. Over the course of its lifetime, you’ll notice that it will begin to lose time every couple of years. Most people will need to get their watch overhauled every 5 years or so, depending on how often they wear it. Consistent wear will put more stress on the movement, requiring it to be serviced more often. You’ll know when it’s time to bring it into your jeweler or watchmaker.

Finding someone you can trust to continually work on your watch is an important step in the process of purchasing a timepiece! Hopefully, that’s the same company where you purchase the piece, but the important thing is that you know where you can take it for repairs when it needs servicing.

Winding

If you’re interested in a mechanical watch, then you’re very lucky! You get to be directly involved in keeping the watch running through daily winding (or less often, depending on the watch.)

When you wind your watch, be sure to do so when it is not on your wrist—otherwise, you can cause unnecessary stress on the winding mechanism. So, a good rule of thumb is to wind it in the morning, before you put it on for the day.

Just always be sure not to over-wind it. Once you begin feeling resistance, that’s how you know it’s time to stop. Over-winding it won’t give you more time before it needs re-wound, but it will shorten the lifespan of the movement.

Have the knowledge

Before you purchase your first timepiece, you’ll want to do a bit of reading. Of course, you started by reading this article! However, if you can nail down the exact watch you’d like to buy, then read up on the specifics of that piece. Or, stop into a local watch dealer that carries the piece and pick the brain of the salesperson working with you. They’ll be happy to help you make an informed purchase.

Good luck in beginning this special collection!