A watch is not only a useful device that shows time and features a stopwatch, but also an elegant accessory that complements our outfit. Therefore, it’s good to know how to take care of our treasure, so that it serves us for years, always shines, looks clean, and at the same time is completely safe for our health.

It is best to clean the smartwatch carefully with a damp microfibre or cotton cloth. The cloth can be also sprayed with a small amount of glass cleaner or soaked with a little dishwashing liquid. The watch crystal must be cleaned very carefully as mineral and polyamide crystals are not highly scratch-resistant. Therefore, polishing should be extremely gentle. After washing and gently wiping the crystal you can dry it with a cloth. The spaces by the case and on the back of the case should be cleaned gently with a toothpick or cotton buds. You should avoid opening the case to clean the inside of the watch, as you may lose the manufacturer’s warranty. If you think that there is something wrong with the watch movement, you should have your watch serviced under the warranty. If you want to disinfect your watch, you can use tiny gauze swabs soaked in alcohol. Before using the gauze swab on the proper part, however, use it first on a tiny, invisible surface to check if the silicone or rubber does not discolour or tarnish.

A 925 silver watch is soft and susceptible to mechanical damage (scratches and impacts) as well as patina (darkening). Our silver watch can be easily cleaned with a cloth soaked in a special liquid for silver jewellery. We can buy such a cloth practically in every jewellerer’s or watchmaker’s shop. The cloth is not only comfortable and safe to use, but also it can cope with patina. You will safely polish with this cloth all silver elements. If you do not have such a cloth at hand, you can easily clean your watch with water and salt (make sure that the solution is unsaturated so that the salt crystals do not scratch the silver) or a paste of baking soda, which you will make from a mixture of water and soda. Moreover, soda has strong antibacterial properties so you can, by the way, safely disinfect your watch.

A leather strap is the most common type of strap used in watches. Leather straps shouldn’t come in contact with hazardous liquids. They should be cleaned very carefully as their so-called top coat may wear through as a result of the intense care. The top coat protects the skin from sweat, dust and grease. Therefore, the leather strap should be cleaned gently using products for cleaning leather (e.g. upholstery in the car). After drying, it is worth treating the strap with a leather impregnation product, which is available in almost all shoe and specialist shops. In summer, it is good to loosen the leather strap on the wrist to reduce the absorption of sweat.

More and more watches available on the market are fastened with a strong silicone or rubber band. How to clean it after a workout in the gym or running in the park? The silicone band can be cleaned under running water with mild soap. Stronger detergents may irreversibly discolour our band. That is why it’s recommended to use the product first on a small invisible surface to make sure it won’t damage the band (e.g. at the interior side by the clasp).