Watch Care
Taking care of your TIDLÖS watch
To maximise the time-keeping accuracy and longevity of your watch, we recommend that you:
✓ Undertake all service and repair work at an authorised service centre.
Your Tidlös watch has a six-year warranty, considerably longer than most other watch brands, which indicates our trust in the Swiss craftsmanship behind our manufacture. Should your watch be worked upon by a third party, this would, however, void the warranty as we cannot be held responsible for the work, and so any damage, that might be done by a third party. This includes all service and repair work, including a battery change on a quartz watch, as often seals and other parts can be damaged in opening the case back, the wrong battery/parts may be installed, seals not replaced, water-resistance testing not undertaken etc.
✓ Service your watch every 3-5 years.
There is no set rule for how often you should service your watch as it very much depends on the wearer's usage (how often it is worn, types of activities undertaken when worn, where stored when not worn etc.) and the environment in which it is worn (temperature, humidity etc.). However, as a rule, we recommend you service your Tidlös watch every 3-5 years if the watch is worn regularly, possibly less often if the watch is worn only a few times or less per month.
It should be remembered that your watch consists of many moving parts that need to be dismantled, cleaned, lubricated, reassembled, regulated, have seals replaced and be tested for water resistance etc. The same holds true for a quartz watch even though it has fewer mechanical parts than an automatic watch. Think of your watch as a high-performance car where services are required to fine-tune and ensure optimal performance.
✓ Follow the water-resistance guidelines specific to your watch.
No watch is waterproof, and the extent to which your watch is water-resistant is engraved on the back of your watch case, and possibly also mentioned on the dial. Tidlös watches have three levels of resistance, and it is essential that you follow the appropriate guidelines if you do not want to damage your watch:
5 ATM, 50 M, 165 FT: Suitable only for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. It should not be worn when diving into water or for energetic swimming or other games/sports at the water's surface.
10 ATM, 100 M, 330 FT: Suitable for swimming, snorkelling but not suitable for high board diving or scuba diving.
50 ATM, 500 M, 1,650 FT: Suitable for all high impact water sports, scuba diving and saturation diving.
Further points to note:
· Do not unscrew or pull out the crown when the watch is near water and certainly not when submerged in water, as this will allow water to enter the watch.
· If your watch has a leather strap, avoid all contact with water as water will weaken the integrity of the leather. For frequent or prolonged exposure to water or perspiration, we strongly recommend a steel bracelet or rubber strap.
· Regardless of the water-resistance level and type of strap on your watch, do not shower or bath with your watch on.
· If your watch is exposed to salt or chlorinated water from the beach or a pool, wash it with fresh water immediately after as this can damage the sensitive coatings and seals in the watch.
✓ Replace your quartz watch battery promptly when it expires.
Watch batteries vary in the number of years they last, typically from 1 to 3 years, but can last as long as 10 years depending on a number of factors, such as the number of functions they are being asked to perform – date, second hand etc. The more functions used, the more frequently you will need to change the battery. When the battery can no longer power the watch, it is important to replace it as soon as possible, ideally within a few weeks, as a dead battery may leak into your watch's movement, which would then require a major service and possibly new parts to repair. Some of our quartz movements have an End of Life (EOL) indicator which means the second hand jumps 4 seconds every 4 seconds, thereby maintaining the correct time, whilst warning the wearer that the watch has approximately 7 days before the battery will no longer have power. To ensure no damage is done to your watch and that your warranty is not void, please ensure that your battery is replaced by an authorised Tidlös service centre.
✓ Extend the battery life of your quartz watch by disengaging its movement.
All TIDLÖS quartz watches come with a power-saving feature – by pulling out the crown to the setting position, power consumption is reduced by approximately 70%. Consequently, if you will not be wearing your quartz watch for some time and/or don't mind resetting the watch when you do wear it again, this can be an effective way to extend the life of your battery.
✓ Wind and run your automatic watch at least once every two weeks.
If you wear your automatic watch infrequently, such as a few times per month or less, it is important to wind and run the watch at least once every two weeks to keep the movement's parts lubricated. If the watch does not run, oils dry and so friction occurs when the parts are asked to move again, causing a loss of accuracy and possible damage to the parts. Left many years, rusting might even occur. After the watch has been wound and set, be sure to return the crown to its original position to ensure the water-resistance of the watch is not compromised.
✓ Remove your watch from your wrist before winding or setting the time or date.
Whether your watch has an automatic or quartz movement, it is recommended that you remove your watch before winding the crown or setting the time or date. Failure to do so could cause the winding system to yield or snap under the lateral stress.
✓ Manually wind your automatic watch when it has stopped.
If you place an automatic watch on your wrist, which is not running, it could take some time before the movement of your wrist provides sufficient energy to the mainspring. By "kick-starting" your watch with 20-40 manual turns of the crown before you place the watch back on your wrist, you will ensure accurate time-keeping. If the watch has a screw-down crown, be sure to secure it after the watch has been wound and set to ensure the water-resistance of the watch is not compromised.
✓ If your watch is often submerged in water, have its water resistance tested every 12-18 months.
If your watch has a rubber strap or stainless steel bracelet, is water-resistant to 10 or 50 ATM and is regularly immersed in water, it is important to have the watch's water resistance tested every 12-18 months as the sealing gaskets age, deteriorate with changes in temperature and easily corrode when exposed to water. This applies particularly to watches of 50 ATM if used frequently in high impact water sports, scuba diving etc.
✓ Regularly check the condition of your leather strap.
Check your leather watch strap for any deterioration that could compromise its fastening. The lifespan of a leather strap will depend on numerous factors such as the wearer's skin acidity, level of perspiration, contact with any liquids such as water, chemicals, the temperature and humidity, how often and tightly the watch is worn etc. Based on these factors, the leather strap may eventually crack and weaken where the pin of the tang buckle inserts into the strap or the stitching may wear and weaken at the lug end, either of which could lead to the watch falling off the wrist, thereby causing extensive damage.
✓ Clean your watch regularly and gently.
Keeping your watch clean on the outside lessens the chance of getting dirt on the inside and will help to maintain its appearance. To remove dust, dirt, moisture, oils, and perspiration from your Tidlös watch, we recommend you regularly wipe both sides of your watch case and bracelet/strap with a clean, dry, and soft microfibre cloth. For a more thorough clean we suggest you occasionally undertake the following:
1. Remove the bracelet or strap so that the tight spaces between the lugs are easier to access and so clean thoroughly.
2. Take a bowl of lukewarm water and add a few drops of antibacterial dishwashing liquid. Dishwashing liquid is formulated to dissolve grease, which is why it works well to remove oils and debris.
3. Take a toothbrush with soft bristles and dip it in the bowl at regular intervals to ensure it stays wet with soapy water and brush all the surfaces, grooves and crevices on the case. You can immerse your Tidlös watch in the solution, but as this is not necessary, we recommend you do not do this.
4. Rubber straps and stainless-steel bracelets can also be cleaned in the above manner, but leather straps should never become wet. With leather straps, we recommend that you simply wipe both sides of the strap with a dry, soft microfiber cloth and then occasionally apply an appropriate, quality leather oil or conditioner. Follow the instructions of the oil/conditioner, ensuring it is appropriate for use on jewellery, watches, clothing, and accessories and is not for a specific application like furniture or industrial items. Allow the leather strap to dry naturally away from direct sunlight or heat from a hairdryer etc.
5. Rinse the case, bracelet/rubber strap in warm water with a clean brush or cloth as leaving soap residue can cause tarnishing and a dull finish.
6. Pat the case, bracelet/rubber strap dry with a soft cloth and then allow the parts to dry naturally. Should you wish to refresh the shine of the stainless-steel case, bracelet, and crystal, you can spray a glass cleaning solution onto a soft dry cloth and then gently polish these parts before reassembling the watch.
✓ Keep your watch in a safe, dry place.
When not worn, we suggest you store your watch in the TIDLÖS box provided or in a soft pouch to prevent any damage.
× Avoid any sudden jolts, knocks or shocks.
Every Tidlös watch is shock resistant but no watch is shockproof, so avoid dropping your watch onto a hard surface or subjecting it to a sudden jolt, even whilst still on your wrist, as damage will most likely be done to some or all of the watch's components (crystal, case, bracelet, movement etc.).
× Do not place the watch crystal/glass against hard or abrasive surfaces.
No glass/crystal, not even sapphire, is scratch proof so to avoid getting any scratches on your watch crystal, it is best not to place it face-down on any hard or abrasive surfaces.
× Avoid placing your automatic watch close to a magnetic field.
Metal components inside a mechanical watch can become magnetised when placed in proximity, normally less than 5 cms, to a strong magnetic field, causing a gain or loss of seconds/minutes in a day. Magnetic fields are created by electronic devices such as computers, microwave ovens, fridges, mobiles, clock radios, stereo speakers and even items such as handbag fasteners, bed underlays etc. A good way to test if your watch has been magnetised is to wave it slowly and closely under a compass. If the compass hand moves as a result, your watch has indeed been magnetised. If this happens, although it should be a simple procedure to demagnetise your watch without removing the case back, we recommend you have this repair undertaken at an authorised Tidlös service centre to ensure the work is undertaken properly and without voiding your warranty.
× Avoid extreme and sudden changes in temperature.
Avoid subjecting your watch to extreme heat or cold as this can affect its performance and accuracy. Anything over 60°C or under 0°C is no place for a watch as this can permanently damage the mechanism due to parts expanding whilst moving or becoming brittle and snapping due to congealed oils. In cold environments, we recommend keeping your watch on your wrist so that it remains close to body temperature. High temperatures due to direct sunlight can also reduce battery life and cause discolouration and shorten the lifespan of leather and rubber straps. Sudden temperature fluctuations are also not recommended as they can cause the gaskets that keep the water out to expand or contract, potentially allowing water to penetrate the watch itself and damage the delicate components inside. If this happens, you may see condensation appearing under the crystal. This does not necessarily affect the watch's functions and might soon disappear on its own accord. Nevertheless, it indicates a water-resistance weakness, and we recommend that you have your watch checked by an authorised Tidlös service centre if this occurs.
× Avoid direct contact with cosmetics, perfumes, oil-based products, and household chemicals.
Exposing your watch to chemicals, including cosmetics and perfumes, solvents or gases can cause deterioration, discolouration and damage to the watch and its components. In the case of cosmetics and perfumes, it is best to let them dry and be absorbed by your skin before placing your watch on your wrist.
× Avoid allowing your leather strap to become wet.
Leather straps should never get wet. Exposure to moisture, high humidity, intense direct light, cosmetic or oil products will cause the leather to deteriorate prematurely as well as a stain or discolour the strap. If your leather strap accidentally comes into contact with any of these elements, pat the strap dry immediately with a dry, soft microfibre cloth to help reduce any further damage and then allow the leather strap to dry naturally away from direct sunlight or heat.
× Do not take showers or baths with your watch on.
It is strongly advised that you do not shower with your watch on, regardless of the level of the watch's level of water resistance, as the water pressure and/or temperature could damage your watch, especially as the watch's seals will inevitably deteriorate over time. Shampoos and soaps used whilst showering can also be highly corrosive to a watch's delicate components and are another reason to avoid showering/bathing with your watch on. If you notice condensation on the inside of the crystal, the water-resistance level of your watch has been compromised, and we recommend that you send your watch into an authorised Tidlös service centre for inspection.
× Do not pull-out or unscrew the crown whilst the watch is exposed to water.
Unscrewing or pulling out the crown when the watch is near or certainly underwater could allow water to enter the watch, which could lead to extensive damage. If you see water or condensation on the inside of the crystal, the water-resistance level of your watch has been compromised, and we recommend that you send your watch into an authorised Tidlös service centre for inspection.
× Do not adjust the date when the hour hand is between 9 and 3 o'clock.
Although the date on an automatic watch changes at midnight, the gears that make this happen are engaged before and after this time. Changing the date when the hour hand is well away from 12, so between 9 and 3 to be safe, will avoid damaging the gears and pinions which in turn could lead to a misalignment of the date in the window or even damaged/broken components within the movement.
× Do not overtighten the screw-down crown.
After winding or setting a watch with a screw-down crown, it is necessary to screw the crown back incorrectly to ensure water cannot enter. If the crown is slightly out of alignment when you screw it back in, the threads of the tube and crown may cross and cause permanent damage, so gently screw the crown back in. It should rotate at least 1.5 full turns, but only up to three full turns while being screwed in. If the crown seems to stop very quickly (under one full turn), do not force it. In fact, never force anything on your watch but instead unscrew fully and attempt again. Do not screw too tightly as this will damage the winding stem, simply screw the crown until it stops - the seal required for water resistance has nothing to do with how tightly the crown is screwed in.
× Avoid the habit of turning the crown and hands of your watch anticlockwise.
Your crown and watch hands are designed to be turned clockwise (hence the term) and you should adopt this as a best practice. Turning the crown and hands anticlockwise on a regular basis will cause undue wear on the gear train. If however when setting the time you overshoot, turning the crown back slowly a couple of minutes is not going to cause any damage and is far easier than spinning through another 24 hours and potentially cycling through the date as well.
If you have any questions about how to take care of your watch, please do not hesitate to contact us, we will respond within two working days.
