An expertly crafted, luxury watch requires proper care and regular service in order to perform to its best ability. Although Rolex watches are extremely precise and reliable, taking care of your timepieces is just as important as taking care of your luxury car, yet it is something that most owners overlook. There are a few things that a Rolex owner can do in order to keep the watch looking and running like new between service times.
CLEANING YOUR WATCH
After a period of wear you may notice that your watch appears slightly duller than when you first bought it. This could be due to the accumulation of dirt, body oils, and tiny scratches on the surface of your timepiece. We recommend that you take some time every couple of month to give your watch a quick cleaning in order to keep it looking like new.
Make sure that you are absolutely positive that your watch is waterproof or at least water resistant before you begin the cleaning process. There are some Rolex dress lines that are not water resistant. Those should be taken to a specialist for cleaning and maintenance.
To clean your Rolex, make sure that you your hands are clean and you have a clutter free, well light environment. Make sure that the crown of your watch is screwed in tightly to prevent water from leaking inside of the watch as it may damage the movement. Rinse your watch off with warm water to wash off any excess grime and larger contaminants and oils. Fill the bowl with water and mild, ammonia-free soap. Use your hands and a small, non abrasive brush to clean between the bracelet links and around the case area. Rinse your watch and pat dry with a soft, natural cloth.
After the cleaning is complete, you may notice small scratches on your bracelet. These scratches are a normal result of regular wear and can be polished off using a special cleaning cloth. Although we highly recommend that you bring your watch to Ermitage Jewelers for detailed polishing and other maintenance, you can do it yourself. Make sure that your Rolex bracelet is polished and not matt finished. A matt bracelet will not show scratches as much as the polished bracelet will, however, you can't polish matt finished bracelets without ruining the finish. All maintenance on the matt finish bracelet should be done by a professional watchmaker.
To remove scratches from you polished bracelet links, use a jeweler's polishing cloth. Gently rub the cloth on the links that need polishing for a few seconds and watch as the fine scratches disappear. Be careful not to get the cloth on any brushed surface as it will polish the surface thus ruining the aesthetic of the watch. For detailed work we recommend you use the end of the q-tip with polishing cloth wrapped around it to give you more control over your instrument.
WEAR YOUR ROLEX
We know that you treasure your Rolex and may not want to wear it every day, but believe us when we tell you that you are actually doing your watch a disservice. Wearing your Rolex insures that all the liquids inside the movement remain viscous which allows the gears to move freely without any obstructions. Solidification may occur when a watch is not worn on regular basis. If you do not wear your Rolex often, make sure that you wind it at least once a week to maintain its functionality. You can also store your Rolex in a special winding box. A winding box is a device that gently rotates your watch to simulate wrist movement.
WINDING YOUR ROLEX
Most of the Rolex watches today are self winding and have a 48 hour power reserve. After approximately 48 hours, your Rolex may stop running or showing accurate time if not wound. To wind your Rolex, take the watch off of your wrist, turn the crown approximately 30 times and wait. Do not shake your watch as it may cause damage to the mechanism while it is not running. We recommend that you allow your watch to "rest" and start on its own if it doesn't start immediately. It may take the watch a few minutes to begin running again.
If, however, your Rolex appears completely dead, it might be time to turn to a professional Rolex watchmaker for help.
ROLEX MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND RESTORATION
Every Rolex watch is made with extreme precision and craftsmanship that is unmatched by other watch brands. When you purchase a Rolex, you are investing in a long history of quality and precision as well as style and value. At Ermitage Jewelers we understand the importance of your timepiece to you which is why we have committed to quality and excellence in our repair shop as well as with all the watches that leave our store.
You can rest assured that any timepiece that you buy at Ermitage Jewelers has been through our time tested, trademark, quality assurance process to guarantee quality and authenticity of your piece.
When you bring your watch to us for maintenance, we take great care to diagnose and fix any issues that the watch may have. Because we understand and respect the great tradition of Rolex, if we find that there are defective parts, we replace them with genuine Rolex parts and never aftermarket replicas. We believe that a big part of quality watch service, is maintaining the original design of the movement and preserving century old craftsmanship of an incredible timepiece.
Ermitage Jewelers offers a 1 year limited warranty with all your watch purchases, so you can rest assured that your watch will be maintained and taken care of by the best in the business.
ROLEX MAINTENANCE
Rolex recommends that you take any non diving watch for maintenance at least every 5 years and the diving models should be inspected every 18 months to check for water tightness. However, we believe that regular yearly maintenance and cleaning by a professional watchmaker will keep your watch looking better and running smoother.