Although
automatic mechanical watches do not have batteries, some easy-to-follow
maintenance is necessary for continued and long-lasting good use.
Self-winding automatic watches depend on the movement of the arm to
operate and do require some winding, even if you wear your watch on a
daily basis.
If you wear
your Automatic watch everyday, it is best to wind it once, every two
weeks to keep the wheels in motion and oil fluid. Simply wind the crown
(the same knob used to adjust the time and date) until you meet slight
resistance.
If you do
not wear your Automatic watch everyday, you should try to wind it at
least twice a week to ensure continuous operation, as well as keeping
the inside mechanism in complete running order.
Try to wind
your mechanical watch at the same time every day. This is extremely
beneficial for the mechanism. You may want to make it a routine, winding
it every morning when you wake up.
Avoid
setting the day and/or date (if your watch has these functions) at
night. The day-date mechanism is activated during the night time hours
and could be disrupted if set at this time.
And always
avoid wearing your mechanical watch if you are playing a sport requiring
continuous arm motion (e.g. tennis, baseball, golf) since continuous arm
motion could damage the movement.
Fitting Your Watch to Your
Wrist
Removing links to fit your
wrist
If you have ordered a watch with a metal bracelet, there is a good
chance that you will require one or more links removed to fit your
wrist properly.
You can either:
Return the watch to us for alteration but please enclose the
measurement of your wrist size (if unsure, measure around your wrist
using a slip of paper and mark clearly on the paper the length).
Enclose a cheque £6.95 made payable to: Ebling Feres International
Limited.
Return Address: Ebling Feres International Limited
Unit 4, Elstree Business Centre, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Herts,
WD6 1RX
OR
We suggest you take the watch to a reputable local jeweller for
sizing.
Do not attempt to size your own watch! You may damage or scratch the
watch and bracelet. The liability is yours.
Retain the removed links
After the links are removed, keep those links!
Occasionally, a watch bracelet may break. It is a lot easier (and
cheaper!) to have the bracelet repaired with your own links than
ordering and shipping new ones.
Extra links can be ordered if required. Please contact our Service
Department.
Watches and Water Resistance
Your new watch says it is water resistant, but what exactly does that
mean? And how do you care for a water resistant watch?
Definition of Water
Resistance
A
watch marked as water resistant without a depth indication is designed
to withstand accidental splashes of water only. Do not submerge such a
watch.
Higher levels of water resistance are indicated by increasingly higher
acceptable depths, usually indicated in metres.
There are a variety of ways to make a watch water resistant. All such
watches use rubber gaskets or “O”-rings to seal the case back. A watch
with a back that screws onto the case provides a higher degree of
water resistance. Some crowns (the “winding stem”) actually screw into
the case to further increase water resistance.
Usage Recommendations
Usage Recommendations
The
following usage recommendations are suggested by the Swiss Federation:
•
Water-resistant to 30 metres (3ATM). Will withstand splashes of
water or rain but should not be worn while swimming or diving.
•
Water-tested to 50 metres (5ATM). Suitable for showering or swimming
in shallow water.
•
Water-tested to 100 metres (10ATM). Suitable for swimming and
snorkelling.
•
Water-tested to 150 metres (15ATM). Suitable for snorkelling.
•
Water-tested to 200 metres (20ATM). Suitable for skin diving.
•
Diver’s 150 metres (15ATM). Meets IS0 standards and is suitable for
scuba diving.
•
Diver’s 200 metres (20ATM). Meets IS0 standards and is suitable for
scuba diving.
Please note that we do not recommend
swimming or diving with your watch unless it has a screw-down crown
(also known as “screw-lock” or “screw-in” crown) and is
water-resistant to at least 100 metres.
Care for a Water Resistant
Watch
It
is not recommended to wear your water resistant watch in a hot shower,
sauna or hot tub.
The
extreme heat causes the metal parts to expand at a different rate than
the rubber gaskets. This creates small openings that can allow water
droplets to penetrate the watch.
Sudden temperature changes are especially harsh. Take care not to jump
into a cold pool after wearing your watch in the hot tub.
After swimming or diving in salt water, immediately rinse the watch in
a stream of fresh water. If your watch has a rotating bezel, turn the
bezel several times while rinsing it. This will prevent salt build-up
and corrosion of the bezel ring.
Leather straps can be made to be water resistant too.
Generally however, leather straps are more easily damaged by frequent
exposure to water. So if you are going to wear your watch while
swimming – think of buying one with a metal bracelet or a rubber or
nylon diver strap.
