Best Practices for Storing Luxury Watches

Best Practices for Storing Luxury Watches

Luxury watches are more than timekeepers, they're precision-crafted investments, personal heirlooms, and symbols of craftsmanship. Whether you're a seasoned collector or new to the world of horology, how you store your luxury watches can directly affect their condition, value, and performance.

In this article, we’ll break down the best practices for storing luxury watches, from environmental controls to storage accessories. These tips will help preserve your timepieces and protect your investment for years to come.

1. Why Proper Watch Storage Matters

Before diving into specific storage techniques, it’s important to understand why proper storage is critical:

• Preserves Functionality: Mechanical movements are sensitive to dust, moisture, and magnetism.
• Prevents Physical Damage: Improper storage can cause scratches, dings, or even shattered crystals.
• Protects Value: Well-maintained watches retain higher resale or appraisal value.
• Extends Lifespan: Clean, controlled storage reduces the risk of rust, mould, or degraded gaskets.

Whether it’s a Rolex, Patek Philippe, or Audemars Piguet, every luxury watch benefits from thoughtful storage.

2. Keep Watches in a Climate-Controlled Environment

Luxury watches are sensitive to temperature and humidity fluctuations. Store them in a space that’s:

• Cool (15–20°C / 59–68°F)
• Dry (Relative humidity between 30% and 50%)
• Dark or low light

Avoid storing watches in:

• Attics or basements (prone to humidity and temperature swings)
• Direct sunlight (can fade dials and damage materials)
• Bathrooms (high humidity accelerates corrosion)

Using a dehumidifier or a silica gel packet in your storage container can help maintain an ideal moisture level.

3. Use a Watch Box or Watch Case

A high-quality watch box is essential for keeping your watches safe, clean, and organised. Choose a box that offers:

• Padded compartments to prevent movement and scratches.
• Individual slots to avoid watches touching each other.
• Soft lining (e.g., velvet or microfibre) to protect from abrasions.
• Secure closure to prevent dust and impact exposure.

For travel, opt for watch rolls or hard-shell travel cases. These offer excellent portability while safeguarding your timepieces from impact.

4. Consider a Watch Winder for Automatics

Automatic watches rely on wrist motion to stay wound. If you rotate multiple watches and don’t wear each one often, a watch winder can keep them running smoothly.

Benefits of a watch winder:

• Prevents lubricants from settling or drying.
• Maintains time and date accuracy.
• Convenient for perpetual calendars and moonphases

Tips:

• Choose a winder with adjustable turns per day (TPD)
• Make sure it rotates both clockwise and counterclockwise.
• Don’t overwind, match the winder settings to the manufacturer’s specs.

Note: Quartz and manually wound watches do not need winders.

5. Avoid Magnetic Fields

Magnetism can seriously disrupt a mechanical watch’s accuracy. Store your watches away from:

• Phones
• Speakers
• Laptops
• Magnetic clasps
• Induction cooktops

Some modern watches come with anti-magnetic protection, but it’s still wise to keep them in magnet-free zones. If a watch becomes magnetised, it may run fast or erratically. A watchmaker may be able to demagnetise for you.

6. Don’t Store Watches Running Long-Term

If you’re not wearing a watch regularly, it’s better to let it stop running than to keep it wound indefinitely. Constant motion can:

• Accelerate wear on internal parts.
• Waste power reserve in quartz watches.
• Increase service needs unnecessarily.

When taking a watch out of long-term storage, gently wind it and reset the time/date before wearing it.

7. Clean Watches Before Storage

Before putting a watch away, make sure it’s clean. Use a soft microfibre cloth to remove:

• Body oils
• Dirt
• Salt from sweat or sea water.
• Perfumes & body lotions

For metal bracelets, use a soft brush and mild soap solution (if water-resistant), then dry completely. Storing a dirty watch can lead to corrosion, mould, or degraded finishes, especially on leather straps.

8. Store Leather Straps Separately or Loosely

Leather is sensitive to moisture and compression. If your watch has a leather strap:

• Avoid tight buckling before storage.
• Keep away from humid areas.
• Condition occasionally with leather balm (approximately every 12 months)

Consider detaching the leather strap and storing it flat or loosely rolled. This prevents permanent creases and cracks.

9. Label and Inventory Your Collection

If you have a collection of more than a few watches, keeping an inventory helps with:

• Insurance claims
• Resale or appraisals
• Maintenance schedules

Include:

• Make and model.
• Serial number
• Date of purchase
• Service history
• Estimated value.

Apps and spreadsheets can help you track your collection efficiently.

10. Insure Valuable Pieces

Storing watches securely isn’t just about physical care, insurance is also key.

• Get coverage through a personal articles policy or jewellery cover.
• Take clear, high-res photos of each watch.
• Keep receipts and service records.

Even the best storage practices can’t prevent theft, fire, or natural disasters. Insurance adds a critical layer of protection.

11. Use a Safe or Safe Deposit Box

For watches valued over several thousand pounds, consider storage in:

• Home safe (bolted to the floor, fire-resistant)
• Safe deposit box at a bank (climate-controlled and secure)

If using a home safe, ensure it's in a low-traffic, temperature-controlled room. Don't store in garages or basements.

12. Schedule Regular Check-ups

Finally, storing your watches well doesn’t eliminate the need for professional care. Schedule routine maintenance:

• Every 3–5 years for mechanical watches
• Every 1–2 years for battery replacement in quartz watches
• Anytime you notice irregular timekeeping, condensation, or damage.

Let a certified watchmaker handle internal maintenance, pressure testing, and deep cleaning.

Conclusion: Smart Storage = Lasting Value

Luxury watches deserve care beyond the wrist. How you store your watches can either preserve their beauty and function or quietly ruin them over time.

By maintaining the right environment, using proper storage tools, and avoiding common mistakes, you ensure your timepieces stay pristine and precise.

Quick Recap:

• Control temperature and humidity.
• Use padded watch boxes.
• Wind automatics selectively.
• Keep away from magnets.
• Clean before storing.
• Protect leather straps.
• Insure high value pieces.
• Use safes for security.

Follow these best practices and your luxury watch collection will remain a source of pride, performance, and value for decades.