How To Store Watches At Home

Watch storages can really help to increase the life span of your collection, whether you have just a select few or are an avid collector. It only takes a little mismanagement for valuable watches to get permanently damaged. We’ll show you how you can best look after your watches, ensuring they are safe from both the elements and theft with watch storage.

SO, WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO WATCH STORAGE?

Watch Storage Boxes / Cases

If you like to keep your watches on the show and in your room, a simple watch storage box is probably your best option. Much like a standard jewellery box but made specifically for watches. Make sure you choose one that is lined and padded well – you can get ones that have soft lining such as felt and it’s this soft material which prevents your watches from picking up scratches.

If you like to be able to view your selection of watches without removing any from storage, then watch boxes are a good idea as they usually feature a see-through glass top.

Inserts & Trays

These are a great way of storing watches in a drawer. The specifically made insert or tray just slots into a drawer. In many cases, these trays will have several different compartments that enable the user to fit watch storage boxes as well as a section for straps and bands – laying them flat on the surface.

Watch pouches

If you have just one watch or prefer to store your watches individually, then watch pouches are a pretty good option. A single pouch really won’t cost you much, so a great idea if you are perhaps just starting your collection.

They are very light and so can be easily moved around and stored in your preferred place, whether it’s a draw, tucked away in your safe or if you are in transit. Very often made from high-quality leather, the pouch offers good protection for the watch.

Watch rolls

If you do a lot of travelling and you love watches, then a watch roll will always be a sound investment as a compact watch storage. There are lots of different designs available and you can select one for multiple watches or if you prefer you can get a roll that houses just a single watch. Usually made of leather or similar fabric, they are soft and flexible, so ideal for protecting watches when on the move.

Watch Winders

If you are not wearing your automatic watch, then putting them into a watch winder is the perfect solution. Of course, we know that automatic watches do not need to be manually wound as they get energy “automatically” from the movement of the wearer’s body. A watch winder replicates this sort of natural movement, ensuring that any watch that is stored inside is ready to go when you need to wear it.

Use a safe

A safe is probably the most secure watch storage place, so if you go down this route, choosing the most suitable one for your collection will be important. It goes without saying that you can get a safe in pretty much any size or shape that you want so it’s just a case of whether you choose the safe specifically for your watch collection or prefer something that aesthetically works with the décor of your property.

Regardless, we believe this is the best place to store your watch collection. Not only will it keep it safe from accidental damage around the home but also keep it well away from thieves.

If none of the above options suits you, then there are some alternative options including, believe it or not, a cigar humidor. Just as the humidor keeps cigars dry, it will actually do the same for your watches, keeping them free from moisture and temperature extremes.

So, we’ve had a look at what you can store your watch in or on, now let’s have a look at the correct ways to store your watch, regardless of which storage option you choose.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR WATCHES SAFE WHEN IN A WATCH STORAGE BOX

Face Up

Your watches are always best-stored face side up in any watch storage you may use. It doesn’t matter how much soft material there is around the watch, the potential for damage is real if you lay them face down. This “face side up” applies regardless of whether you are storing them flat or wrapped around a watch holder.

If it’s a case of needing to rest the watch on its crown in order to avoid damage to the glass, case or bezel, always choose this option, as a crown is much easier and cheaper to replace than some of the other parts.

Leave Gaps

When storing multiple watches in a watch storage box or in a case, please make sure to leave some space between each timepiece. The gap doesn’t need to be large, just around half an inch or so and this will ensure that no two watches are touching and should prevent any potential scratching from friction.

If your budget allows, you can pick up a special tray (as we mentioned above) which features dividers – keeping the watches separate.

Avoid Magnetic Fields

Most modern watches can be demagnetized without too much of an issue but why put yourself through the pain? Keep your watches away from anything like computers etc. and there shouldn’t be a problem.

Use soft pouches

It makes sense to wrap each of your watches in a cloth pouch. They are not particularly expensive, even if you need several to ensure each watch is individually protected. The cloth will gently protect the watch as well as absorb any potential moisture. Plastic bags can be used as an alternative but make sure to put silica gel packets in each one to tackle any of the aforementioned moisture.

Remove Batteries

If any of your watches are Quartz, then you’ll need to be aware of the batteries. Batteries, eventually and inevitably leak and the corrosion that can occur from any leaked battery acid can cause terminal damage to a watch. If you are placing a watch into long-term watch storage, it’s wise to remove the battery beforehand.

Gently use a screwdriver to remove the back of the watch, put the watch into a watch storage and keep the battery separate. Please don’t force the back of the watch – much better to take it to a jewellery store and get it removed safely.

Protect your paperwork

Collecting watches can be an expensive hobby and so the paperwork for each piece is important in case of either a malfunction which would require a return or a resale somewhere down the line. Like most things, a valuable pre-owned watch is likely to be worth much more if it comes with all of its original packagings. So, keep it all safe, store it away from the watches themselves, but always know where it is.

To wear or not to wear?  Unless you have an extremely rare and highly valuable timepiece on your hands, it is better to remove watches from the watch storage from time to time – there’s really no hard and fast rule here but if you take out each watch, wind it and wear it every once in a while, it will, if you excuse the pun, keep everything “ticking over”.

A potential buyer for any of your watches will want to know that everything is in good working order.

If you would like to know more about watch storage boxes and watch accessories, don’t hesitate to contact us or take a look at our website for more information!