Care and maintaining your pocket watch
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Cleaning the case.
Tarnish can be removed from the watch case with a proprietary silver or metal cleaner depending on the type of metal refer to the cleaning products instructions. If you wish to clean the dial, be very careful not to touch the hands as they can be easily broken wipe with a dry cloth or a soft brush.
Wind Daily.
The watch will perform at its peak if it is fully wound, not if it is running low on energy. A mechanical pocket watch should be able to run for at least 24-30 hours on a full wind of the mainspring.
When you wind the watch, wind it all the way until it doesn't wind anymore.
Wind Consistently.
It is also recommended to wind the watch at the same time every day for consistency. As a good practice, it is probably best to wind your manual watch in the morning each day before use to ensure the highest quality performance.
Is it possible to "over wind" a watch?
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Practically speaking, no. There is really no such thing as an over wound watch. You should be able to wind a watch until it naturally stops i.e. until it doesn't wind anymore. If you use a lot of force and continue to wind it past the normal stopping point, then yes, you can do damage to the watch, but you would have to put a lot of force into it. If your watch is fully wound and it does not run, it's because there is something wrong that is keeping it from running. The problem is NOT the fully wound mainspring. This is usually caused by old, dried-out oil that is binding the coils of a worn-out mainspring together or interfering with the smooth transmission of power through the gears of the watch. A cleaning and a new mainspring can often correct the "over-wound" watch.
Setting hands.
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When you set the hands always turn clockwise, if your watch is key set make sure the key is perpendicular to the dial if not the minute hand can be moved to a position that the tip rubs against the dial or glass causing the watch to run slowly or stop all together.
This is especially important with full hunter pocket watches as there is very little clearance.
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What to Avoid.
To keep your watch running at its best, avoid these harmful environmental factors;
Keep away from water, if the case gets wet dry it with a dry cloth.
Stay clear of strong magnetic fields. You could magnetize your watch inadvertently and cause erratic behaviour. The watch may also stop entirely.
Avoid very dusty environments, if you are not intending to use your watch for some time it is best to keep it in a sealed container or zip lock type bag.
If you can avoid it, do not use your watch in extreme temperatures. Moving between excessive hot and cold temperatures can cause the parts to expand or contract. Keeping your watch in extreme heat for too long can also cause your watch’s lubricant to congeal, causing friction on the pivots.
Service regularly.
Mechanical watches need regular cleanings and oil changes to continue running effectively recommend between 2- 3 years. However, if the watch is in a clean environment and not carried daily this can be extended to up to 5 years.