Watch Storage Tips: Protecting Your Collection
How you store your watches when not wearing them significantly affects their longevity and condition. Proper storage protects against physical damage, environmental degradation, and keeps your collection organised and accessible. Whether you own two watches or twenty, understanding storage principles helps preserve your timepieces for years of future enjoyment.
This guide covers everything from basic storage solutions to advanced considerations for serious collectors, helping you create the right storage approach for your collection and circumstances.
Environmental Considerations
Before discussing storage containers, understand the environmental factors that affect watches in storage.
Temperature
Store watches in climate-controlled spaces with stable temperatures. Avoid areas that experience significant temperature swings, such as garages, attics, or near windows with direct sunlight. Extreme heat can degrade lubricants and damage gaskets. Extreme cold can cause condensation when watches return to room temperature.
Room temperature (18-24°C) is ideal. Minor fluctuations within this range are fine, but avoid storing watches where temperatures regularly exceed 30°C or drop below 10°C.
Humidity
High humidity accelerates corrosion and can encourage mould growth on leather straps. Low humidity can dry out and crack leather. Aim for relative humidity between 40-60%. In Australia's variable climate, a small dehumidifier in your storage area may be worthwhile during humid summer months.
A simple digital hygrometer costs under $20 and tells you the humidity level where you store your watches. Place one in your watch box or storage area to monitor conditions.
Light Exposure
UV light fades dials and damages lume over time. Keep watches in closed containers away from windows and direct sunlight. Even fluorescent lighting can cause gradual fading with extended exposure. This is another reason closed watch boxes are preferable to open displays for long-term storage.
Magnetism
Store watches away from magnetic sources: speakers, magnetic closures on bags or cabinets, laptops, tablets, and magnetic phone mounts. Magnetism can affect accuracy in mechanical watches, sometimes severely. While modern movements are increasingly anti-magnetic, prevention remains better than demagnetisation treatments.
Watch Boxes and Cases
A dedicated watch box or case is the foundation of proper storage. Options range from affordable basics to elaborate display cases.
Basic Requirements
Any watch storage solution should:
- Keep watches separated to prevent scratching each other
- Support the watch on cushions rather than lying flat (protects the crystal and crown)
- Close to exclude dust and light
- Be lined with soft, non-reactive material
Material Considerations
Quality watch boxes use soft interior linings that won't scratch cases or bracelets. Microfibre, velvet, and quality leather are common. Avoid boxes with hard plastic interiors or rough fabric that could damage watch finishes.
Wood boxes look elegant but ensure they're properly sealed. Some woods release oils or gases that can affect watch finishes or components over time. Quality watch boxes use sealed, treated wood or line the interior completely.
Watch cushions should be sized appropriately for your watches. Oversized pillows in box slots designed for large watches won't properly hold smaller timepieces. Some quality boxes include different sized pillows, or you can purchase replacements sized for your collection.
Travel Cases
For travelling with watches, use a dedicated travel case rather than throwing watches in luggage. Good travel cases are compact, padded, and keep watches separated. Hard-shell cases offer better protection for valuable pieces. Always carry watches in hand luggage rather than checked bags.
Watch Winders
Watch winders keep automatic watches running when not worn by simulating wrist motion. They're controversial in the watch community, with valid arguments on both sides.
Arguments For Winders
Winders provide convenience, keeping the time and date set so watches are ready to wear. For watches with complex calendars or moon phases that are tedious to set, this is genuinely useful. Keeping movements running may help distribute lubricants evenly.
Arguments Against Winders
Constant running adds wear to the movement. A watch left to stop can rest for years without harm; its lubricants are designed for both running and stationary conditions. The "distributing lubricants" argument lacks scientific support. Quality movements need professional service at intervals regardless of how much they've run.
Use winders for convenience if you frequently rotate through multiple automatic watches and value having them ready to wear. Don't use winders thinking they're "better" for the movement. For watches worn infrequently or during long-term storage, letting them stop is perfectly fine and potentially reduces wear.
Winder Quality Matters
If you use winders, invest in quality. Cheap winders may not rotate correctly for your movement's specifications (turns per day and direction), can be noisy, and may use motors that create magnetic fields. Quality winders from reputable brands specify their TPD (turns per day) settings and rotation direction options.
Long-Term Storage
For watches you won't wear for months or years, additional considerations apply.
Preparing Watches for Storage
Clean the watch thoroughly before storage. Any salt, sweat, or dirt left on the case will continue to react with surfaces over time. Ensure the watch is completely dry. For mechanical watches, let them run down completely; storing them stopped is fine and may be preferable to constant winding.
Leather Strap Care
If storing a watch with leather straps for extended periods, consider removing the strap and storing it separately. Apply leather conditioner before storage to prevent drying. Store leather flat rather than curved around a watch cushion to avoid permanent deformation.
Periodic Checks
Even watches in long-term storage benefit from occasional attention. Every few months, wind mechanical watches briefly and check for any issues. Inspect for moisture, verify crystal condition, and ensure storage conditions haven't changed. This catches problems early before they become serious.
For quartz watches in long-term storage, consider having the battery removed by a professional. Dead batteries can leak, causing serious damage to movements. Store the removed battery with the watch so you remember the correct replacement type.
Organising Your Collection
Categorisation
As collections grow, organisation becomes important. Common approaches include organising by brand, by style (dress, sport, dive), by frequency of wear, or simply by visual preference. Choose a system that makes sense for how you select watches to wear.
Documentation
Maintain records of your watches including purchase receipts, service history, original boxes and papers, and photographs. This documentation supports insurance claims, resale value, and personal tracking. Digital copies stored securely complement physical documents.
Insurance
For valuable collections, standard home insurance may not provide adequate coverage. Consider a rider or floater policy specifically covering your watch collection. Document each piece with photos and valuations for insurance purposes.
What to Avoid
Storing watches loose together: Watches will scratch each other. Always keep them separated in individual compartments or sleeves.
Storing in bathrooms: Humidity from showers and temperature changes make bathrooms poor storage locations despite the apparent convenience.
Leaving watches on chargers indefinitely: For smartwatches, follow manufacturer guidance on long-term storage. Most recommend storing with batteries around 50% charge.
Original boxes without protection: While original boxes are great for storing watches you're selling, they may not provide optimal long-term protection. The watch pillows in original boxes are often decorative rather than protective.
Thoughtful storage preserves your watches for future enjoyment and protects your investment. Whether your collection fits in a simple leather roll or requires a dedicated cabinet, the principles remain the same: control the environment, protect from physical damage, and organise for accessibility. Your future self will thank you for the care you take today.