How to Take Care of a Budget Watch: A Simple Guide

A budget watch does not need to be babied, but a few small habits decide whether it looks good after six months or after two years. None of this requires tools or money. It is mostly about knowing what hurts a quartz watch and avoiding it.

Know what you are wearing

Most watches under $50 use a quartz movement, a small battery-powered module that keeps time with very little maintenance. If you are not sure how that differs from a mechanical watch, our guide to quartz vs automatic watches explains it. The care advice below applies to quartz watches, which is what most of our catalogue is.

Cleaning: keep it simple

Wipe the case and crystal with a soft, slightly damp microfibre cloth, then dry it right away. For grime around the lugs and the clasp, a soft toothbrush works well. Avoid soap, alcohol wipes and household cleaners on the case, and do not soak the watch. Metal bracelets, like the one on the MEGIR Luxury Gold Military Sport, can be cleaned the same way and dried fully before you put the watch back on your wrist.

Water: check before you trust

Water resistance ratings on budget watches are often only splash resistance, and the seals wear down with time. Unless the listing clearly states a rating, treat the watch as splash-proof only: fine for rain and hand washing, not for swimming, showers or saunas. Hot water and steam are the worst cases because they can push moisture past the seals. If you see fog under the crystal, stop wearing the watch and let it dry in a warm, dry place, then have it looked at.

Straps: the part that wears out first

Leather straps, such as the one on the YAZOLE 271 leather watch, dislike sweat and water. Wipe them after wear, rotate between two straps if you can, and let them air out. Steel bracelets need an occasional brush at the links. A fabric or nylon band is the easiest to live with because you can wash it by hand, which is one reason a spare like the 20mm nylon watch band is a cheap upgrade. Check the lug width before buying any replacement strap.

Scratches, knocks and magnets

Take the watch off for heavy lifting, gardening and sports with contact. A hard knock can loosen the movement or crack a mineral crystal even when the case looks fine. Keep it away from strong magnets such as speaker magnets and some phone cases, which can disturb the movement. When you are not wearing it, store it in a pouch or a box so the crystal does not get scratched against keys or coins.

Batteries and timing

A quartz battery usually lasts a year or two, sometimes longer. Do not leave a dead battery inside the watch, because it can leak and damage the module. When the second hand starts jumping in steps of about four seconds, that is the end-of-life signal on many quartz watches, so replace the battery soon. Chronographs like the Curren Chronograph and the Curren 8225 Sport use the battery a little faster when the sub-dials run often, so it is worth knowing which button does what. Our chronograph guide covers the basics.

Smartwatches are a different story

If you own a smartwatch, the rules change: charge it with the supplied cable only, do not charge it wet, and keep the firmware and the phone app updated. The smartwatch buying guide covers what to check before you buy.

A quick routine

After wearing: wipe it down and let it dry. Weekly: clean the case, strap and clasp. Every few months: check the crown, the strap pins and the clasp for looseness. Once a year: look at the battery and the water seals, or ask a watch repair shop to do it. It takes a few minutes and it is what separates a watch that lasts from one that does not. For the same kind of thinking applied to footwear, read our quality checklist for cheap sneakers.