If you are a big luxury watch enthusiast, there is a chance you invest a lot of money and time to find the right piece. Similarly, you must consider storing your collection correctly to maintain its good condition and value. Whether you have a collection of valuable women’s or men’s luxury watches, these assets need to be stored to protect them from deterioration, damage, or theft. These valuables are investments you want to preserve and keep them looking good and functioning correctly. Therefore, proper storage is crucial to protecting these expensive timepieces.

Some people prefer storing their collections on display where they can show their family and friends. Other people store their luxury watches in a safe, locked away from people and conditions that may ruin them. Irrespective of how you prefer keeping your luxury watch collection, there are several practices you can follow to ensure the watch collection is in top-notch condition.

The following are ten simple tips on storing your watch collection.

Clean before Storing

The first process to proper storage is cleaning your watches before storing them. Your timepiece collects sweat, sebum, creams, and other residues when you wear them. These residues can lead to corrosion on some pieces and discoloration. With time, your timepieces lose their value. Watches made from stainless steel can be affected by some elements during storage.

Furthermore, negligence in their care also damages synthetic or leather bands. Therefore, preparing your watches for storage by using a microfiber towel to wipe them is advisable. Avoid using aggressive cleaning agents to prevent damaging the seals.

Store Your Watches Face Up

Luxury watches are created so they can last for a long time. However, how you store them can interfere with their lifespan. For instance, keeping a luxury watch face down causes scratches or cracks. Therefore, always reserve the timepieces face up.

Decide Whether to Display or Lock Away

Once your watches are ready for storage, decide how to keep them. Do you want to display them or lock them away? Your decision will depend on whether you have pets and children who can damage them or a lot of people frequent your house. If you decide to display your collection, ensure the timepieces are away from direct sunlight.

Keep Watches in a Watch Drawer

You can keep the luxury watches in a drawer, but you will need an insert or a tray before putting them away. If you store them without a tray or insert, you could risk scratching or cracking them due to movement when opening and closing the drawer. Many watch drawers have inserts with watch rolls where you can safely store the watches.

Consider Storing Watches in a Safety Deposit Box

Luxury watches are expensive pieces that are often the main target of burglary. Thieves mainly target them because of their small size and high value. Therefore, you must ensure your collection is safe by keeping it in a safety deposit box that is only accessible to authorized people. Consider storing the timepieces discreetly if you are not concerned about displaying them. Irrespective of where you keep them, ensure you check the watches frequently, especially if you take long before wearing them.

Consider a Storage Case or Watch Roll

Whether you are keeping your collection in a wardrobe drawer or a locked safe, putting them in a safe explicitly made for watches is always advisable. For instance, a watch storage case is fitted with soft fabric to prevent movement and scratching. A storage case helps store the timepieces correctly. Another great option is a watch roll. A watch roll is ideal when traveling since it does not take up much space in your luggage. The roll is made from leather, and you can choose a model with several watches instead of one.

Control Moisture and Humidity

Regardless of where you store your watches, watch out for moisture and humidity. These are destructive elements that could deteriorate the value of the timepieces. Water can cause issues like rust, deteriorating dials, coagulation of lubricating oils, moldy leather straps, and damaged IC circuits. Prevent these damages by storing your luxury timepieces in less humid and damp places. A good trick to prevent moisture damage can be using silica gel or other safe products that absorb moisture.

Maintain the Right Temperature

Your watch collection should be stored away in a place with stable temperatures. Extreme weather fluctuations could cause significant damage to your expensive collection. Remember, some watches are more prone to temperature fluctuations than others. Therefore, research before storing them. Additionally, avoid keeping them in direct sunlight to prevent discoloration and quality deterioration.

Keep Your Paperwork Close

Your luxury watch could lose its value if you don’t have its paperwork. Watches like Rolex are great investments but need papers to prove their value. Therefore, ensure you keep the documents safe since they will be helpful if you decide to sell your watches. Keep them separate wit the timepieces to ensure you don’t lose them in case of a burglary. You will need the papers to file your insurance claim. You must also keep them in a cool and dry place to prevent damage from dampness.

Use a Watch Winder

Automatic watches maintain the right time with your body movement. That means the watch slows down once you store it. When you have a watch collection and don’t want to keep adjusting the time, you can store the timepieces with a watch winder. The watch winder helps keep the watch on time during the storage period. So, look for a winder supporting multiple timepieces and a pre-setting feature. Choosing watch winders with pure leather is also advisable to prevent static electricity from building up and affecting your watches’ mechanism.

Keep Your Luxury Watch Collection Safe

Luxury watches are expensive and worth a substantial amount of emotions and money. Therefore, if you own a luxury watch or a collection, finding the proper storage is critical to maintaining their value and protecting them from theft. Decide on the safest place to store them when not wearing them. While at it, consider humidity, temperature, and how you position the timepieces. Your storage choice depends on your preference, number of watches, and how often you wear your pieces.