How to Store Watches You're Not Wearing to Keep Them Running
Best practices for storing mechanical watches, whether to use a winder, and how to prevent damage.
By Harry · · 5 min read
A watch sitting in a drawer for months isn't just gathering dust. If it's mechanical, it's slowly losing power. If it's automatic, it's winding down. Even quartz watches with batteries can develop issues from moisture and temperature swings. Storage matters more than most people think, especially in New York where humidity and temperature fluctuations happen fast. How you store your watches right now could mean the difference between picking one up next season and having it run fine, or bringing it in for a full service because the mainspring seized or the movement got corroded.
Keep Them Dry, But Not in a Shoebox
Moisture is the enemy of any mechanical watch. New York's climate gets humid in summer and dry in winter, and that cycling is hard on movements. A cardboard shoebox or a regular drawer won't cut it. You need something that actively controls humidity. A watch box with a silica gel insert works well for most people. You can find these online or at jewelry stores. Drop a packet or two of silica gel in the box, and replace the gel every few months. The gel turns color when it's saturated, so you'll know when to swap it out.
If you have multiple watches or want to be serious about it, a watch winder works for automatic watches. This is a motorized box that gently rotates your watch to keep the rotor moving and the mainspring wound. It prevents the oils in the movement from settling and gumming up. For manual mechanical watches, a winder won't help. Those you wind by hand before storage, or you just leave them unwound and wind them when you're ready to wear them again.
Temperature Matters More Than You'd Think
Don't store watches near heat sources. A windowsill in direct sunlight, above a radiator, or near an air conditioning vent all create temperature stress. The metal expands and contracts, the oils get thin or thick depending on heat, and gaskets can shrink or swell. A neutral closet shelf is better than any dramatic spot. Keep them away from bathrooms too. The moisture spikes from showers will find their way in over time.
If you're storing a watch for months, a cool, dark place in your apartment is ideal. Room temperature, steady. That's it. You don't need a safe or a special climate-controlled room. Just boring and stable.
Wind It or Leave It Alone
Here's where people get confused. If you have a manual mechanical watch, wind it fully before you store it. A fully wound mainspring won't corrode or seize the way a partially wound one can. It's the in-between state that causes problems.
Automatic watches are different. If you're storing an automatic for a long time, you have two choices. Wind it fully and let it run down naturally over a few weeks, or use a watch winder to keep it ticking. Don't half-wind an automatic and walk away. The rotor will move randomly inside the case and can cause uneven wear on the movement.
Batteries and Quartz Watches
If your quartz watch uses a battery, pull the battery before long-term storage. A battery sitting in a watch for months can leak and destroy the movement. It's cheap to replace a battery later, and it costs a lot to repair corrosion damage. Take it to a jeweler and have them remove it. Store the watch in a dry box. When you want to wear it again, put a fresh battery in.
For battery-powered watches you wear regularly, this doesn't apply. Just store them normally.
What Not to Do
Don't use plastic bags or airtight containers without ventilation. You want dry, not sealed. A sealed bag can trap humidity and actually make condensation worse. Don't store watches in the kitchen or near cooking areas. The heat and grease in the air will settle on your watch over time. Don't hang them on display stands if you're not wearing them. The case gets exposed to dust and temperature changes. Don't store multiple watches touching each other, especially if some have leather straps. The leather can transfer dyes and moisture to other watches.
Check On Them Periodically
If you're storing a mechanical watch for more than three months, pick it up every month or so and wind it a few times. This keeps the oils circulating and prevents them from settling. You don't need to let it run all the way down. Just give it fifteen or twenty winds to move things around inside.
For quartz watches with batteries removed, there's nothing to check. They'll sit fine.
When to Bring It In
If you store a watch properly and it won't start when you take it out, or it's running slow or fast, it's time for a service. A mechanical watch that's been sitting can have dirty oil, a tired mainspring, or a hairspring that needs attention. We see this a lot in New York, especially with inherited watches or pieces someone hasn't worn in years. A full service cleans the movement, replaces the oil, checks every gear, and gets it running right again.
Watch Repair & Co handles these restorations regularly. If you're unsure about storage or you have a watch that won't run after sitting, give us a call. We can walk you through what you need to do, or we can get your watch back in shape.