Protect your wristwatch in Dubai’s extreme weather

Gulf Network

With temperatures soaring past 45°C, coupled with high humidity, Dubai’s weather has been a bit difficult to bear for the past few months. Whether you are a resident or a tourist, it is important to protect yourself during this extreme heat with the use of sunscreen and other products. Just like we protect ourselves, we need to protect our high-end wristwatches as well.

Impact of extreme weather on mechanical watches

Even though built to withstand extreme conditions, mechanical watches are still delicate instruments. They are designed to operate within specific temperature and humidity ranges. When exposed to Dubai’s extreme conditions, several issues can arise. These issues can range from condensation to thermal expansion to even lubricants breaking down.

In simple terms, with extreme humidity, you might notice fogging inside the glass of your watch. Or, the oils inside the movement might start getting dried up faster than they should.

Protect your watches

Beyond just fashion accessories, watches hold sentimental value to some of us. So, it becomes our duty to take care of them. The issues mentioned above, if left unaddressed, can result in costly repairs. Remember, if you do not get your watch checked on time, the watch repairs that might follow will bring bigger bills. Preventative maintenance is always more cost-effective than repairing extensive damage.

In order to protect your watches under these weather conditions, you need to check for the following:

Fogging on the inside of the crystal

One of the most important signs that your watch needs to be rushed to a technician is if it shows fogging on the inside of the glass of the watch. This clearly indicates that your watch is not completely sealed. This could happen because of faulty or broken gaskets. Or something as simple as the crown being left open.

No matter what the case is, as soon as you see something like this happen, you should immediately take your watch to a trusted watch technician

When was your watch last serviced?

It is also important to check when your watch was last serviced. If it's been more than 2 years, you should at least get your watch checked. During the extreme summer months, if you are wearing your watch outside, the oils inside the movement might dry up faster than usual. So, even if your watch requires service every 4-5 years, if you live in Dubai, maybe you should consider getting a service done about every 2-3 years.