Tips on How to Care for Your Wooden Watches

Throughout more recent years, fashion has become laxer and more accessible for the every man. T-shirts with sport coats? Joggers with wingtips? Everything goes now and it makes perfect sense that our accessories follow suit. Insert the wooden watch.

Wood grain watches are the ultimate must-have accessory for any style-conscious person. They’re the perfect blend of casual and smart, they’re a one-of-a-kind piece, and they are durable for years to come. Of course, this longevity relies on taking proper care of your wood watch.

Not sure what this entails? Read on to discover our top tips on caring for your new favorite statement piece.

Wear It (and Wear It Often)

Like a fine wine or your beloved leather jacket, watches made of wood just get better with age. It’s one of the best things about them.

As you wear your wood watch, the oils of your skin and the natural friction between your wrist, watch, and sleeves change the wood. It develops, deepens, and forms a wear pattern 100 percent custom to you. It also develops a patina or shine that makes it both more comfortable to wear and more sophisticated in appearance. 

Many companies try to create wooden watches that look this way straight from the box, but true character can’t be replicated. Instead, invest in quality and break in your wooden watch the old-fashioned way. Wear it often and you’ll soon have a beautiful timepiece that can be handed down generation after generation.

Avoid Water

Even the best wooden watches aren’t full waterproof, so try to keep yours fairly dry. Because wood is a natural and organic material, exposure to water can warp your watch and deteriorate its materials. Of course, a splash here and there is nothing to worry about, but maybe leave your watch at home during a trip to the pool.

If you find your watch accidentally falling into a dog bowl or submerged in a sink of soaking dishes (it happens), try not to panic. Towel it off immediately with a soft towel and you should be okay. If you’re worried about water seeping into the face, you can always try the old rice trick! If it’s good enough for your old iPhone, it’s good enough for your wood watch.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures and Sun Exposure

Just like most things you own, leaving your wood grain watches in extreme sun, hot, or cold isn’t the best idea. Too much direct sunlight can leave it faded and dull rather than rich and shiny. Essentially, it could undo all the character that develops with wear and we wouldn’t want to do that.

Likewise, extreme temperatures can also impact the look of your watch and leave it with even greater damage. Due to the nature of organic materials like wood, these extremes can cause your watch to become dry, brittle, and even crack. They’ll also lead to the watch hands slowing down and throw off your time!

To avoid this and any splintering, it’s best to keep your watch out of any crazy weather and store it safely.

Store Your Wooden Watch Properly

So how exactly are you supposed to store it? Well, our biggest advice here at Urban Designer is to store it in the case it came from. If your watch isn’t on your wrist, it should immediately go back into its box. This will keep it nice and safe from any accidental scratches or chips that could come with falls or other accidents. This also keeps it visible, so you don’t run as big a risk at misplacing it!

If you’re particularly accident prone, it might be a good idea to put the case in a safe place like in a nightstand drawer or in a jewelry box. A good storage case goes a long way to protecting your wood watch, but it’s always good to ere on the side of caution.

Replace Any Old Batteries

No matter whether it’s a good wooden watch or something a little more traditional, changing the batteries is an important part of any watch upkeep.

While most people wait to do this until it stops ticking, we recommend changing your batteries every couple of years. This will ensure your wood watch is constantly ticking rather than dying the one time you really need it.

We know you probably won’t listen to this recommendation but at least listen to this one – always get your batteries changed at a reputable shop. The risk of damaging your wooden watch is significantly lower when the one opening it up knows what they’re doing. 

Limit the Use of Oils

Last but certainly not least, it’s actually better to avoid using oils on your wooden watch. Contrary to popular belief, it really doesn’t need it.

The oils in your skin and constant use more than assures your watch will have a nice shine, no additional oiling required. Additionally, using oil can actually discolor your beautiful wood watch instead of enhancing it. As already said, normal wear is by far the best way for your wooden watch to develop a rich color and patina.

If you’re not convinced though, try to at least limit the use of oils. Always pick a high-quality oil and use it sparingly. Using too much just increases the risk of discoloration and damaging your wooden watch’s internals.