How to Care for Your Watch
Keep the crown closed, keep perfume off the case, wipe the watch dry after wear and store it in its pouch. Ask for a new case gasket at every battery change. That prevents most damage.
What the ATM rating on your watch allows
Water resistance is printed in ATM, and the number is not a depth rating for diving. It describes pressure under test conditions, so read it as a list of activities rather than metres.
| Rating | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 3 ATM | Everyday use and light rain |
| 5 ATM | A cold water bath |
| 10 ATM | Swimming and snorkelling |
| 20 ATM | Deep sea diving |
In our catalogue, 46 watches are rated 10 ATM and 10 watches are rated 5 ATM. The Zolten and the Caelus are both 10 ATM, so both swim. A 5 ATM watch does not, and no amount of care changes that.
Never operate the crown under water
This is the single rule that ruins the most watches. The crown is the one opening in an otherwise sealed case, and its gasket only seals when the crown is fully closed.
So check the crown is home before the watch goes near a tap, a shower or a pool. Set the time and the date on dry land. A crown left unlocked, letting moisture in, is explicitly not covered by the warranty, and it is not a manufacturing fault.
Perfume and cosmetics attack the finish
Perfume, aftershave, hand cream, hairspray and household cleaners all do it. On a gold plated case they attack the plating directly, and plating is a layer that does not grow back.
The sequence is simple. Perfume and cosmetics first, let them dry, watch on last. Damage from perfume, cosmetics or cleaning products is not covered by the warranty, which is a sign of how reliably it happens.
How to clean a watch properly
Most cleaning is a cloth and thirty seconds.
- Wipe the case, the glass and the bracelet with a soft dry cloth after wear. This removes sweat, which is what dulls a surface over months.
- For a bracelet that has gathered grime, a slightly damp cloth is enough on a watch rated for water. Dry it fully afterwards, including between the links.
- Never use abrasive paste, silver polish or a cleaning solution on a plated case. It removes exactly the layer you are protecting.
- Leave ultrasonic cleaners alone. They loosen gaskets and shake movements.
How to store a watch between wears
Flat, in its own pouch, away from direct heat. Most scratches happen in a drawer rather than on the wrist, where watches knock against each other and against jewellery, and the glass and the clasp take the damage.
Extreme temperatures are not covered by the warranty, so a car dashboard in summer is not a shelf. If you own several pieces, give each one its own pouch rather than sharing a box. The same applies across the jewellery range.
How to handle the battery, the gasket and disposal
Quartz watches contain a button cell. Automatic watches do not.
When the battery is changed, ask for a new case gasket at the same time. The case has to be opened to reach the cell, and the old gasket has been compressed for years. The gasket is what keeps the water resistance, and replacing the cell without replacing it quietly turns a 10 ATM watch into a watch you should not swim in.
Used cells must not go into household waste. Take them to a municipal collection point, or to any shop that sells the same battery type, which takes them free of charge. You can also send the cell to us with the contacts taped over, or send the whole watch and we will remove and dispose of the cell. We charge nothing for taking it back, though postage for the parcel is not included. The symbols to look for on a cell are Pb for lead, Cd for cadmium and Hg for mercury.
What to check on the bracelet and the glass
Check the clasp every few months by closing it and giving it a light pull. A clasp that opens under a small load is the warning you get before the watch lands on a tiled floor.
Bracelets are 316L stainless steel, interchangeable, with a butterfly clasp. Because they come off, you can clean a bracelet properly and you can replace one without replacing the watch. The glass is sapphire coated crystal and resists scratches and scrapes, but broken or scratched glass after delivery counts as damage after delivery and is not covered by the warranty.
What to do and what to leave alone
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Check the crown is fully closed before water | Operate the crown under water, ever |
| Put the watch on after perfume and cosmetics | Spray perfume or hairspray onto the case or bracelet |
| Wipe with a soft dry cloth after wear | Use abrasive paste, silver polish or an ultrasonic cleaner |
| Store it flat in its pouch | Leave it loose in a drawer with other pieces |
| Ask for a new case gasket at every battery change | Assume water resistance survives an opened case |
| Read the ATM figure on the product page | Swim in a 5 ATM watch |
| Take used cells to a collection point | Put a button cell in household waste |
| Remove the crown sticker gently with a soft cloth | Pick at the protective film with a fingernail |
When to have the watch looked at
Act on symptoms rather than on a service calendar. Four are worth knowing.
- The movement stops under normal use. On a quartz watch the battery is the first suspect. On an automatic that is worn daily it is not normal, and it is one of the manufacturing defects we recognise.
- Moisture or fogging appears under the glass. Stop wearing it and get in touch. Moisture inside a case does damage that gets worse with every day of use.
- The crown no longer closes properly, or it feels loose or gritty. The seal is the point of the crown.
- The clasp no longer holds, or a link has play in it.
Watches carry a 24 month warranty from delivery on parts and workmanship under normal use, and statutory rights apply independently of it. To raise a claim, email your order number with a photo, or a short video if the problem is with the movement. We reply within 24 hours at support@atoliovegas.de. Normal wear and ageing, accidental knocks and neglected care are not covered, and straps, batteries and accessories are not either.
What lasts and what wears out
Steel is the durable part. A 316L case and bracelet will outlast the rest of the watch, which is why the material is worth paying attention to. Plating has a lifespan, and how long it lasts is decided almost entirely by what you let touch it. Gaskets are consumable.
Details on delivery, returns and warranty are on the FAQ page, and the current range sits in men's watches.
