Watch Care

A unique masterpiece, your watch is made of many individual components, carefully designed to the last detail. This miniaturised engine works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to accompany you in your every day’s adventure. To enjoy your watch and keep it in perfect working order see our care tips.

How to wind a mechanical watch

Manual winding: Wind a mechanical watch daily, at a regular time to ensure the smooth running of your watch. Turn the crown back and forth until you feel a slight resistance. To avoid damaging the mechanism, do not over-wind.

Automatic winding: Mechanical self-winding watches wind themselves automatically on your wrist. Your watch should be worn 8 to 10 hours a day to fully wind it. If your watch stops or is not worn for long enough periods, the movement will have to be wound manually. When fully wound, your watch will have a power reserve of 38 to 48 hours (depending on the model).

Mechanical movement accuracy: To maintain their accuracy (between -2 /+ 20 seconds per day), mechanical movements need regular maintenance and checks. Mechanical movements are much more sensitive than quartz movements to factors such as gravity, physical shocks, magnetism, and temperature variations. For these reasons, we recommend a complete overhaul every 4-6 years.

How to use a quartz watch

Battery replacement: Batteries should be replaced at an Authorized Victorinox Swiss Army retailer or service center. Do not try to change the battery yourself. It is important to have your watch serviced by an Authorized service center to preserve the warranty and to carry out a water-resistance test. Taking your watch to an unauthorized retailer will invalidate the warranty.

Battery life: Our quartz watches are battery operated. The battery life is approximately 24 months from the time of assembly or last service. The battery life depends on a number of factors. A chronograph consumes more energy than a 3-hand timepiece. Light functions also draw energy from the battery.

Battery end-of-life indicator: On selected models, the battery end-of-life (EOL) indicator signals that the battery should be replaced. The second hand does not move for 4 seconds then jumps to the correct time. For digital displays, the indicator will blink which means the battery needs replacing. The EOL indicator lasts for approximately one week, then the watch will stop.