If you have a Rolex, you likely admire its craftsmanship and beauty on a daily basis. Naturally, you’ll want to wear your Rolex often, which can lead to it getting dirty. Although Rolexes are highly durable against the elements, it doesn’t mean that they’re immune to the occasional buildup of dust, dirt and debris.
When this happens, you’ll want to make sure to get your Rolex cleaned — and to clean it properly. Just wiping it down or using some water often isn’t enough to get your watch clean. And a Rolex isn’t just any watch, so you’ll want to make sure you take special care when cleaning it. In this blog, we’ll give you a quick how-to guide for cleaning your Rolex and keeping it clean.
Click here to read our top three tips on looking after your watch.
Your winding crown is what is the seal or hatch for your Rolex. It keeps your Rolex hermetically sealed from water and dust. Thus, when you’re going to clean your Rolex with water, make sure you tighten the winding crown securely.
This will ensure you keep all of the inner components safe while you’re cleaning your watch. Essentially every Rolex has this crown, so it’s important to make sure it’s as secure as possible before you begin the cleaning process.
Find a clean bowl or basin that can fit your Rolex in it easily. You’ll want to fill your basin with some warm water. Make sure that the water isn’t hot; it only needs to be warm. Cold water won’t be as effective at cleaning it, so finding a nice moderate temperature will be ideal.
If you don’t have a bowl to use, you can also just have water running to dip your brush in. However, a bowl would be preferable.
Take a very small amount of mild soap and add it to the warm water basin. Again, if you don’t have the bowl available, you can put a small dab directly on the watch. Make sure that the soap you use doesn’t have any harsh chemicals. Abrasive soaps can cause damage and wear to the watch unnecessarily.
Remember, there doesn’t need to be a lot of soap, just enough to agitate and remove the dirt and dust from your watch.
A soft-bristled brush is going to be the best tool to clean your watch. You can even use a soft-bristled toothbrush if this is more convenient. A hard-bristled brush will be too abrasive and could cause scratches or other damage.
Once you have your brush, you can dip it in the water and soap and gently scrub the case and bracelet of your watch. Make sure to pay special attention to any areas that are particularly dirty. Use your brush to get in between the small spaces and get rid of all the debris that has built up where you can’t easily reach.
Also, if it’s easier, you can remove the bracelet of your Rolex and wash and clean the case and bracelet separately. Of course, this isn’t necessary if you want to just keep the watch together.
Once you’ve finished scrubbing your Rolex, you’ll want to rinse your watch under warm water to remove all of the soap and the remaining debris. You don’t want to let the soap sit on your watch long term, so make sure to rinse thoroughly and get rid of all of the soap that is on the surface.
If your watch has a rotating bezel, it’s a good idea to rotate it a few times so you can make sure to get all of the debris off of it.
Finally, you can dry your Rolex with a gentle microfibre cloth. Make sure it’s microfibre, as this will get your watch completely dry without causing any abrasions from rubbing it.
Remember, you want to make sure your cloth is as clean as possible, or you could smudge your Rolex and undo your hard work. Also, make sure that your cloth is free from any polish. You don’t want to get anything on your newly cleaned Rolex.
The most important thing to do when cleaning your Rolex is to avoid anything that could damage or scratch it or cause any imperfections and abrasions. That means you need to avoid harsh chemicals, rigid-bristled brushes and gritty cloths.
Using the wrong cleaning supplies can cause permanent damage, leaving your Rolex worse off than it was before you cleaned it.
If your Rolex is especially dirty or if you’re not comfortable cleaning it yourself, there’s nothing wrong with turning to a professional for any cleaning and maintenance you need. Your Rolex is expensive and an investment piece, so it makes sense that you would want to give it the highest level of care. There’s nothing like having a newly professionally cleaned Rolex on your wrist. It will likely look like the day you bought it.
Click here to read our guide on how to care for your new watch.
Of course, if it needs maintenance, it’s not recommended to do it yourself unless you’re experienced. Rolexes are finely made, and tinkering with any of the components could cause a lot of issues. Make sure to bring it to a professional for repairs — but you definitely don’t have to be afraid to spruce it up every once in a while by following the guide we’ve provided.
Here at BQ Watches, we’re happy to offer professional cleaning and repair services to make your Rolex look as amazing as possible. BQ Watches is your go-to provider for all luxury watch services. You can buy from us, sell to us, exchange your watch, get an appraisal or anything else you might need. Just get in touch with us today, and a member of our team will be happy to help you in any way we can.
