Ownership Guide
Caring For Your Timepiece

A mechanical watch is not electronics. It is engineering. Treat it accordingly and it will outlast everything around it.

Winding & Wearing
  • Automatic Movement Your Hetzler watch is powered by an automatic movement, meaning it winds itself through the natural motion of your wrist. Wear it for at least 8 hours a day and it will maintain a full power reserve. If you have not worn it for several days, give the crown 20 to 30 gentle turns clockwise to manually wind it before wearing.
  • Setting the Time Pull the crown to the first position to set the date, and to the second position to set the time. Always set the time moving forward, never backward, to protect the movement.
  • Power Reserve Most automatic movements maintain a power reserve of 38 to 42 hours when fully wound. If your watch stops, simply wind it manually and wear it regularly to keep it running.
Water & Moisture
  • Water Resistance Water resistance is listed on each product page. Unless your specific model is rated for swimming or diving, keep it away from prolonged water exposure. Splashes and brief contact are generally fine for water resistant models.
  • Crowns & Gaskets Never operate the crown underwater. Always ensure the crown is pushed fully in before any contact with water. Water resistance diminishes over time and we recommend contacting us every 2 years to have gaskets checked if water exposure is regular.
  • Humidity & Condensation Avoid storing your watch in humid environments such as bathrooms. Moisture inside the case can damage the movement over time.
Storage
  • When Not Wearing Store your watch in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Extended UV exposure can fade dials and degrade straps or bracelets over time.
  • Magnets Keep your watch away from strong magnetic fields such as speakers, magnetic closures on bags, and electronic devices. Magnetism can disrupt the movement and cause inaccurate timekeeping. If your watch begins running fast or slow without explanation, demagnetization is often the fix.
  • Multiple Watches Store watches separately to avoid scratching cases and crystals against one another. The original box your Hetzler arrived in is ideal for long term storage.
Cleaning
  • Case & Bracelet Wipe the case and bracelet regularly with a soft, dry microfibre cloth to remove fingerprints, dust, and oils from the skin. For a deeper clean on metal bracelets, use a soft brush with warm soapy water and dry immediately and thoroughly.
  • Crystal The crystal can be gently cleaned with a microfibre cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths or chemicals which can scratch or cloud the surface.
  • Leather Straps If your model includes a leather strap, avoid water contact entirely. Wipe with a dry cloth only and allow it to dry naturally if it does get wet. Rotate straps regularly to extend their life.
Servicing
  • Routine Service Automatic movements benefit from a full service every 3 to 5 years. A service includes cleaning, lubrication, and regulation of the movement. A well serviced watch will run accurately for decades.
  • Who to Trust For all servicing and repairs, contact Hetzler directly first. Your watch is covered under our Lifetime Service Guarantee, if something is wrong, we will fix it. If you attempt a repair yourself and something goes wrong, reach out anyway. That guarantee does not have exceptions. If you are learning watchmaking and want to explore the movement, we respect that more than we can say. Just know the risks going in and reach out if you need us.
  • Warranty Repairs For any issues covered under your Hetzler Lifetime Service Guarantee, contact us at support@hetzlerwatches.com or message +1 (209) 454-1197.

A watch that is cared for becomes something else entirely. It becomes a record of the time it has kept and the life it has been part of. Treat yours well.