Care instructions for CHANEL watches
CHANEL places the utmost importance on the quality of the materials selected for each timepiece. These creations feature delicate components, perfectly arranged in a very small space to enable the mechanism to function 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Following a few precautions for use and care will help you safeguard the aesthetic and technical functions of your watch for years to come.
Every timepiece undergoes rigorous testing at the CHANEL Watch Manufacture in Switzerland, ensuring it meets the highest standards of excellence.
Regular maintenance is essential to preserving the beauty and performance of your creation.
Clean your watch once a month
Avoid wearing bracelets on the same wrist as your watch to prevent scratches—except with J12 timepieces, whose ceramic is impervious to abrasions.
To guarantee the precision of a mechanical movement watch, keep it away from magnetic sources such as handbag closures or smartphone and tablet covers.
For a watch with a mechanical movement, ensure that it is worn at least once a month to prevent the oils from oxidizing.
For a timepiece that can be submerged in water, always rinse it with clean water after wearing it in the sea or a pool to remove any residual chlorine, sand or salt.
Automatic movement
5 years
Recommended time between movement services.
5 years
Recommended time between water-resistance services.
Recommended every year in the case of prolonged exposure to saltwater or chlorine
manual movement
5 years
Recommended time between movement services.
5 years
Recommended time between water-resistance services.
Recommended every year in the case of prolonged exposure to saltwater or chlorine
quartz movement
5 years
Recommended time between movement services.
5 years
Recommended time between water-resistance services.
Recommended every year in the case of prolonged exposure to saltwater or chlorine.
2 to 7 years
Battery life
Power reserve
Watches with an automatic self-winding movement must be in motion at least once a month. When not worn, they have a power reserve of 38 to 70 hours, depending on the model. Beyond this period, manual winding will be necessary. Turn the watch crown clockwise 10 times to reactivate the movement before wearing.
Manual winding
Mechanical movements with manual winding should be wound daily. Turn the watch crown clockwise 10 times before wearing.
Minimum 40-hour power reserve
Once wound, your timepiece has a 40-hour power reserve.
Changing the battery
If your battery is completely depleted or shows signs of running out (on some models, the second hand jumps every 4 seconds), it is recommended that you bring your timepiece to a boutique immediately for examination by a watchmaking expert.
Discover the battery changing serviceRemoving a dead battery
Never leave a dead battery inside the watch for more than 3 months; it could leak and permanently damage the movement.
It is recommended that you clean your timepiece once a month.
Bracelet type
White ceramic bracelet
Ceramic is a stainless material designed to be scratch-resistant. However, contact with other materials that are softer than ceramic, such as 18K gold or titanium, can leave deposits resembling scratches.
How to clean
01
Check that the crown is completely pushed or screwed in.
02
Clean with soapy water and a soft-bristle brush, then rinse thoroughly.
03
Dry with a soft cloth. Do not move the crown until the watch is completely dry.
Black ceramic bracelet
Ceramic is a stainless material designed to be scratch-resistant. However, contact with other materials that are softer than ceramic, such as 18K gold or titanium, can leave deposits resembling scratches.
How to clean
01
Check that the crown is completely pushed or screwed in.
02
Clean with soapy water and a soft-bristle brush, then rinse thoroughly.
03
Dry with a soft cloth. Do not move the crown until the watch is completely dry.
Matte ceramic bracelet
Ceramic is a stainless material designed to be scratch-resistant. However, contact with other materials that are softer than ceramic, such as 18K gold or titanium, can leave deposits resembling scratches.
How to clean
01
Check that the crown is completely pushed or screwed in.
02
Clean with soapy water and a soft-bristle brush, then rinse thoroughly.
03
Dry with a soft cloth. Do not move the crown until the watch is completely dry.
Metal bracelet
Check that the crown is completely pushed or screwed in.
How to clean
01
Clean with soapy water and a soft-bristle brush, then rinse thoroughly.
02
Dry with a soft cloth. Do not move the crown until the watch is completely dry.
03
For PREMIÈRE timepieces that have a metal bracelet interlaced with leather, follow the recommendations for watches with leather, satin or fabric straps.
Leather, Satin and Fabric
How to clean
01
Polish the entire watch, bracelet and case using a soft cloth. Do not use water, which could damage the strap.
02
03
White rubber bracelet
How to clean
01
If there are stubborn marks such as dye stains or ingrained dirt, clean the bracelet with warm water and baking soda.
02
Brush gently with a medium-bristle brush.
Take care to protect the case with a cloth.03
For the case, check that the crown is completely pushed or screwed in. Clean with soapy water, then rinse thoroughly. Dry with a soft cloth. Do not move the crown until the watch is completely dry.
Rubber bracelet
How to clean
01
Check that the crown is completely pushed or screwed in.
02
Clean with soapy water, then rinse thoroughly.
03
Dry with a soft cloth. Do not move the crown until the watch is completely dry.
External pressure on the crystal increases as the watch is submerged, making it more vulnerable to dust and water entering the mechanism. The water-resistance depth is engraved on the caseback of your timepiece, next to a fish symbol.
Respect this depth to prevent deterioration. Do not swim while wearing your watch unless it indicates a depth of over 100 meters.
Water-resistance depth
Most CHANEL watches are water-resistant. The water-resistance details are engraved on the caseback. The depth differs according to the model.
Checking your watch after immersion
Make sure the crown is always fully pushed or screwed in before any immersion. It is also recommended that you have the water resistance of your watch checked anytime the case has been opened, as well as every year if it has been exposed to saltwater or chlorine for a prolonged period of time.
Servicing every 5 years
Watches are water-resistant thanks to their gaskets. To ensure optimal watertightness, it is advisable to replace the gaskets every 5 years.
Preserving the gaskets
Rinse your watch with clean water after wearing it in the sea or a pool to remove any residual chlorine, sand or salt.
In watchmaking, magnetization refers to the negative effect of magnetic fields on the functioning of a timepiece.
Magnetic fields are commonly found in objects used in everyday life, including smartphones, digital tablets, induction cooktops, speakers and televisions.
10 cm
Recommended distance from highly magnetized objects.
15 min
The effects of magnetism may persist after prolonged exposure. As a result, your watch may run fast or slow.
*This data can vary with the intensity of the magnetic field. These calculations were made on some objects from daily life, including smartphones, tablets and speakers.
What effect does magnetization have on watches?
When a timepiece encounters a magnetic field, the movement may be disrupted, causing it to accelerate or stop completely. In most cases, the watch will work normally as soon as it is removed from the magnetic field.
Increased sensitivity of mechanical movements
Watches with mechanical movements are more susceptible to magnetization than those with quartz movements. A mechanical movement may cease to function correctly if magnetization causes certain metallic parts—such as the balance spring and barrel spring—to stick together.
What can you do if magnetization occurs?
To detect if a watch is magnetized, place it next to a compass. If it is magnetized, the compass hands will spin erratically. To demagnetize your watch, visit a CHANEL boutique or authorized retailer of your choice.
Make an appointment at a boutique or consult the section below that corresponds to your situation for more information on the possible causes and solutions.
Type of movement
Automatic
problem
Try winding your watch manually. If it still does not start, there are 2 potential reasons:
01
The automatic system is disconnected. An evaluation at a CHANEL workshop will determine if maintenance or a complete servicing is necessary.
Book an appointment02
The oil in the movement has dried out or the movement is dirty or damaged by shock or water infiltration. Complete servicing is required.
Book an appointment
There are 2 possible causes:
01
Your watch has been magnetized or the setting needs to be adjusted. Demagnetization or maintenance is required.
Book an appointment02
The oil in the movement has dried out or the movement is dirty or damaged by shock or water infiltration. Complete servicing is required.
Book an appointment
This indicates that water has infiltrated the movement: Complete servicing is required, and the oxidized parts need to be replaced. Please bring your watch to a CHANEL boutique or an authorized retailer of your choice. Your timepiece will be sent to a CHANEL workshop for a detailed assessment.
Book an appointment
Try winding your watch manually. If it still does not start, there are 2 potential reasons:
01
The system is disconnected. An evaluation at a CHANEL workshop will determine if maintenance or a complete servicing is necessary.
Book an appointment02
The oil in the movement has dried out or the movement is dirty or damaged by shock or water infiltration. Complete servicing is required.
Book an appointment
There are 2 possible causes:
01
Your watch has been magnetized or the setting needs to be adjusted. Demagnetization or maintenance is required.
Book an appointment02
The oil in the movement has dried out or the movement is dirty or damaged by shock or water infiltration. Complete servicing is required.
Book an appointment
This indicates that water has infiltrated the movement: Complete servicing is required, and the oxidized parts need to be replaced. Please bring your watch to a CHANEL boutique or an authorized retailer of your choice. Your timepiece will be sent to a CHANEL workshop for a detailed assessment.
Book an appointment
There are 2 possible causes:
01
The battery is depleted: A replacement is required.
Book an appointment02
The watch movement is damaged (leaking battery, water infiltration, etc.). Complete servicing is required.
Book an appointment
The movement of your watch is damaged: complete revision is required to replace the movement.
Book an appointment
Water has infiltrated the movement: complete revision is required, and the oxidized parts need to be replaced. Please take your watch to a CHANEL boutique or to an authorized CHANEL retailer of your choice. Your watch will be sent to our workshops for a detailed assessment.
Book an appointment
Find a boutique
Drop off your watch at a CHANEL boutique or
CHANEL-authorized dealer for maintenance.
The most frequently consulted services
For more information, consult the