A watch is more than just a way to tell time. It’s something you check throughout the day, a piece that adds to your everyday look, and if it’s a gift or family item, it may even carry deep sentimental value. So when your watch starts running slow, it doesn’t just throw off your schedule. It feels like something important isn’t working the way it should.

If you’ve noticed your watch dragging behind by a few minutes or becoming harder to rely on, it might be picking up signs of wear inside the case. Many people jump to changing the battery or winding it more often, but that isn’t always the fix. Dirt, dried oils, or even tiny bits of dust can interfere with the smooth movement inside a watch. When that happens, it’s probably time for professional cleaning.

Common Causes Of A Slow-Running Watch

A slow watch can leave you guessing, whether by making you late to a meeting or causing you to miss an appointment. But the reasons behind it aren’t always obvious. Knowing what’s happening inside can help you recognize when it’s time for an expert to step in.

Here are some common reasons a watch starts running slow:

• Build-up of dirt and dust: It doesn’t take much to throw off a watch’s movement. Just a thin layer of dirt or fine dust can create drag in the delicate parts, slowing things down.
• Old or dried lubricant: Mechanical watches rely on tiny oils in their moving parts to reduce friction. As those oils age, they dry out or thicken, which creates resistance and makes the movement less efficient.
• Worn-out gear teeth: Years of wear can round out the teeth of tiny gears. When those gears don’t mesh perfectly, your timekeeping can slip.
• Magnetization: Spending time near magnets or electronics like phones and speakers can magnetize a watch, disrupting how its inner parts interact and causing it to slow down.
• Exposure to temperature swings: Heat causes metal to expand slightly, while cold can make it stiff. Those small shifts can change how the moving parts behave inside your watch.
• Low battery (for quartz watches): A weak battery doesn’t always stop a quartz watch instantly. Instead, it may start to lag behind slowly, offering a hint that it’s time for replacement.

One real-world example would be someone who wears their watch daily and stores it near their bathroom sink. Moisture builds up inside the tiny gaps. Over time, it starts affecting the watch’s movement, and a few weeks later, the watch is consistently running a few minutes behind.

Slowed performance often isn’t caused by just one thing. It’s a combination of daily wear, subtle buildup, and little missteps that become more noticeable over time. That’s why a cleaning doesn’t just solve current problems — it helps prevent future ones.

Signs Your Watch Needs Professional Cleaning

Catching service issues early can save your watch from more serious, expensive damage. While some signs are clear, others might seem minor unless you know what to look for.

Here are a few key signs your watch may need a professional cleaning:

1. It’s running slow or inconsistent: If you find yourself resetting it regularly or noticing that accuracy changes from day to day, it may be time for service.

2. The ticking sounds different: For mechanical watches, a change in ticking — whether it gets louder, more uneven, or too quiet — can mean internal friction is increasing.

3. The crystal is foggy or cloudy: Trapped moisture or dirt inside the case can fog up the crystal. This isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It usually means something unwanted has entered the watch’s inner space.

4. Visible grime: If there’s buildup in the crown, between the links, or around the case, chances are there’s also buildup inside the movement.

5. Shorter power reserve: Automatic watches that used to keep ticking all day may now stop earlier. That’s usually tied to dirty or inefficient winding mechanisms.

6. Stiff buttons or pushers: When knobs or pushers no longer move as easily, it can mean dirt has started clogging tiny gaps or that dried lubricants are stiffening the movement.

Ignoring these signs doesn’t just lead to performance issues. Over time, continued use without cleaning can result in wear or damage that could’ve been avoided with annual or biannual maintenance.

The Professional Watch Cleaning Process

Cleaning a watch isn’t just about polishing the outside. When done correctly, it involves a detailed check of each part to clear anything that might be slowing it down or causing long-term wear.

When you bring in a watch for cleaning at Fixology, we start with a full inspection. Our technicians examine every part — the case, crystal, hands, crown, and strap — looking for signs of damage, dirt, or rust. Then, we open the case using tools that don’t leave a mark, so the watch housing stays intact.

Once inside, the movement is carefully pulled out and disassembled piece by piece. Each screw, spring, and gear is cleaned separately. Most go through specialized machines that use cleaning solutions designed for watch parts. Some sensitive pieces are cleaned by hand under magnification to make sure nothing is missed.

After every piece is cleaned, we inspect them again. If we find broken springs, chipped teeth, or worn seals, we’ll recommend replacing them to keep the watch operating smoothly. Once each part is clean and confirmed to be in proper shape, it’s time for reassembly.

As the movement is reassembled, we apply new lubricant sparingly on friction points. This helps keep the movement gliding perfectly. Too much oil can attract dirt, while too little leads to more wear. That’s why we apply just the right amount in just the right places.

After reassembly, we run timing tests to verify accuracy. The watch also undergoes water resistance testing if it’s rated for that. Once everything checks out, your watch is sealed and ready to be worn again — cleaner, smoother, and more reliable.

Benefits Of Regular Professional Cleaning

You don’t have to wait until a watch slows down to get it cleaned. Routine maintenance is one of the most effective ways to protect your watch from damage and reduce the risk of costly repairs.

Here’s what regular cleaning can do for your watch:

• Keeps it accurate:A freshly cleaned movement runs with less drag and resistance, giving you more consistent timekeeping.
• Prevents deep wear: Friction caused by dust, old oil, or neglected issues can shorten the lifespan of certain parts. Routine service helps keep things running crisp for years.
• Improves the feel: A clean watch not only runs better, it feels better too. The buttons have a better click, and the crown turns more smoothly.
• Protects its value: Collectors and everyday wearers agree: a properly maintained watch keeps its value longer. Whether vintage or modern, regular cleaning preserves the craftsmanship.
• Extends its life: A maintained watch can last decades. If you plan to keep it long-term or pass it down as an heirloom, taking care of it is the first step.

One customer shared how they always thought their stainless steel watch looked clean. But when they brought it in, we opened it and showed them the internal buildup. Those particles were slowly dragging down the performance, even though it looked flawless from the outside.

That’s the thing — a watch may look fine for years while its internals are silently getting slower. Pro cleaning ensures everything inside is doing its job right.

Restore Your Watch’s Accuracy with Fixology

Watches usually don’t start running slow without warning. It’s a gradual change that comes from everyday use — a little moisture here, a bit of dust there. Over months or years, these tiny signs snowball into real problems that affect how well your timepiece performs.

Luckily, most of those problems are easy to fix or prevent with proper cleaning and timely attention. Whether your watch is mechanical, automatic, or quartz, getting it routinely cleaned by professionals makes a real difference in how it runs and how long it lasts.

At Fixology, we treat every watch like it matters, because we understand that it does. Let us help restore the accuracy, performance, and reliability your watch was made to deliver.

Keep your watch ticking smoothly and accurately with the right kind of care. At Fixology, our professional watch cleaning services are designed to remove buildup, improve performance, and help your timepiece last longer without losing its charm or dependability.