If you’re anything like us, you want to know that your watches are completely safe whenever they’re not on your wrist. You need to keep them safe from damage, accidents, and theft. Whether you own a single affordable watch from a microbrand or a carefully curated selection of High Horology, the basic guidelines to keeping them safe are the same. This Blog Post will focus on the strategies you can take to ensure your collection remains safe, and next time we will examine how watch insurance works.

A group of watches arranges on a book shwlf with their straps hanging over the edge, with book spines facing outwards behind them

Simple Watch Security Measures

We want to start with the basics. The main risks to your timepieces when you aren’t wearing them are; forgetting where you’ve stored it, water damage, fire damage, getting squashed or knocked off something, and theft. We recommend always keeping your watches in the same place when you take them off. That place should be on a clear surface, out of reach of pets and children, and one that you aren’t going to put drinks or food on.

If you have more than one watch, and like to change which watch you wear on a given day, we recommend getting a watchbox or a watch roll. These are designed to keep your watches safe and come in different shapes and sizes. In general, watch rolls take up less space. They often have pouches for individual watches, and these help stop the watches getting scratched even though you are rolling them up to save space. Watchboxes are literally that, a box usually with a zip fastening or clasp that has spaces inside that hold the watches securely. Members of The Watch Collectors’ Club get a discount on these kinds of accessories within the members area.

These accessories will protect your watch from accidental damage, getting dropped, and make them much harder to lose or forget where you’ve put them. They are not usually waterproof or fireproof.

Hiding your watches

Many people feel that a simple security measure is hiding their watch roll or box in their sock draw or the equivalent. While this may indeed protect your watches from most damage, it is not particularly secure. Committed burglars will usually search all of the spaces in a bedroom and find your watchroll or box easily. People have mentioned to us that they keep their watches in pouches or rolls in their kids’ bedrooms or places like that. We feel that this is still taking quite a big risk with your precious possessions.

white safe with open door showing red custom interior with different drawers for watches and jewellery

Using a Safe to Store your Watches

We recommend storing your watches in an insurance approved safe. Modern safes come in many sizes and with different security ratings and features. There are a few important things to take into consideration:

• Insurance Rating: Safes have different insurance cover ratings for their contents. You should check carefully what your home or watch insurer requires for your policy to be effective. If you have any questions you can call our partner; the sponsor of this Blog Post, Secure Safe.

• Size: Plan where you are going to put your safe and how you will secure it within your property. If it is to go in a wardrobe or cupboard it should be securely fastened to the furniture. Check that the safe has fastenings for this. If it will be floor standing you might want to attach it to the floor.

• Weight: Check that the area you intend to put the safe can take its weight. Safes are made of thick steel so are heavy for a wardrobe shelf. If it is a large safe that will stand on its own somewhere, check that the floor in that area can take the weight. Check the weight for delivery and installation and consider how you will get it to where it is needed.

• Fireproof rating: some safes give a fireproof rating in terms of time that paper documents are protected within the safe. For example, a safe may be rated to protect documents for 30 minutes in the event of a fire. You may want a high protection rating depending on the watches you plan to store there.

• Waterproof rating: safes are metal boxes that are well-sealed to prevent access. This means they are highly water resistant unless the location they are situated in floods completely.

• Price: like any product, safes have a huge range in prices, based on all of the variables above. Our partner Secure Safe has a very wide range of safes on offer, can deliver nationwide in the UK, and can answer any questions you may have. Members of The Watch Collectors’ Club qualify for a 5% discount on all safes from Securesafe. 

Some safes can also be customised for watches, for example, to include built-in winders, special trays with spaces shaped to hold watches, drawers for accessories and tools, and more. They can even be climate-controlled! These products come at a premium and can be discussed with safe and security providers like our partner Secure Safe. Our Co-Founder Hamish keeps his watches in a watchbox in his safe as it fits perfectly on the shelf. This is another easy option for keeping your collection safe and sound.

A home safe with customised internal draws for watches and jewellery.

white safe with open door showing red custom interior with different drawers for watches and jewellery

Conclusion

We know that many people struggle to know how to secure their watches safely at home. We recommend a watch box or roll first, and then a safe if possible, even a small one will give you massive peace of mind. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about our use of safes and watchboxes, and also recommend you call Securesafe with more detailed enquiries, including about customisation, insurance requirements and delivery options. They are based near London and have been providing safety and security solutions nationwide for over 25 years.