Why your automatic watch deserves travel-ready care
Automatic watches demand a little extra care when you fly. Movement from winding rotors, exposure to metal detectors, magnets, shocks and changes in position can affect accuracy and power reserve. Packing choices and storage also influence whether your watch arrives running or needs a reset.
This guide gives clear, practical tips for before, during and after flight. You’ll learn simple checks, safe transport methods, how to handle security screening, and steps to manage time zones and complications. Follow these routines to protect function, preserve reliability, and travel with confidence. Keep your watch service-ready and enjoy stress-free travels every trip today.
Watch Maintenance Mastery: The Ultimate Guide
Pre-flight preparation: winding, power reserve and basic checks
Top up the mainspring
Wind your automatic so it leaves home with a full reserve. Most modern automatics run 38–72 hours; filling it before a long flight avoids waking up to a stopped watch.
A quick real-world rule: if you expect a 10–12 hour international flight plus layovers, aim for a full wind so you have at least 48 hours of reserve afterward.
Safe time and date setting
Set time and date before you leave rather than fiddling in transit. Important safeguard: avoid changing the date between roughly 8 PM and 3 AM (varies by movement) — the date-change mechanism can be engaged and vulnerable then. When setting, move hands forward; if you must move backward, consult the manual for your model.
Visual inspection and crown security
Scan for obvious issues: a loose hand, cracked crystal, bent springbar, or a crown that doesn’t screw down securely. A screw-down crown on models like the Rolex Oyster Perpetual or Omega Seamaster must be tightened to preserve seals.
If your strap hardware looks worn or a springbar feels weak, swap it before you travel. Small failures are one of the most common causes of lost watches during trips.
Check water resistance and service history
If your trip includes swimming or high humidity, ensure the watch has been pressure-tested within the past 12 months, or get the seals checked. If your watch hasn’t seen service in 3–5 years, is losing/gaining time significantly, or shows condensation, consider a quick service visit before departure.
With these checks done, you’ll be ready to decide whether to wear the watch through security or pack it safely for the journey ahead.
Carry or wear: packing, travel cases and how to transport safely
Wear it or pack it?
Deciding whether to wear your watch through a journey is a trade-off: wearing keeps the rotor turning and the mainspring topped up, while packing reduces bump-and-theft exposure. If you move through crowded transit or plan to remove outer layers, consider packing. If you have a long travel day and want the watch running for meetings on arrival, wear it—prefer a secure strap and keep it under a jacket cuff.
Best cases and how to pack
Use a padded travel case or watch roll rather than the original branded box (which advertises value). Store watches face-up with the crown fully secured (screwed down or pushed in) to prevent accidental crown damage. Good options: compact hard cases (Pelican 1010-size for bracelets) or soft leather rolls like those from Worn & Wound—both protect crystal and keep parts from rubbing.
When packing:
Straps, comfort and security
Choose a comfortable, secure strap for travel. A NATO or single-pass strap keeps the watch on your wrist if a springbar fails and avoids pinching under long flights. Leather can stiffen on long trips; a ventilated rubber or lightweight nylon is often more comfortable.
Carry-on, documentation and theft deterrence
Always keep valuable watches in carry-on—checked luggage is more likely to be lost or mishandled. Photograph serial numbers and receipts and store them in cloud storage; a quick photo speeds recovery and insurance claims. Pack discreetly: use nondescript pouches or conceal the case in an interior bag pocket instead of leaving a bright watch roll visible to opportunistic thieves.
Passing airport security: scanners, metal detectors and magnets
X-rays and metal detectors — are they safe?
Good news: airport X-ray scanners and walk-through metal detectors do not harm mechanical watch movements. The radiation levels in baggage X‑rays and the low magnetic fields in standard metal detectors are far below anything that would affect an automatic’s balance spring or lubrication. Many pilots and frequent flyers routinely pass vintage Omegas, Tudor divers and Rolexes through security with no ill effect.
Handling your watch at screening
If security asks you to remove your watch, follow instructions and avoid tossing it directly onto the belt. Place it in a bin or a soft pouch to prevent scratches and dents, and keep an eye on it as it goes through the conveyor.
Practical tips:
Magnets — what to watch for
Strong magnetic fields can magnetize the hairspring and change timekeeping. Common culprits in travel:
Spotting magnetization and quick fixes
Watch a few indicators that your watch has been magnetized:
If you suspect magnetization:
In-flight handling: comfort, turbulence and functional precautions
To wear or to remove?
Wearing your automatic in flight is fine for most situations — it keeps the watch winding and gives you easy access to the time. During severe turbulence, though, consider removing it and stashing it in a padded pocket to avoid hard knocks against armrests, tray tables or the seat frame. For short bouts of chop, leaving it on is usually safe; for long periods of unpredictable movement, a mindful removal is wiser.
Secure crowns and pushers
Before takeoff or when you expect bumps:
Avoid operating complications during turbulence
Pressing pushers or changing the date while the plane is bouncing increases the chance of accidental activation or mechanical shock to delicate levers and cams. Best practices:
Comfort and extra protection
Wearing the watch on the inside of the wrist cushions it from direct impact and hides the case from scratching; pilots and flight crew often prefer this. Avoid tucking wrists into tight hand-luggage crevices or under tightly latching armrests that can compress the case.
Long-haul tip: keep it wound
If you choose to wear the watch on long flights, gently roll your wrist every hour or so (a few 10–20 second rotations) to keep the rotor engaging and maintain a healthy power reserve without overworking the movement.
Next up: post-flight checks to make sure everything landed as it should.
Managing time zones and complications while traveling
Safe time changes: a quick how‑to
When you arrive, stop the watch (if it hacks) and set the minutes and seconds to a known reference (phone atomic time or airport clock). Then adjust local hours — either by:
Single‑hour jumps are gentler on the movement and avoid accidental date flips; pilots and frequent flyers swear by this for fast zone changes.
Using quick‑set date safely
Never use the quick‑set date during the date‑change window (commonly ~8pm–4am on many movements). A safe routine:
This avoids bent teeth on the date wheel and misengagement of the jumper.
GMT and world‑time workflow
GMT hands and world‑timers are travel game‑changers. Typical workflow:
For world‑time watches (e.g., Seiko Astron GPS or a Patek Philippe World Time), use the city ring or GPS sync to update rapidly without disturbing local minute accuracy.
Crossing many zones & avoiding AM/PM mistakes
Keep a reference: keep home time on the GMT hand or set your phone to home zone. Always verify AM/PM by checking a 24‑hour indicator or confirming with your phone before changing the date.
Phone‑assisted syncing
Use your phone’s atomic time app or airport departure boards as a master reference. Stop the seconds, sync to the displayed seconds, then start — a quick, reliable field method.
These tactics get you through multi‑stop itineraries cleanly, leaving only post‑flight checks and routine care to follow.
Post-flight care: checking, demagnetizing and routine maintenance
Immediate inspection — a 3‑minute checklist
Right after you unpack, run a quick field inspection to catch problems early:
Recognizing and treating magnetization
Magnetized watches typically run fast, erratically, or stop sporadically. Other signs: the seconds hand jumps, or the regulator behaves oddly after exposure to speakers or airport scanners. A small consumer demagnetizer (e.g., compact units sold by Tilswall or Esslinger) can fix mild cases — follow the device instructions and slowly withdraw the watch after demagnetizing. If performance doesn’t normalize immediately, stop and consult a technician; repeated DIY demagnetizing is not a substitute for professional service.
When to seek professional servicing
Take your watch to a qualified watchmaker if you notice any of the following:
As a rule of thumb: full service every 3–5 years for regular use; if you travel frequently, expose the watch to saltwater or dive often, consider 2–3 year checks and annual pressure tests.
Cleaning, documentation and storage
After humid or salty trips, rinse metal bracelets in fresh water and dry thoroughly; treat leather with a conditioner and avoid soaking. Photograph any travel‑related damage, keep receipts and log incidents — helpful for both insurers and service centers. Store watches in a cool, dry place with silica packs if you won’t wear them immediately.
With these post‑flight steps complete, you’ll be ready to adopt the smart habits covered in the Conclusion.
Smart habits for stress-free watch travel
Prepare the movement before takeoff: wind sufficiently or secure the rotor, check the power reserve, and stow the watch in a protective case. During travel choose secure transport (worn or cushioned), follow security instructions, avoid strong magnets, and protect against shocks and turbulence while flying.
On arrival, set time and complications carefully, demagnetize if necessary, and inspect for moisture or damage. Schedule service for persistent problems and keep routine maintenance current. Travel with these habits and your automatic watch will be a dependable, low-stress companion on flights and beyond.
Short and sweet: love the Cheopz case mentioned in the article 😍
Keeps my watches safe and looks cute in my bag. Also — if you have bracelets, loosen them a bit before long flights so your wrist doesn’t swell and pinch the watch.
Packing vs wearing is always a: do I want security or comfort? For me:
– Short flights: wear it. Keeps me comfortable and I like the time check without digging.
– Long-haul/noisy airports: pack it in a padded case (ROSELLE roll is great because it takes two watches and doesn’t flop around).
– Bonus: if you bring a 155-Piece Comprehensive Watch Repair Kit with Case, don’t try to fix complicated stuff in a hotel room lol. Just basic strap changes and springbars only.
Also — PSA for people who travel with chronographs: reset them before you store the watch for a flight.