Just bought my first nice watch (TAG Heuer gen)

[lithast]

Bought myself one of these recently as a graduation present.

http://www.tagheuer.com/the-collection/lin...=WJF211A.BA0570

I love it. It's an amazing watch. I do however have a few questions about looking after it. I have had it for a few weeks now and one of the problems I have had is that I work a second job in a bar and often I will come home and it has got sticky droplets of various kinds of alcohol on it. I end up having to wash it in lukewarm water a few times a week, and the problem I get is that the warm water has washed away the lubricant on the bracelet too so when I move it around it squeaks. I was reading up on here and some people were soaking just the bracelet in various kinds of oils, but I dont know how to remove the bracelet from the watch and I certainly dont want to put the watch in with oil. So I guess my questions are;

1. Is it going to hurt the watch/seals being washed in warm water a few times a week?

2. How can I do this and keep the bracelet in working order?

I was also just watching the rotor spin around the other day and I noticed that when it was within a foot or so of my head I could hear the thing turn. Nothing loud but I could hear it. Is this normal? I'm probably just being hypersensitive since its my new baby and all but I've read some horror stories about movements coming without oil and such. It's keeping time at +0.5 sec/day.

Finally I've also heard stories about pins in the bracelet snapping/coming loose, and since I lead a fairly active lifestyle and am in the water a fair but im petrified that a pin will snap and I will lose the watch in the surf. Is this a common thing or am I just worrying too much? Anything I could do to prevent this? (aside from insurance)

I asked these questions on some of the popular gen watch forums and they seemed to think it was beneath them to help a newbie out, but you folks seem to be alot more friendly and down to earth, so im hoping you can help me out.

Cheers

Edited September 1, 2008 by lithast

[Noel Fleischer]

No- washing a gen watch with ss bracelet will not hurt it.

i use liquid car wax on my rep bracelets- its good for cleaning and lubrication.

some people here have all kinds of home remedies for the bands- including olive or motor oil

treatments.

Edited September 1, 2008 by Noel Fleischer