Yes, we offer a two year extensive warranty on any new timepiece bought at Ashford and a one year extensive warranty on any Certified Pre-Owned timepiece bought at Ashford. All items sold by Ashford are 100% brand new unless they are clearly described as “Certified Pre-Owned.”

Our warranty covers the most important part of a watch: the movement. We are well-equipped and ready to repair even the most complicated movement with the utmost care. In addition, we will replace your battery for two years from the date of purchase. Our warranty does not cover any damage to the movement resulting from mistreatment, improper use or from the wearer exceeding the manufacturer’s water resistance limitations. Additionally, we do not cover the watch case, bracelet, strap, crown, stem, crystal/glass and the watch finish. The warranty will be voided if there are signs of shock to the watch.

Please note that these warranties are valid only at Ashford. Repair or warranty service performed by someone other than Ashford will void these warranties.

The following are descriptions of the three movement types:

Quartz Watches

Watches that have quartz movements are a relatively new development in watch history. Quartz crystals have a unique property in that when they are compressed or bent, they conduct a constant voltage, or pulse, on their surface. This constant voltage can be used to power quartz watches with exact precision. Rather than a wound spring (mechanical movement), quartz watches rely on a battery for their energy. The battery sends electrical energy to the tiny quartz crystal, which in turn creates a pulse at regular, constant levels. Because the pulse (also called an impulse) is extremely constant, quartz movements ensure precision timekeeping, accurate down to hundredths of a second. To convert the impulse into a steady power that can move the watch hands at regular intervals, the impulse is simply passed through a stepping motor that converts the electrical energy of the impulse into mechanical energy that is needed to run the watch. Since the early 1970's, quartz watches have become very popular, for both manufacturer and consumers, due to the fact that quartz watches are less expensive than mechanical movement watches and can be easily manufactured in large volumes.

Mechanical Movements

If a watch is said to have mechanical movement, this means that the watch has a device for keeping time, which uses the energy from a wound spring, and keeps time through the highly regulated release of that energy through a set of gears and an escapement. This device must be wound periodically, ensuring that the wound spring is continually loaded to power the watch. It differs from the typical quartz watch in that it uses purely mechanical components to keep time. A normal mechanical watch can run for about 40 hours on one full winding of the mainspring, and a few designs that can last up to 8 or 10 days are also available. The general design of mechanical movement watches have not changed notably in the past fifty years. But, the development of greater technology and modern materials has changed the way mechanical movement watches are manufactured.

Automatic Movements

Watches that are powered by automatic movements operate similar to a watch with mechanical movements, except that the winding of the spring occurs automatically, every time the wearer moves his or her arm. A rotor that turns in response to motion winds the watch's mainspring, supplying the needed energy to power the watch. The obvious benefit of an automatic movement is that there is never a need to replace a battery or to wind the watch. Keeping this in mind, it is necessary to occasionally "tune up" an automatic watch to ensure timekeeping is precise.

A chronograph is a watch that has a stopwatch function. Typically, the top pusher will start and stop the chronograph. The bottom pusher will reset it. The chronograph generally cannot reset in the running state. Special Fly back models allow the chronograph to be reset at any time.

The movement of a chronometer has passed a series of accurate time keeping tests, and is certified as a superior timekeeper. Many watch makers will put their movements through this test to illustrate their accuracy. The dial will typically have the word "Chronometer" or "Chronometre" on the dial.

To become a chronometer, the watch movement must pass 15 days of severe tests. The accuracy of the movement is checked in 5 different positions at varied temperatures. This simulates conditions under which the watch might be worn. The watch must average between +6 and -4 seconds per day in order to earn the certification.

If a watch is described simply as a “chrono”, it is generally safe to assume it is a chronograph.

A watch marked as water resistant without a depth indication is designed to withstand accidental splashes of water only. Do not submerge such a watch. Higher levels of water resistance are indicated by increasingly higher acceptable depths, usually indicated in meters. There are a variety of ways to make a watch water resistant. All such watches use rubber gaskets or "O" rings to seal the case back. A watch with a back that screws onto the case provides a higher degree of water resistance. Some crowns (the "winding stem") actually screw into the case to further increase water resistance.

A watch marked as water resistant without a depth indication is designed to withstand accidental splashes of water only. Do not submerge such a watch. Higher levels of water resistance are indicated by increasingly higher acceptable depths, usually indicated in meters. There are a variety of ways to make a watch water resistant. All such watches use rubber gaskets or "O" rings to seal the case back. A watch with a back that screws onto the case provides a higher degree of water resistance. Some crowns (the "winding stem") actually screw into the case to further increase water resistance.

Usage Recommendations

The following usage recommendations are suggested by the Seiko Watch Corporation of America.

• Water-resistant to 30 meters (98 feet). Will withstand splashes of water or rain but should not be worn while swimming or diving.
• Water-tested to 50 meters (164 feet). Suitable for showering or swimming in shallow water.
• Water-tested to 100 meters (328 feet). Suitable for swimming and snorkeling.
• Water-tested to 150 meters (492 feet). Suitable for snorkeling.
• Water-tested to 200 meters (656 feet). Suitable for skin diving.
• Diver’s 150 meters (492 feet). Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving.
• Diver’s 200 meters (656 feet). Meets ISO standards and is suitable for scuba diving.

Please note that we do not recommend swimming or diving with your watch unless it has a screw-down crown (also known as “screw-lock” or “screw-in” crown) and is water-resistant to at least 100 meters.

The best way to clean your watch is by using a lint-free cloth and a toothpick. Use the toothpick to clean out any dirt buildup in the bracelet or casing of the watch and the cloth to wipe it clean. If it is water-resistant, give it an occasional cleaning with a mixture of warm water and a mild soap. If the strap is leather or non-metal, clean only the case.

Although automatic mechanical watches do not have batteries, some simple maintenance is necessary for continued and long-lasting accurate use.

Self-winding automatic watches depend on the movement of the arm to operate and do require some winding, even if you wear your watch on a daily basis.

If you wear your automatic watch every day, it is best to wind it once every two weeks to keep the wheels in motion and lubricated with oil fluid. Simply wind the crown (the same knob used to adjust the time and date) until you meet slight resistance.

If you do not wear your automatic watch every day, you should try to wind it at least twice a week to ensure continuous operation, as well as keeping the inside mechanism in complete running order.

Try to wind your mechanical watch at the same time every day. This is extremely beneficial for the mechanism.

Water resistance is not a permanent state and needs to be maintained. If you submerge your watch regularly in water, you should have your watch serviced yearly to verify that all the seals are intact.

It is not recommended to wear your water resistant watch in a hot shower, sauna or hot tub. The extreme heat causes the metal parts to expand at a different rate than the rubber gaskets. This creates small openings that can allow water droplets to penetrate the watch. Sudden temperature changes are especially harsh. Take care not to jump into a cold pool after wearing your watch in the hot tub.

After swimming or diving in salt water, immediately rinse the watch in a stream of fresh water. If your watch has a rotating bezel, turn the bezel several times while rinsing it. This will prevent salt buildup and corrosion of the bezel ring.

Leather straps can be made to be water resistant. Generally however, leather straps are more easily damaged by frequent exposure to water. If you would like to wear your watch while swimming - think of buying one with a metal bracelet or a rubber or nylon diver strap.

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