Frequently asked questions
1. Why are regular services so important for my UNION GLASHÜTTE watch?
A watch works all the time. As with any precision instrument, it is important to have your UNION GLASHÜTTE watch checked at regular intervals and overhauled when necessary to maintain the operational precision and service life of your watch.
2. Where can I take my UNION GLASHÜTTE watch to have it serviced or repaired?
Bring your UNION GLAHÜTTE watch to an authorized UNION GLASHÜTTE/SA. dealer who will ensure that your watch is maintained or repaired professionally in an authorized Service Centre by trained watchmakers.
3. What are the scheduled service intervals for my UNION GLASHÜTTE watch?
Service intervals can vary. They depend on individual habits, on how carefully you handle your watch and on climate conditions.
As a rule of thumb, it is fair to state that a watch should be brought in for a service - depending on usage - every 4-5 years.
4. Does my mechanical UNION GLASHÜTTE watch even require a service if I do not wear it all the time?
Even if you do not wear your UNION GLASHÜTTE watch all the time, the oils and greases it contains can evaporate or congeal. We therefore recommend that you take your watch in for a regular service every 4-5 years, even if you don’t wear it all the time.
5. How should I look after and clean my UNION GLASHÜTTE watch?
Use a soft cloth to wipe your UNION GLASHÜTTE watch clear of fingerprints and other forms of dirt.
The watch and the stainless steel strap can be washed occasionally using warm, soapy water and a soft brush.
Leather straps should never come into contact with water and soap, since this would shorten their service life.
6. How long does a leather watchstrap last?
Depending on the habits of the user, a leather watchstrap should be replaced every 1-2 years.
Watches with leather straps should never be worn when taking a shower or swimming because this would seriously reduce their service life. Since leather watchstraps are made of natural materials, damp and dirt can be absorbed by the material. Service life is therefore heavily dependent on the wearer.
7. Can I wear a watch made of stainless steel if I have an allergic reaction to nickel?
The materials which we use for your UNION GLASHÜTTE watch are selected and tested in accordance with very strict criteria and all possess nickel contents well below legally defined limit values. Nonetheless, we cannot entirely rule out the possibility that a small percentage of people sensitive to nickel may suffer an adverse reaction, even to the very high quality of stainless steel we use. We cannot therefore eliminate with any certainty the possibility of some residual nickel sensitization occurring. For further information on this subject, we would ask you to contact our After-Sales Service team directly.
8. How precise is my mechanical UNION GLASHÜTTE watch?
Mechanical watches without a chronometer certificate are adjusted by our watchmakers to a precision level of between 0/+12 seconds per day.
The operational precision of a watch is heavily dependent on the individual habits of the wearer and can therefore vary. Contact your nearest Service Centre, where you can have your watch adjusted accordingly.
9. How great is the power reserve of my mechanical UNION GLASHÜTTE watch and how does the automatic winding action operate?
The arm movements of the wearer cause the rotor to move, and its motion then tightens the watch springs.
Depending on the model a fully-wound spring will keep the movement in motion for 36-42 hours.
Due to the fact that the automatic winding action is dependent on the level of activity of the wearer, 10-12 hours per day wearing the watch can usually tighten the spring sufficiently for a power reserve of approx. 20 hours. This ensures that the watch does not come to a complete stop during the night.
If a watch is not worn for several days, and has therefore come to a complete stop, it can be restarted by turning the crown clockwise a couple of times.
10. Up to what depth are UNION GLASHÜTTE watches water resistant?
All UNION GLASHÜTTE men's watches are water resistant up to a pressure of 10 bar (equivalent to immersing the watch in water to a depth of 100 metres). Our ladies' watches are water resistant up to a pressure of 5 bar (50m). All of our watches are tested in accordance with the relevant ISO standards.
The water resistance cannot be guaranteed for an indefinite length of time. Ageing of the seals or accidental shocks to the crown or push-buttons may adversely affect the water resistance. We therefore recommend that you have the water resistance of your watch checked once a year by an approved UNION GLASHÜTTE Service Centre and, if required, replace any defective parts. Do not open the watch yourself under any circumstances.
11. Why do we not supply spare parts directly to our customers?
For technical and quality-related reasons, we never supply individual spare parts directly to our customers. Instead, all customers have access to our Customer Service Centres which provide professional service support in full compliance with our high quality standards.
12. What do the letters SA represent at the end of UNION GLASHÜTTE/SA.?
The letters SA. stand for Saxony. In Germany, there are no fewer than 32 places by the name of Glashütte. With the SA. designation after Glashütte, we therefore make it clear which Glashütte is being referred to.
13. Where can I obtain a UNION GLASHÜTTE catalogue?
Every official UNION GLASHÜTTE representative office will be pleased to present you with one of our catalogues if you ask for one in a retail outlet. Alternatively, you can order one by e-mail direct from the homepage of our website, under the “Contact” header.
14. Where can I obtain a User Manual?
You can download a full set of operating instructions for your UNION GLASHÜTTE watch from our website’s homepage under the “Customer Service” header, or directly from the Watch Collection section.