Here I am in 'family man' mode, dispensing, repeating and remarking on good... seasonal advice. It is summer, although this year does not seem like a typical one. In any case, weather conditions excluded, we go to the seaside, to the mountains, to the lakes, we do those activities that sometimes - I would say often - can create problems for watches if these are not 'prepared' properly before the season. Certainly such problems do not concern sedentary people, frequenters of bar tables, 'sunbed addicts', but rather the die-hards of extreme activities: swimmers, canoeists, sailors, climbers. And, above all, all those who enjoy practising these activities with the ever-present watch on their wrist. I always have to return to the usual topics because the salient facts are twofold: people often use watches that are not suited to the stresses caused by physical activity; no one does the necessary pre-summer checks on their timepieces. It happens to me very rarely that a customer brings his watch into the shop for a test of its water resistance and the integrity of the accessories (glass, strap, buckle), before going on holiday if he plans to engage in somewhat turbulent activities. Everyone trusts in the eternity of their watch, the goodness of the materials and the conviction that periodic checks and maintenance are unnecessary and, above all, a way of spending their money badly. I have repeated ad infinitum that many customers, once they have made the purchase, forget the advice they received from the salesmen, in particular everything concerning maintenance, small cares and signs that could prevent serious problems. Only 'after the disaster' do they ask themselves how this could have happened and how such a prestigious watch could have betrayed them. So, they rush to the watchmaker hoping that he can save their beloved and silent companion of days, months, years and holidays.
