Life’s too short to wear a dirty watch: Heist is a no-fuss watch cleaning kit perfect for those on the go

Jamie Weiss

There’s only one thing that’s more embarrassing than wearing a watch that’s set to the wrong time, and that’s wearing a visibly dirty watch. Timepieces are magnets for filth, and even the most scrupulously kept watch will have grime built up somewhere in its nooks and crannies. I had a shock the other day when I took the bracelet off my Tudor for the first time since purchasing the watch to put a strap on it: I’m almost OCD levels of clean, but there was still schmutz between the lugs, hidden by the bracelet’s end links. Yuck. That’s why Australian brand Heist’s Watch Cleaner Kit is such a godsend. Affordable, effective and highly portable, it’s a must-have watch care accessory for any suited and booted watch collector.

The kit contains three elements: an 80ml spray bottle of Heist’s proprietary cleaning solution, a bendable nylon soft-bristle brush, and a silky microfibre cloth. The kit comes in a durable ziplock pouch to prevent leaks and is good for around 200 applications (depending on how gross your watches are, obviously). The cleaning fluid is effective, but mild enough to be used on precious metals, plastics and other reactive watch materials. It’s also basically odourless. Similarly, the nylon brush is great at cleaning out hard-to-reach areas of your watch, like under bezel lips and between bracelet links or lugs, but it won’t leave scratches.

“After being in the watch game for over a decade, I noticed how few people actually take care of their timepieces – myself included,” Luc Wiesman, Heist founder, watch enthusiast and the man behind leading Australian men’s lifestyle publication DMARGE, explains. “What I wanted was a travel-friendly package that you can take in your hand luggage on business or holidays… So Heist was born, as an easy and affordable way to give your watch back some of that showroom shine.”

Not all watch cleaning kits are made equal – in my experience, many contain little more than just rubbing alcohol and nasty microfibre cloths. Heist’s kit, on the other hand, is actually effective at getting rid of stubborn wrist cheese. The best part of the kit, though, is the microfibre. Covered with cute graphics of guns, jewels, balaclavas and watches, it’s playful but it also works a treat – I always have it on hand for photoshoots or watch fairs where you’re constantly taking watches on and off and covering them in fingerprints. It’s also pretty useful for cleaning jewellery and makes a great gift idea for the watch lover in your life.

The Heist Watch Cleaner kit retails for A$59 and is available directly from Heist with free international shipping on all orders. Find out more at Heist’s online store here.