You’re wearing your watch while playing sports. After all, you bought it because it’s a watch that was meant to be worn while playing sports. You know well enough not to head to the gym wearing your diamond-encrusted watch on a leather strap, but this watch was designed to take a beating.

That’s true…but within reason. Your Speedmaster, Seamaster, or other steel sports watch was meant to stand up to some intense action but there are some things to consider:

Never wear leather while working out. Water is bad for leather. When you sweat, you’re not just adding moisture to leather, you’re also adding salt. The two of those together are guaranteed to damage leather if you’re wearing your watch while playing sports.

Choose metal or rubber instead. Choose either a rubber or NATO band, which are both made to get wet. You can also wear a metal bracelet, as long as you’re sure to wipe it down after your work out.

Take care of your case. The same rules for a metal bracelet apply to your case. Although newer watches are made with surgical grade steel, you’ll still want to wipe it down and make sure that the small crevices aren’t getting caked up and gross.

The big things you’ll need to consider when wearing your watch while playing sports are scratches and dents. When the case, bezel, or crystal come in contact with gym equipment, they can easily scratch and dent your watch. If you want to keep your watch looking like the day it came from the jeweler, your best bet is to leave the watch at home.

But the crucial thing to remember is this: scratches and dents can be fixed. Leather straps can be replaced. The real risk when wearing your watch while playing sports is what happens to the inside.

Your watch is packed with precision parts and nearly microscopic connections. If it gets hit by a 10-pound dumbbell or banged against a door-jam, those tiny parts get jostled and damaged.  

So, yes… you can wear your watch when playing sports, but it may be in the best interest of your watch (and you) to leave it behind.