Quartz Tag battery life..

[Mr_C]

Hi all,

My wife has a quartz Tag which it less than 3 years old and it’s stopped. I’m presuming it just needs a battery but 3 years seems a bit short for battery life? I am sure the battery in my old quartz tag lasted 7 or so years!

Would you expect it to be just the battery or something more sinister?

Thanks
Paul

[RiggaTheMighty]

You have been very lucky to get 3 years in honesty.

The average lifespan in a Tag Heuer these days is 12-18 months and just over 2 after a full service.

[Mr_C]

RiggaTheMighty said:

You have been very lucky to get 3 years in honesty.

The average lifespan in a Tag Heuer these days is 12-18 months and just over 2 after a full service.

Ah ok. Thank you.

[Slushbox]

Three years seems about average. What you won't know is how old the battery was when bought, it's common for watches to sit around for a couple of years at the jewellers.

My Seamaster died two years after I bought it. Omega replaced the battery and serviced the watch for free. 'Should last three years', they said. No fee.

Most 'better' quartz watches have a motor 'stop' position with the crown pulled out which increases battery life. Few High St jewellers seem to bother with it. If the watch isn't being worn for a week or so, pull out the crown to the stop position.

It's important to get flat batteries out, as they can leak and destroy the innards.

Edited by Slushbox on Tuesday 28th August 15:16

[Mr_C]

Slushbox said:

Three years seems about average. What you won't know is how old the battery was when bought, it's common for watches to sit around for a couple of years at the jewellers.

My Seamaster died two years after I bought it. Omega replaced the battery and serviced the watch for free. 'Should last three years', they said. No fee.

Most 'better' quartz watches have a motor 'stop' position with the crown pulled out which increases battery life. Few High St jewellers seem to bother with it. If the watch isn't being worn for a week or so, pull out the crown to the stop position.

It's important to get flat batteries out, as they can leak and destroy the innards.

Edited by Slushbox on Tuesday 28th August 15:16

Thanks. I’ll take it Thursday when I am off work. Unsure whether to take it to an AD or somewhere else. Unfortunately my usual trusted watch guy has retired and has closed up shop and I don’t know anywhere else local

[Slushbox]

The local shops tend not to check/lube seals for walk-in battery changes. This might not matter for some.

The AD's should check the case and crown seals for water-tightness at battery change time, if you have a receipt you might get it done under the two year warranty.

Tag recommend annual servicing. :-(

[Mr-B]

Bought a quartz TAG around 1997 and have replaced the battery definitely twice but possibly 3 times, it's been so infrequent it's difficult to remember when it was done. The last change was 2014 and it's still going OK.

[Alfa numeric]

I bought my Kirium in 2002, wear it most days and it's on its third battery. I must have a good one!

It'll probably stop now...

[robinh73]

Bought mine back in 2002 and it is on the third battery, probably due a 4th within the year.

[bonerp]

I've got a James Hunt F1 from at least 3 years ago Festival Of Speed and its still on the original battery.

[JerryDXB]

Alfa numeric said:

I bought my Kirium in 2002, wear it most days and it's on its third battery. I must have a good one!

It'll probably stop now...

Kirium F1 here, bought at a similar time (maybe 2001) and also on it’s third battery. I’ve always been pleasantly surprised by battery life.

[RiggaTheMighty]

Slushbox said:

Most 'better' quartz watches have a motor 'stop' position with the crown pulled out which increases battery life. Few High St jewellers seem to bother with it. If the watch isn't being worn for a week or so, pull out the crown to the stop position.

It's important to get flat batteries out, as they can leak and destroy the innards.

Edited by Slushbox on Tuesday 28th August 15:16

Not sure who informed you of that, but I would highly recommend that you do not do that.
Pulling the crown into Hand-Set position, only puts a break on the centre seconds, so that the hands stop.
The movement is then trying its hardest to make the hands move, but it cannot do this as there is a piece of brass holding onto the seconds wheel.
I find it interesting that you say that it is important to get flat batteries out as leaving the watch in Hand-Set is the Number 1 cause of battery leaks and the most common cause of damage to a quartz watch.

Also, just in reference to another comment.........Tag Heuer do not recommend Servicing annually.
The first battery in a watch from new, is supposed to last 5 years, as everything is brand new and runs perfectly.
The next battery after that is where my first comment applies, 12-18 months, or if you are very fortunate 18-24 months.
Then the next is 12 months,
Then when that one runs out, a service is needed.

On average, a Tag watch is recommended to be serviced at around 4-5 year intervals.....if you are lucky.

That is All. Thanks

[anonymous-user]

My Onega battery lasted 6 years
Replaced it myself for under £10, including a watch tool kit from Amazon & the seal lubricant
I don’t dive or swim in it, so not bothered about pressure test
Just made a pencil mark on the back/case & tightened back to the same spot.

[bonerp]

I'm on a Breitling forum and guys on there send in their quartz to Breilting for battery changes. To me, that is crazy - spending hundreds of £s on a battery when £25 odd at timpsons gets you a lifetime battery replacement....

I've never had any problems with them and even if I did they are insured so I'll take my chances...

[robinh73]

bonerp said:

I'm on a Breitling forum and guys on there send in their quartz to Breilting for battery changes. To me, that is crazy - spending hundreds of £s on a battery when £25 odd at timpsons gets you a lifetime battery replacement....

I've never had any problems with them and even if I did they are insured so I'll take my chances...

I have a customer who has been in the jewellery and pawn broker business for the last 45 years. He has worked on virtually any watch you care to mention. He says that the best movements are made by Seiko, Omega ones are pretty cheap, Tag ones are pretty much the same as Omega (I have a Tag and personally love it). He says that there is absolutely no benefit in spending hundreds on a battery replacement, it is a 10 job and simply does not warrant it. He has done my Tag for me and charged £1.20 for the battery. I watched him do it and to spend hundreds is simply pointless.

[Slushbox]

"Not sure who informed you of that, but I would highly recommend that you do not do that. Pulling the crown into Hand-Set position, only puts a break on the centre seconds, so that the hands stop. "

Many watch manufacturers recommend leaving the crown out in the stop position if the [quartz] watch is unused. My Bulova has it in the User Manual. Relevant (or was) for some Swatches, Tissot, the ETA movement in my Omega Seamaster Quartz, and some Tags.

Modern quartz movements are smart enough to sense it. Sure, the electronics are still engaged but the stepper motor isn't driven. There are no brakes on the second hand in these watches.

Tag Heuer recommend it themselves, here:

https://www.tagheuer.com/sites/default/files/2017-...

Watch argumentalists can double-check the cited references here:

http://watchintyme.com/archive/index.php/t-199.htm...

Tag Heuer UK recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years:

'We recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years or a failed water-resistance test. As a general rule, all TAG Heuer watches require an annual check of their water-resistance.'

http://customer-service.tagheuer.com/en-gb/service...

Edited by Slushbox on Thursday 30th August 09:30

[robinh73]

Tag Heuer UK recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years:

'We recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years or a failed water-resistance test. As a general rule, all TAG Heuer watches require an annual check of their water-resistance.'

http://customer-service.tagheuer.com/en-gb/service...

Edited by Slushbox on Thursday 30th August 09:30

[/quote]
It is not surprising that they want you to have it serviced every 1-2 years, they will be making a killing on each one. My Tag is 16 years old, has had 3 battery changes and is as reliable now as the day I bought it. There is only one winner with things like this and that is the manufacturer.

Edited by robinh73 on Thursday 30th August 15:37

[Mr_C]

Thank for the help. Got it changed by a local shop in the end (who is also an AD).

[RiggaTheMighty]

[quote=robinh73]
Tag Heuer UK recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years:

'We recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years or a failed water-resistance test. As a general rule, all TAG Heuer watches require an annual check of their water-resistance.'

http://customer-service.tagheuer.com/en-gb/service...



Thanks for that info, I will get in touch with some of my contacts and get some further info on the things you have cited.

As a Watchmaker, with a combined family knowledge of over 30 years in Watchmaking for some of the top Watch Houses , I can tell you that what I said is correct. I'm not here to argue with people as that's just plain silly.
I am a top level Watchmaker, Servicing everything that i am asked to do by my customers, from Plastic Crap to Patek Philippe.
At times, our opinions are far more accurate than that of the manufacturer.
For Instance, would you go swimming in a 30M rated watch, which is suitable for swimming and bathing, etc according to the manual?
I can assure you that it will leak the first time it gets a sniff of moisture, never mind water.
30M means positively NO moisture contact. Not even leaving it on the windowsill while you have a shower .
Anyway, like I say, I don't want to argue, I was just trying to help.

With regards to the Tag Heuer quote.....A maintenance Service is a posh way of saying Battery & Reseal. Its not a Service.
Its just a new term that all of the watch houses use.

[robinh73]

RiggaTheMighty]obinh73 said:

Tag Heuer UK recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years:

'We recommend a maintenance service every 1 or 2 years or a failed water-resistance test. As a general rule, all TAG Heuer watches require an annual check of their water-resistance.'

http://customer-service.tagheuer.com/en-gb/service...



Thanks for that info, I will get in touch with some of my contacts and get some further info on the things you have cited.

As a Watchmaker, with a combined family knowledge of over 30 years in Watchmaking for some of the top Watch Houses , I can tell you that what I said is correct. I'm not here to argue with people as that's just plain silly.
I am a top level Watchmaker, Servicing everything that i am asked to do by my customers, from Plastic Crap to Patek Philippe.
At times, our opinions are far more accurate than that of the manufacturer.
For Instance, would you go swimming in a 30M rated watch, which is suitable for swimming and bathing, etc according to the manual?
I can assure you that it will leak the first time it gets a sniff of moisture, never mind water.
30M means positively NO moisture contact. Not even leaving it on the windowsill while you have a shower .
Anyway, like I say, I don't want to argue, I was just trying to help.

With regards to the Tag Heuer quote.....A maintenance Service is a posh way of saying Battery & Reseal. Its not a Service.
Its just a new term that all of the watch houses use.

Sorry, I think you have got my quote and someone else's mixed up. I personally don't follow the guidelines set by Tag for servicing, as I feel (whether right or wrong) that being a quartz watch, my Tag doesn't require a service every 1-2 years. I would also use my independent specialist to do the work.