Watch batteries - Change your own?

[j4r4lly]

I have a small collection now of 11 watches and invariably, several of them seem to need a battery.

I have a couple of Tag's that I usually take to the jeweler to have serviced etc. but the cost is ridiculous.

On the cheaper watches, is it realistic that I can change the battery myself and what's the best way to go about this - do I need to get one of these types of "kits" to do the job?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144-PCS-Watch-Repair-To...

On the better quality watches, can anyone recommend somewhere local to Chelmsford to get them repaired/serviced?

Many thanks.

[hoegaardenruls]

I started doing batteries and straps aome time ago with one of those kits, and that has probably paid for itself several times over.

I did have to add a decent tool for opening the cases, and for one watch, a case press but even those have covered their cost.

Amazon, or rather their marketplace sellers are a great source for batteries, and most post out pretty much immediately - I just make a point of known brands, and buy a few at a time.

[anonymous-user]

I change my own
Use the same as original battery in my Quartz Seamaster
Original lasted 5 years, 4 years in on the replacement for around £5!
It goes nowhere near water so pressure test etc a waste of time/money for my use
I simply mark the case with felt pen, undo back & replace battery. Some light seal grease on the seal. Do it back up to the same mark.
Using my Amazon watch kit

[FreeLitres]

Jimboka said:

I change my own
Use the same as original battery in my Quartz Seamaster
Original lasted 5 years, 4 years in on the replacement for around £5!
It goes nowhere near water so pressure test etc a waste of time/money for my use
I simply mark the case with felt pen, undo back & replace battery. Some light seal grease on the seal. Do it back up to the same mark.
Using my Amazon watch kit

I change my own batteries but my quartz watches are only cheap. Isn't it a bit risky putting grease on the seal? Could it not migrate and gum up the movement? No experience of this, just curious.

[anonymous-user]

FreeLitres said:

Jimboka said:

I change my own
Use the same as original battery in my Quartz Seamaster
Original lasted 5 years, 4 years in on the replacement for around £5!
It goes nowhere near water so pressure test etc a waste of time/money for my use
I simply mark the case with felt pen, undo back & replace battery. Some light seal grease on the seal. Do it back up to the same mark.
Using my Amazon watch kit

I change my own batteries but my quartz watches are only cheap. Isn't it a bit risky putting grease on the seal? Could it not migrate and gum up the movement? No experience of this, just curious.

Hi
I was very careful, used minimal amount. I looked at a few youtube videos first...

[CardShark]

If you're in Chelmsford then you'll probably know Krafft Jewellers in Duke Street. They don't service on site however they can arrange servicing on your behalf, can't remember the name of the chap who runs the store however he has always been great to deal with whenever I've bothered him for bracelet adjustments.

I think they may do battery replacements on the spot as well depending on the type of watch it is.

[mr_fibuli]

My tip for screw on case backs - cover the back of the watch in sellotape, then when the tool slips off it doesn't scratch up the back of the watch. I use a 3 pronged tool, and one of those little plastic movement holder vices is handy for super tight case backs, and makes it easier to hold everything square, so less likely to slip.

For press on backs - make sure you find the correct place to open, and use the proper tool (the one in that eBay kit is fine). I then mainly push inwards, with a little bit of levering, no twisting. Again sellotape helps to protect the surrounding area.

Once inside use latex gloves to avoid greasy fingerprints on the movement, and plastic or ceramic tweezers to avoid shorting the battery. Only ever use good quality silver based watch batteries, not a blister pack of alkalines from the pound shop

[r159]

These are handy too for watches with a screw on back that don’t have notches in

https://www.hswalsh.com/product/rubber-watch-case-...

However having not seen your watches I am sticking my neck out suggesting it....

[Macneil]

I got fed up with paying 60 quid for a battery for my Tag link, I'm never going to dive with it, so don't need the pressure test. swopped it myself in 5 minutes using a case back tool I bought to open Seikos.

[j4r4lly]

CardShark said:

If you're in Chelmsford then you'll probably know Krafft Jewellers in Duke Street. They don't service on site however they can arrange servicing on your behalf, can't remember the name of the chap who runs the store however he has always been great to deal with whenever I've bothered him for bracelet adjustments.

I think they may do battery replacements on the spot as well depending on the type of watch it is.

For quick battery swaps I used to go to Loveday's in Moulsham street.

For my Tag I took it back to Ernest Jones and they send it away for a few weeks and charge a small fortune.

My Tag Link now needs repair as the hand adjuster has become detached and although the watch is still working fine, I haven't worn it for some time as I don't want dirt or damp to get in to it. I've been putting off getting it fixed due to Covid and also the expected bill I'll get again.

[j4r4lly]

Thanks for all the responses.

I think I'll order myself one of the kits and play with one of the less valuable watches to see how I get on.

Just need to find somewhere to get my Tag repaired now.

[crankedup]

Just to tag onto the end of this thread rather than open a new one.
My cheapo everyday watch needed a new battery, went into a well know shoe repair/key cut shop.
He looked at the back of the watch and quoted me £18.95 and it comes with one year warranty. Or
£25 with lifetime warranty, WTF thought it was taking the piss, the watch only cost £40 with a free leather wallet
I went to the local independent jewellery shop in the high street, fitted it on the spot for £5.00. Bring it back if it fails within a year for free replacement!!

[r159]

crankedup said:

Just to tag onto the end of this thread rather than open a new one.
My cheapo everyday watch needed a new battery, went into a well know shoe repair/key cut shop.
He looked at the back of the watch and quoted me £18.95 and it comes with one year warranty. Or
£25 with lifetime warranty, WTF thought it was taking the piss, the watch only cost £40 with a free leather wallet
I went to the local independent jewellery shop in the high street, fitted it on the spot for £5.00. Bring it back if it fails within a year for free replacement!!

Bloody hell thats expensive....assuming that didn’t include a pressure test... I thought it used to be £10 or £15 for lifetime.
I guess it the one that starts with Timp and ends in sons?

[crankedup]

r159 said:

crankedup said:

Just to tag onto the end of this thread rather than open a new one.
My cheapo everyday watch needed a new battery, went into a well know shoe repair/key cut shop.
He looked at the back of the watch and quoted me £18.95 and it comes with one year warranty. Or
£25 with lifetime warranty, WTF thought it was taking the piss, the watch only cost £40 with a free leather wallet
I went to the local independent jewellery shop in the high street, fitted it on the spot for £5.00. Bring it back if it fails within a year for free replacement!!

Bloody hell thats expensive....assuming that didn’t include a pressure test... I thought it used to be £10 or £15 for lifetime.
I guess it the one that starts with Timp and ends in sons?

Yup spot on correct guess, I did try two of their outlets and both quoted the same. Have to shop around for everything it seems, I don’t mind a few quid OTT for convenience but that really is taking the pee. No pressure test involved, just greed.

[r159]

I had some keys cut there recently and it seemed expensive, need to get some done this week but I’m going to try the independent in town...

The price of the change is bonkers as the battery would cost them about £1...max

[L1OFF]

Chap at the local Saturday market does mine for £3.

[C n C]

I'm after a little bit of advice on this please.

I ordered one of the kits from Amazon and it was fine getting the (push fit) back off an oldish mens Omega Constellation, changed the battery for the correct one and re-fitted the back without any issue.

Encouraged by this success, I had also ordered a set of screwdrivers from Cousins - this set of 6 with spare blades etc.. with a view to changing the battery in my wife's Omega Constellation - the back appears to be secured with 4 flat head screws.

IMG_3788 by conradsphotos, on Flickr

Problem is the screwdrivers, whilst the appropriate width, all seem to be too thick to fit into the slot - even the smallest which is nowhere near wide enough to undo the screw comfortably.

Am I missing something - I assume the screws are not decorative as they are not lined up.

Are there particularly thin screwdrivers that I need to get?

Any advice gratefully received.

[UnclePat]

Those screwdrivers from Cousins - whilst perfectly fine in their own right - are parallel / T shaped blades, akin to hollow-ground blades.

Such blades are designed to have a flat point and be quite thick in width at the point (i.e. parallel sides that don't taper to a point), so that they fill the screw slot completely, allowing greater torque to be used and reducing the chances of the driver slipping out of the slot and marring the surrounding metal.

In the absence of a thin-enough blade, the problem you have is that they are too thick to engage with those screws.

What you need is something like a flat-head screwdriver, which has tapering sides that form more of a point, like the profile of a knife.

There's probably not much you can do with those Cousins screwdrivers for this job (though they're perfectly fine for other work).

In theory, with the spare blades supplied you could grind/sharpen one of them to your needs on a oil stone or possibly even some wet & dry paper, but in practice it'll be a faff, and without the proper jig you'll end-up with something uneven probably that could make a real mess of the screws and/or case back if you're not careful.

Probably best to buy a cheap additional blade for the job - try and get something that fits the width of the screw slot, as using something much smaller can 'bite' into the slot and chew it up.

Many watchmakers retain several different types of blade profile for this reason, as certain watches have slimmer screw slots than others, and regularly dress them to their needs.

Sorry, that doesn't really help you with the current drivers you have, but good luck!

[C n C]

UnclePat said:

Those screwdrivers from Cousins - whilst perfectly fine in their own right - are parallel / T shaped blades, akin to hollow-ground blades.

Such blades are designed to have a flat point and be quite thick in width at the point (i.e. parallel sides that don't taper to a point), so that they fill the screw slot completely, allowing greater torque to be used and reducing the chances of the driver slipping out of the slot and marring the surrounding metal.

In the absence of a thin-enough blade, the problem you have is that they are too thick to engage with those screws.

What you need is something like a flat-head screwdriver, which has tapering sides that form more of a point, like the profile of a knife.

There's probably not much you can do with those Cousins screwdrivers for this job (though they're perfectly fine for other work).

In theory, with the spare blades supplied you could grind/sharpen one of them to your needs on a oil stone or possibly even some wet & dry paper, but in practice it'll be a faff, and without the proper jig you'll end-up with something uneven probably that could make a real mess of the screws and/or case back if you're not careful.

Probably best to buy a cheap additional blade for the job - try and get something that fits the width of the screw slot, as using something much smaller can 'bite' into the slot and chew it up.

Many watchmakers retain several different types of blade profile for this reason, as certain watches have slimmer screw slots than others, and regularly dress them to their needs.

Sorry, that doesn't really help you with the current drivers you have, but good luck!

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm ok with the specific ones from Cousins not being suitable for this specific job, and am happy to buy an additional screwdriver or even set, but I'm not sure on what to look out for in the description? Would you be able to point to a suitable set perhaps?

Thanks.

ETA - For example, what's the difference between flat head and Swiss style - both look remarkably similar and neither are the parallel ones?

Edited by C n C on Friday 16th October 18:05

[GrizzlyBear]

I change the watch batteries for all the family, have done for years, although all my watches don't have batteries.