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Watch Battery Replacement

People pay other people to change watch batteries?

Interesting...
A friend of mine's mother would sell her car and buy another when the tires needed replacing. Her car dealer was happy to oblige, and even sent out people driving 2-3 different models of new car for her to choose from.
 
Harbor freight sells most of the watch tools you would need... Case openers and also case closers and tool kits and magnifiers and whatnot. I bought most of my tools there.. I used to work for a watch company years ago and changed plenty of batteries and did repairs with basically the same tools l got from HF.
Amazon.com: Watch Repair Kit, E·Durable Professional Spring Bar Tool Set 149 in 1 Watch Battery Replacement Tool Kit with Mannual and Carrying Bag Durable Watch Repair Tool Screwdriver Spring Bar Tool Set: Home Improvement
 

Rhody

I'm a Lumberjack.
I tried to replace a battery in a cheap watch this summer. Opening the case was easy. But the cheap “screws” or what looked like screws that held the battery in broke or I was unable to get them back in. I tried my best got the case back on but the. The watch didn’t work at all.
things like that nowadays are not repairable. I would go to a watch shop or just forget it.
 
Basically all the stuff in that amazon pic is available just walking in and getting it. Plus some other stuff that's Not shown in your pic is available too. If you don't want to have to order online I say go pick it up at HF. If you want to order online then that's good too...
 
So, it appears that I have ANOTHER watch whose battery is on the way out. It's hard to tell, as it's a Fossil "Twist" movement, and the second hand is actually an automatic complication. But it's running WAY slow, so battery it probably is. Has anyone ever tried to 3D print a screwback case tool?

I know someone mentioned using a "soft" ball. Is this like a tennis ball, or more like a small rubber ball - raquetball perhaps? That may be my quickest option. Just need to check the kids/dog toys. :D
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
It's a cautionary tale: if you simply purchase a nice Omega Seamaster you wouldn't have these silly battery problems, and if you live long enough the batteries are going to equal the price of the watch (you know, about a century).

Changing watch batteries is on my growing list of things that are not enjoyable enough to actually make my to-do list (along with sealing the driveway, cleaning the gutters, etc.). There simply must be some advantages to getting this old, there certainly are a plethora of disadvantages.

I've had both my vaccine shots, so I'd just put a mask on and go to the local store (which never has very many customers at a time). But everyone has their own comfort level and any way you get it done is fine. I'd have to go to the post office to mail one, and that's more crowded than the watch store.
 
So, it appears that I have ANOTHER watch whose battery is on the way out. It's hard to tell, as it's a Fossil "Twist" movement, and the second hand is actually an automatic complication. But it's running WAY slow, so battery it probably is. Has anyone ever tried to 3D print a screwback case tool?

I know someone mentioned using a "soft" ball. Is this like a tennis ball, or more like a small rubber ball - raquetball perhaps? That may be my quickest option. Just need to check the kids/dog toys. :D
A tennis ball would be too slippery too work and maybe a touch too large. A racquetball might come close but I don't remember how squishy they are. I bought a "watch case friction ball" online and while it was expensive compared to near equivalent child or dog toy, it has been quite helpful. For a stubborn watch caseback you need something that is a bit squishy so that you can get maximum traction. You will need to press down and pancake the ball to get enough grip in order to twist open. But not flatten out so much that the ball overlaps onto the lugs which would be counterproductive. I have been able to open all mine expect one so far with the ball.
 
Well, I ended up buying a vise and caseback wrench off Amazon. Popped it open last night....and discovered that I do not have a screw driver small enough to open the little battery cover inside the watch. I'll have to do some searching to see if the FiL has one.
 
Update to this frustrating tale. I ordered the smallest sized screw drivers I could find on Amazon. Opened up the watch again...and still too big. Last time this battery was changed, I had to take it to a jeweler. I'll have to do a search there.

In the meantime, I put on my Duro yesterday to wear only to discover that it also had a dead battery. No problem, I have fancy new tools! Of course, it takes a different sized battery. Then I remembered another watch I have which has had a dead battery for a while as well. Same brand as watch #1. SURELY I can change that one, right?! Nope. a THIRD different battery size.

Good news: the process is simple and tools are cheap.

Not so good news: SUPER frustrating process to find the right battery, etc. At this rate, I'm really tempted to just go have these changed all at once. Local battery stores will do 2 of the 3, but I may just go into a jeweler and get them all done at once.

You may now laugh at my level of incompetence... 🤣 🤣 🤣
 
Update to this frustrating tale. I ordered the smallest sized screw drivers I could find on Amazon. Opened up the watch again...and still too big. Last time this battery was changed, I had to take it to a jeweler. I'll have to do a search there.

In the meantime, I put on my Duro yesterday to wear only to discover that it also had a dead battery. No problem, I have fancy new tools! Of course, it takes a different sized battery. Then I remembered another watch I have which has had a dead battery for a while as well. Same brand as watch #1. SURELY I can change that one, right?! Nope. a THIRD different battery size.

Good news: the process is simple and tools are cheap.

Not so good news: SUPER frustrating process to find the right battery, etc. At this rate, I'm really tempted to just go have these changed all at once. Local battery stores will do 2 of the 3, but I may just go into a jeweler and get them all done at once.

You may now laugh at my level of incompetence... 🤣 🤣 🤣
I understand the feeling. Seems that every watch one owns uses a different battery. Negating the benefits of buying batteries in multi-packs.
 
It really is much easier and cheaper if you put any value on your time to have a professional replace your batteries. You make a friend in the business as well which may pay dividends re something more costly- watch repair, deal on a new to you watch etc.


Alternatively, buy quality, cry once re tools. In a related issue re adjusting a knife, I used the "need" to buy a bunch of Wiha Torx screwdrivers and a Felo set as well from KC Tools. I also purchased a 2 sets of Vessel Precision screwdrivers which cover stds from .07 - 3.5 and phillips 0000- 0. I am set for the rest of my life re any DIY precision driving/disassembly tool re watches, knives, eyeglasses, cameras, small electronics etc.




 
Changing watch batteries is one of these ‘simple’ things like doing an oil change. So easy that any fool can do it with one hand tied. However, I’ve had enough occasions where a tiny screw flies off into no where or a case back won’t budge and then suddenly opens and gets scratched or dented. Then there’s the whole correct size battery and not accidentally putting it in reverse polarity. Probably ends up taking at least an hour, probably 2. It’s not a job I particularly enjoy (unlike say shaving or shoe shining). I’ll gladly pay a local expert $20-25 to do it right. I would not go to one of the ear piercing carousels in a mall that offers watch battery replacement though.
 
I think changing your own watches batteries or not is a YMMV issue. Some watches are much easier to open and change than others, and some watches are much more valuable that others. Some cheap quartz are so inexpensive it would almost be cheaper to buy a new watch than pay someone to change a battery. There is also economy of scale, meaning if you have 3 or 4 or more quartz watches then it should become easier over time to change your own.

A bigger concern for many people is likely finding someone who is relatively close by and reliable. Opening the caseback can often times be the hardest part, along with worries that the watch is no longer water resistant as it was before the battery change. Although I not sure how many generic watch retailers get that right as they probably don't have replacement gaskets and may get heavy handed if the caseback is stuck.
 

Whilliam

First Class Citizen
You might check out Esslinger.com for watchmaker tools and supplies. In addition to stocking high-end Bergeon tools, they also offer more modestly priced gear for the rest of us. For not a lot, you can get the right tools for the job, as well as any obscure batteries you might need.
 
I'm glad to hear I wasn't completely chastised for not getting the job done. I think the oil change comparison is quite accurate. Yes, it's easy. Having the right tools makes a HUGE difference. As well as the question of is it worth your time, which is YMMV for many.

For this specific job...I'm likely to try heading out to the nearest Batteries+. They're quartz watches, so nothing too fancy. Or may give a local "clock" store a call and see if they do it. Speaking of oil change...gotta get one of those scheduled as well.
 
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