Watch Repair Tools: How to Replace Watch Battery
Friday, November 20th, 2009
If you have a watch and haven’t yet experienced the pleasure of your device not keeping the correct time — you will eventually. Often times the problem can be corrected with a new battery, unless it’s an automatic, or self-winding, watch. (Self-winding watches, incidentally, are wound by the natural movement of your arm, and don’t require a battery.)
So, how do you replace a watch battery? First, set up your work area by placing a clean towel across the (well-lit) space you’ll be working. Next have the following watch repair tools handy:
1. set of jeweler’s screwdrivers
2. magnifying glass
3. lint-free cloth
Turn the watch over and place it carefully on its face on the towel. Examine the back cover and note the following: You may notice a small indentation along the edge of the back cover. If this is the case with your watch, you can pry it off. Of course if there are screws, then the cover should pry off after the screws are removed. Remove the cover and set it aside, in a safe place.
In many watches there will be a rubber gasket. Remove and set aside.
Find the battery! It’s round, shiny and metallic. You’ll see that it’s held inside the watch casing by a small cover that’s screwed or latched in. Remove the screw (or latch) and carefully remove the battery. When removing the battery, note which side is facing out. In fact this is an important point for any pieces you remove. Take careful notes (actual written notes, if need be) of the order and placement of each part.
The battery should have a three or four digit number on it. The new battery will need to be identical, of course, as watch batteries come in all shapes and sizes. There are many places online to find watch batteries, or simply head down to your local jeweler to get a replacement.
Now, replace watch battery: Place the new battery inside the watch exactly how the old one was set. Replace the cover and screw (if there was a screw) then check to see if the watch hands are moving appropriately.
Replace the gasket and cover. It’s worth repeating that all these steps should be performed with great care.
Watch repair tools (like the screwdrivers noted above) can easily be found around the web. And a decent set of watch repair tools shouldn’t set you back too much, either.
