This type of wristwatch, such as quartz, is the most common modification. They are worn by both old and young.
These watches have a fairly high power reserve, even despite the cheapness of most models. The only thing that is necessary for their periodic maintenance is replacing the battery. I have already talked about how to change the mechanism.
The replacement is quite simple, and, in principle, does not require any special skills or tools. The main thing is accuracy. After all, the mechanism of a wristwatch is very fragile and rough handling can damage it forever.
There are two main types of fastening covers in quartz wristwatch- latch and screw. If the back cover is different from round shape(rectangular, square, oval) means the type of fastening is latch only.
If the lid is round, you need to look at it more closely - there are special recesses on the screws for unscrewing (1 photo right watch), on the latches, as a rule, there are none (1 photo left watch), although there are exceptions - latches with recesses for screwing "
The most tiring thing in life is waiting and catching up. In order to have to wait less and catch up less often, the Babylonians invented a sundial as early as 3500 BC. The first mechanical watch was allegedly invented by Pope Sylvester II in 966, and the first mechanical wristwatch appeared in 1775 thanks to the Swiss Abraham Louis Breguet. Modern quartz wrist and wall clocks only appeared in 1937 thanks to the efforts of Lewis Essen of the Royal Observatory of Greenwich.
Currently, the proportion of mechanical wristwatches in use that use an electronic circuit instead of a pendulum is more than 90%. By appearance wrist mechanical and quartz watch are no different, but if you look inside, the difference will be obvious.
The photograph shows the movement of a fully mechanical watch with the back open. On the right, similar to a ship's wheel, there is a pendulum, which ensures the accuracy of the clock.
In quartz watches, the speed of movement of the second, minute and hour hands is ensured, as in mechanical watches, by gears, and instead of a pendulum, a quartz oscillator is installed. The spring is replaced by an electric battery.
Electrical circuit and operating principle of a quartz watch
Quartz watches, regardless of manufacturer and size, owe their accuracy to a quartz resonator, which ensures stable operation of the oscillator at a frequency of 32768 Hz, made on a microcircuit. The microcircuit in appearance is a semiconductor crystal with wires extending from it. To protect the crystal from external influences, it is filled with a compound, so in a watch the microcircuit looks like a flattened drop of dark plastic.
The electrical circuit of a quartz watch from any manufacturer, be it Casio, Tissot, QQ, Geneva, Swatch or any other, looks the same. The power supply from the battery is supplied through a switch mechanically connected to the watch's crown, which watchmakers call a crown. When the crown is pulled away from the watch case, the switch contacts open and power supply is not supplied to the microcircuit. The clock stops. The vast majority of quartz watches have a DC battery with a supply voltage of 1.5 V. But sometimes there are models designed for a supply voltage of 3.0 V.
In the microcircuit, the frequency of the crystal oscillator is divided to a frequency of 1 Hz (1 Hz = one oscillation per second), and these pulses are applied to the electromagnet coil of the microstepper motor with sequentially changing polarity. Two permanent magnets of different polarities are mounted in the rotor of the stepper motor. When the rotor magnets interact with the magnetic field of the electromagnet changing to the opposite one, the rotor rotates 180° with each change. A trib rotor is also installed on the rotor shaft, which is a gear that transmits torque to the gears of the watch mechanism.
The presented electrical circuit of a quartz clock is used in all types of quartz clocks - wrist, wall and even wall with a pendulum - and differs only in the use of batteries of different capacities and stepper motor power.
When should you change your watch battery?
Over time, even watches with a fresh battery from well-known brands begin to lag and soon stop, which indicates the need to change the battery. Some models have the “END OF LIFE” function, thanks to which, if the remaining battery capacity is low, the second hand begins to move not one division of the dial, but jumps over several at once, thereby informing the owner of the watch that it is time to change the battery. The battery life depends on its capacity and the current consumption of the watch's electronic circuit and ranges from one to five years.
Preparing the workplace for repairs
If you decide to replace the battery in your watch with your own hands, then before starting work you should prepare workplace. In addition to the electronic unit, the mechanism of a quartz watch contains gears with microscopic teeth, and even a tiny foreign particle, such as a speck of dust, hair, dandruff or dirt, getting between the teeth can lead to their partial or complete loss of performance. If the table surface is hard, then after successfully replacing the battery, scratches may appear on the watch case.
Therefore, the table must first be wiped from dust with a damp cloth and then covered with a white sheet of paper or a lint-free cloth of sufficient size. White color convenient in that if a screw or other small detail, they will be easy to find. It is advisable to wear a hat, such as a baseball cap, or tie a scarf around your hair.
I would think twice before handing over an expensive watch for battery replacement to a watchmaker sitting in an unkempt booth with a full head of hair.
Preparing the watch for battery replacement
The battery, depending on its capacity and watch model, usually lasts from a year to several years. During this time, a lot of dirt accumulates in the recesses of the watch case and the voids of the bracelet. The leather strap also gets dirty on the inside. To prevent dirt from getting into the mechanism when replacing the battery, and for hygienic reasons, it is necessary to clean the watch and bracelet, and it is better to replace the strap, since it is almost impossible to completely remove dirt from its pores.
The bracelet or strap is secured to the watch using two thin metal tubular bars (clips). The bar is a thin-walled tube into which a spring is inserted and two pins movably fixed on one or both sides.
If you press the pin along the axis, it will sink into the tube, and if you release it, it will come out again. The length of the tube is slightly less than the distance between the ears, and the ears have blind holes. Thus, if the pins are recessed and then inserted into the holes of the lugs, the straps are securely fixed in the watch case.
In the section of the bracelet that is attached to the bar with reverse side, there is a selection specifically designed to allow the bar pin to be recessed when removing the bracelet. In some straps, the pin can be recessed only on one side, so when installing the bracelet, you need to orient the strap in such a way that there is access to the movable pin. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to remove the bracelet from the watch in the future.
In order to remove the bracelet, you need to grab the protrusion on the pin with a sharp object, for example, a knife or an awl, and press it into the bar tube, then it will easily separate. The bracelet is installed in the reverse order: one pin of the bar is inserted into the hole of one ear, and the second pin (after drowning) is inserted into the opposite hole of the ear. After fixing the bracelet, you must make sure that both pins fit into the holes of the lugs. To do this, just pull the bracelet a couple of times.
When installing the bracelet, make sure to orient it correctly by pointing the bracelet latch towards the six o'clock side of the dial.
How to clean your watch and bracelet from dirt
The watch can be easily cleaned from dirt using a solution moistened with soapy water. laundry soap toothbrush. The best way to completely remove dirt from a bracelet is to place it in the dishwasher. The strap can be extended to washing machine, but for this you need to put it either in a pocket with a zipper, or in a special bag for washing small items, or in a sock or stocking, tying them in a knot.
How to open a watch cover
To replace the battery, you need to remove the cover, which is located on the side where the watch touches your hand. Depending on the watch model, the cover is attached in one of four ways. On screws, due to the tight fit of the cover in the watch case or on a thread cut directly on the cover itself, or using a locking ring with an external thread that presses it to the body.
How to remove a cover that is secured with screws
To remove the cover from the watch, which is secured with screws, just unscrew all the screws. First, using a small screwdriver with a suitable slotted blade (a screwdriver from a watch repair screwdriver set is best), you need to loosen the diametrically opposed screws in pairs, just like when changing wheels on a car. And then unscrew the screws in any order.
When replacing the cover, all screws should be tightened until they stop and then tightened crosswise with a little force.
How to remove the snap cover
Before opening a watch with a lid shown in the photo, which is held in place by frictional forces, you must carefully examine the place where its edge comes into contact with the watch case.
Usually, in the area of the lugs for attaching a bracelet or strap, there is a barely noticeable gap formed by a protrusion on the cover or a recess in the case.
To remove the cover, you need to insert a thin knife blade into this slot and, pressing it against the body and acting like a lever, lift the cover. It is unacceptable to press hard with a knife, since if it breaks when opening the lid, you can damage the mechanism. When opening a watch with a snap-on cover, usually no questions arise; difficulties often arise when replacing the cover in its original place.
How to remove a screw-on cover
In expensive and waterproof watches, as a rule, the cover is attached using a thread cut into the edge of the cover or a retaining ring.
In the photo you see a watch whose lid is attached using a thread cut on its edge.
And in this photo the lid is pressed with a retaining ring with an external thread. Threaded methods allow you to tightly press the lid through the sealing gasket to the body, and thereby reliably protect their mechanism from dust and moisture.
In addition, such a cover is easier to remove and install, especially if there is a special key, for example, as in this photo. By rotating the knurled nut, the distance between the key pins can be changed to unscrew caps and locking rings of different diameters.
How to unscrew the lid using improvised means
Not every home craftsman has a special key on hand for unscrewing the covers, and if the clock stopped working due to a dead battery, then ordering and waiting for the key to arrive is not always acceptable. And spending money if you can get by with improvised means is irrational.
The most common tool used by home craftsmen is a caliper with tucked jaws. It is enough to spread the jaws to the width of the grooves in the cover, fix this position with a screw, and the caliper is ready for use. The ends of its jaws are inserted into the grooves of the lid, and with pressure they turn it counterclockwise. The main thing is to move the lid from its place, and then it will easily turn away.
If you don’t have a caliper, you can use any tweezers, using an emery column to shape the legs to match the profile of the grooves on the cover. If it is difficult to turn the tweezers with your hand, you can insert a screwdriver between the tweezer legs at the surface of the lid and unscrew the lid using a lever-like method.
It will also be easier and more convenient to unscrew the lid with tweezers if you shape the ends of its legs, as in the photo. The width of the tweezer legs can be fixed by placing between them, for example, a piece of plywood of the required thickness and securing it with electrical tape or tape. This modification will not damage the tweezers, and you can continue to use them for their intended purpose.
It is much easier to unscrew the cover from the watch if it is fixed. You can secure the watch in a vice by holding it by the ears. To prevent scratches, it is necessary to cover the jaws of the vice with leather or other soft material. You don’t need to clamp it too hard, as long as the watch holds, otherwise you can deform the lugs.
Above is a video demonstrating how to unscrew the cover from a quartz wristwatch using tweezers.
Replacing the battery in a quartz wristwatch
After removing the cover, you can begin replacing the battery. This is not a difficult job, but requires compliance with certain rules. But before you remove the battery, you need to remove the sealing gasket and remember how it stood, so that you can also install it back during reassembly. This note is important if the gasket has a trapezoidal rather than a round cross-section.
As can be seen from the photo, the battery is secured in the mechanism using two clamping bars: one fixed on the right, and movable on the left side.
To prevent the battery from falling out of the socket, the movable bar is fixed with a screw. Therefore, before moving the bar to the side, you need to use a clockwise screwdriver to loosen the screw by unscrewing it half a turn counterclockwise.
As soon as the bar releases the battery, it will rise upward in the socket under the pressure of the spring contact for supplying negative voltage.
You need to remove a dead battery, as well as install a new one, using tweezers. If the tweezers are metal, then to prevent short-circuiting of the battery terminals, you must put insulating tubes on the tweezers' legs or cover them with electrical tape. If you don’t have tweezers, you can use your fingers, after washing your hands well with soap.
After removing the battery from the socket, it is necessary to inspect the petal of the negative contact, located in the center of the bottom of the socket, to ensure that it is clean and touches the watch mechanism. In this watch, the contact was covered with plaque. I had to clean it with a cloth soaked in alcohol.
Checking and selecting a button battery
The voltage at the terminals of the button battery removed from the watch, measured with a multimeter, was about 1 V at a standard of 1.55 V. The battery had clearly become unusable.
Before installing a new battery, it is advisable to check what voltage it produces. If the battery has been lying in an unheated warehouse for more than one year since its release, it may well become unusable due to self-discharge. There are no devices that can determine the capacity of a button battery. Using a voltmeter you can only determine the suitability of a battery for running a watch, and how long it will work can only be determined when the watch stops.
The battery type is always marked on the battery body, which is also its positive terminal. Due to the fact that there is no international standard for labeling button batteries, each manufacturer uses its own labeling. As a result, batteries of the same size and with the same technical characteristics have a dozen names.
For example, the 364A button alkaline (alkaline) battery with a capacity of 20 mAh, shown in the photo, installed in this watch, can be successfully replaced with any button from the following series: SR60, SR621SW, GP364, V364, D364, RW320, LR60 and many others , suitable in diameter and thickness. When going to the store to buy a battery, just write down the type installed in the watch being repaired and the seller, if the required type is not available, will select an analogue for you. It is advisable to save a record of the battery type so that you don’t have to open the watch again in the future.
How to choose a battery
When choosing a button watch battery, many experience difficulties due to the lack of systematic information on technical characteristics different types batteries. The table will help you easily select the type of button battery according to the designation on its case.
| Table of technical characteristics of button and coin batteries for watches | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Element type (battery) | IEC designation | Load mode (load current) | Watch mechanism | Voltage, V | Shelf life, years | Price | |
| Saline | R | universal | any | 1,5 | 1,5-2 | low | |
| Alkaline (alkaline, manganese-zinc) | LR | 2-3 | average | ||||
| Silver-zinc (oxide-silver) | S.R. | LD | low uniform | simple | 1,55 | 2-3 | high |
| HD | high uneven | any | |||||
| M.D. | universal | ||||||
| Lithium | CR | any | 3,0 | 3-7 | |||
R salt battery cheap, suitable for any type of watch, has a short shelf life and does not last long, especially if it has been in storage for more than a year, since its self-discharge current per year is at least 10% of its capacity. In addition, a discharged battery is prone to leakage of electrolyte, which in a forgotten watch can lead to damage to the mechanism. I do not recommend installing this type of battery in a watch, unless in a desperate situation.
Alkaline - alkaline LR battery is the best choice in terms of price and quality. A fresh battery will last, depending on the complexity of the watch mechanism, for at least one and a half years.
Silver-zinc battery from a number of expensive ones and has all the advantages listed above, in addition it has a very low self-discharge current. To optimize cost, these batteries are available in three versions. The cheapest is the SR-LD, which is ideal for watches with a simple movement, that is, watches that only have hour, minute and second hands. A watch with such a fresh battery will last at least two years. The SR-HD battery is perfect for watches with complex movements, and the SR-MD is universal and can successfully replace SR-LD and SR-HD, but it is the most expensive. If funds allow, then this the best choice both for watches with simple and complex mechanisms.
Lithium batteries for watches is available only in the form of flat disks of different sizes and therefore there is no choice. The battery is expensive, has all the advantages of alkaline and silver-zinc batteries, but lasts for at least three years. I happened to change a lithium battery in a watch that had served for nine years.
Interchangeability of button batteries
Although there are recommendations from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on the rules for labeling button batteries, many manufacturers prefer their own standards. Therefore, they are the same in size and technical specifications batteries have more than a dozen names. The interchangeability table for button batteries given below will help you figure out which battery best suits your needs.
It is worth noting that the list of button batteries given in the table is intended not only for use in watches, but also in any other devices, for example, in cameras and video cameras to save settings and the current time when charging batteries, in calculators, LED flashlights, children's toys , laser pointers and many other electronic devices.
| Table of interchangeability of button and flat batteries for watches | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEC | Renana, GP, Varta (V), Duracell (D), Energizer | Maxeel, Sony, National, Panasonic, Toshiba | Seiko | Rayovac | IEC | Camelion, Golden power, FTY REF | Capacity, A.h | Dimensions ∅×h, mm | Clock mechanism type |
| SR43 | 301 | SR43SW | SB-A8 | RW34 | LR43 | G12 | 120 | 11.6×4.2 | LD |
| SR44 | 303 | SR44SW | SB-A9 | LR44 | 175 | 11.6×5.4 | LD | ||
| SR48 | 309 | SR754SW | RW38 | LR48 | G5 | 80 | 7.9×5.4 | LD | |
| SR67 | 315 | SR716SW | SB-AT | RW316 | 19 | 7.9×1.6 | LD | ||
| SR62 | 317 | SR516SW | SB-AR | RW326 | 10 | 8.8×1.6 | LD | ||
| SR64 | 319 | SR527SW | SBAE/DE | RW328 | 21 | 5.8×2.6 | LD | ||
| SR65 | 321 | SR616SW | SBAF/DF | RW321 | 14 | 6.8×1.6 | LD | ||
| 329 | SR731SW | RW300 | 37 | 7.9×3.1 | LD | ||||
| 335 | SR512SW | SB-AB | 5 | 5.8×1.2 | LD | ||||
| 337 | SR416SW | 8 | 4.8×1.6 | LD | |||||
| 339 | SR614SW | 11 | 6.8×1.4 | LD | |||||
| 341 | SR714SW | 15 | 7.9×1.4 | LD | |||||
| SR43 | 344 | SR1136SW | RW36 | LR42 | 105 | 11.6×3.6 | LD | ||
| 346 | SR712SW | SB-DH | 10 | 7.9×1.2 | LD | ||||
| 350 | LR42 | 105 | 11.6×3.6 | HD | |||||
| SR44 | 357 | SR44W | SB-B9 | RW42 | LR44 | G13 | 190 | 11.6×5.4 | HD |
| SR58 | 361 | SR721W | LR58 | G11 | 21 | 7.9×2.1 | HD | ||
| SR58 | 362 | SR721SW | SB-AK/DK | RW310 | LR58 | G11 | 23 | 7.9×2.1 | LD |
| SR60 | 364 | SR621SW | SBAG-DG | RW320 | LR60 | G1 | 20 | 6.8×2.1 | LD |
| 365 | SR1116W | 40 | 11.6×1.6 | HD | |||||
| 366 | SR1116SW | RW318 | LR45 | 40 | 11.6×1.6 | LD | |||
| SR69 | 370 | SR920W | SB-BN | G6 | 38 | 9.5×2.1 | HD | ||
| SR69 | 371 | SR920SW | SB-AN | RW315 | G6 | 28 | 9.5×2.1 | LD | |
| SR68 | 373 | SR916SW | SBAJ-DJ | RW317 | 29 | 9.5×1.6 | LD | ||
| 376 | SR626W | 27 | 6.8×2.6 | HD | |||||
| SR66 | 377 | SR626SW | SB-AW | RW329 | G4 | 28 | 6.8×2.6 | LD | |
| SR63 | 379 | SR521SW | SBAC-DC | RW327 | G0 | 15 | 5.8×2.1 | LD | |
| 380 | SR936W | 82 | 9.5×3.6 | HD | |||||
| SR55 | 381 | SR1120SW | SBAS-DS | RW30 | LR55 | G8 | 50 | 11.6×2.1 | LD |
| SR41 | 384 | SR41SW | SBA1-D1 | RW37 | LR41 | G3 | 45 | 7.9×3.6 | LD |
| SR43 | 386 | SR43W | SB-B8 | LR43 | G12 | 130 | 11.6×4.2 | HD | |
| SR54 | 389 | SR1130W | SB-BU | LR54 | G10 | 80 | 11.6×3.1 | HD | |
| SR54 | 390 | SR1130SW | SB-AU | RW39 | LR54 | G10 | 80 | 11.6×3.1 | LD |
| SR55 | 391 | SR1120W | SB-BS/ES | LR55 | G8 | 50 | 11.6×2.1 | HD | |
| SR41 | 392 | SR41W | SB-B1 | RW47 | LR41 | G3 | 45 | 7.9×3.6 | HD |
| SR48 | 393 | SR754W | SB-B3 | LR48 | G5 | 80 | 7.9×5.41 | HD | |
| SR45 | 394 | SR936SW | SB-A4 | RW33 | LR45 | 84 | 9.5×3.6 | LD | |
| SR57 | 395 | SR927SW | SBAP-DP | RW313 | LR57 | G7 | 55 | 5.9×2.6 | LD |
| SR59 | 396 | SR726W | SB-BL | LR59 | G2 | 32 | 7.9×2.6 | HD | |
| SR59 | 397 | SR726SW | SB-AL | RW311 | LR59 | G2 | 32 | 7.9×2.6 | LD |
| SR57 | 399 | SR927W | SB-BP/EP | LR57 | G7 | 55 | 5.9×2.6 | HD | |
| Battery load mode: | HL - low uniform | HD - high uneven | |||||||
Let's look at an example of how to use table data. For example, after removing the cover from the watch, you saw that it contains an SR726SW battery. Now it is enough to find its designation in the table and any battery in the horizontal row in which the SR726SW is located will be suitable for replacement, namely: SR59, 397, SB-AL, RW311, LR59 and G2. Despite the different markings, these are all the same batteries and their main parameter of interchangeability is their geometric size. But since the battery was in a watch with a simple mechanism, the range of batteries suitable for replacement expands significantly. Any battery from the series with number 396 is perfect for replacement, since its overall dimensions are the same, and this type of battery can operate for hours, both with a simple HL and a complex HD mode of current consumption.
Nowadays, many people order button batteries online directly from Chinese manufacturers. To save money, the Chinese often make the blister simpler, using adhesive tape instead of molded transparent plastic. When removing the battery from the blister, a sticky layer may remain on its surface. For reliable contact, before installing the battery in the watch, it is necessary to remove this layer from its surface with a rag soaked in acetone or alcohol.
How to properly close the watch cover
After replacing the battery, an equally important step begins - replacing the cover.
Watch water permeability
The tightness of the watch depends on the correct installation of the cover. On the dial of the watch you can find markings indicating the degree of its water resistance in conventional meters. So in Swiss watches, the number after the letters WR indicates the pressure in atmospheres that the watch can withstand. For example WR30, WR50 or WR100. But if you immerse a watch in water in practice, it will get inside the watch, regardless of the markings. This is more of a publicity stunt and nothing more. Watches with this marking only withstand splashes of water. So, when swimming in the sea or visiting a sauna, it is still better to take the watch off. Only watches specially produced for divers, marked WR300 or more, can safely dive into the water.
However, if you install the gasket incorrectly when installing the cover, you can deprive the watch of protection even from splashing water. There is nothing complicated here; before installing the sealing gasket, you need to lubricate it with silicone grease, which is sold in aerosol packaging. If the watch has a wedge-shaped gasket, install it as it was installed previously. Lubrication is not necessary, but it will keep the gasket in place when closing the lid and will make it easier to unscrew it later.
To lubricate the sealing gasket, you need to place it on a sheet of paper and from a distance of 10-15 cm, spray it with a cloud of silicone from a spray can for 0.5 seconds.
It would seem impractical to purchase a whole can of silicone lubricant, but such lubricant will not go to waste in the household. Silicone grease is neutral and does not destroy materials, including rubber and plastic. It retains its properties in the temperature range from −40 to +250°C. Silicone grease can be used to lubricate everything where it is necessary to reduce friction and protect against oxidation and water. If the key of an English lock is difficult to enter and rotate, then if you spray silicone into the hole from a can, the lock will work perfectly. In winter, after lubrication, door seals will not freeze, rubbing plastic parts will not creak, and the locks in your car will not freeze. Silicone is also useful for lubricating the ceramic plates of the mixer cartridge, seals and latches of plastic windows. If it is unacceptable to spray silicone, you can first moisten the cloth by placing it close to the sprayer, and then lubricate the desired surface. Silicone grease comes in only one type and is sold in hardware and automotive parts stores (the same, but twice as expensive) in cans and bottles of 50 ml or more.
Methods for snapping resistant lids
When installing the lid, you must remember that the groove on the inside of the collar must be located exactly above the axis of the crown, otherwise the lid will not slam shut.
Sometimes difficulties arise when closing the snap lid due to insufficient finger force. In this case, if the glass is flat, you need to place the watch glass on a stack of newspapers and, standing, snap the lid, pressing it simultaneously with two thumbs.
In the case of convex glass, it is necessary to cut a hole in the diameter of the glass in a piece of plywood slightly thicker than the convex glass or select a plastic screw cap of a suitable diameter and put a watch in it, as in the photo.
If your fingers are not strong enough, you can use a vice. To do this, you need to squeeze the watch with the jaws of a vice through two gaskets in the form of covers until a characteristic click appears. The mineral water twist on the side of the watch cover can be replaced with a gasket equal in size to the cover made of a non-solid material: plywood, thick cardboard or leather. The vice can be successfully replaced with a clamp, which is often used for screwing table lamps to the table top.
If you don’t have enough finger strength to install the watch cover, and you don’t have a vice or clamp at hand, then you can slam the watch cover in an extraordinary way. To do this, you need to place the watch in protective glass, plastic cover on the floor. Then, slowly stepping from foot to foot, press the lid through the gasket described above with the clean heel of the shoe you are wearing until a click appears. Since the force is applied only to the metal watch case, it is difficult to damage the mechanism and glass even if desired. To avoid pressure on the crown due to possible deformation of the lid, part of the plastic in it opposite the crown must be removed.
I used the described methods for installing stubborn watch covers in practice. You can see for yourself how effective they are by practicing on abandoned old clocks; there are some like them in every home.
As you can see, changing the battery in a watch is not at all difficult, and after reading the article, any home craftsman, even those who have taken on such work for the first time, can cope with this task.
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The battery is installed while maintaining the tightness of the watch, as declared by the manufacturer. All the hours pass mandatory leak testing using a special device. |
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| Price for replacing a battery in a wristwatch |
| categories | category 1 | category 2 | category 3 | category 4 | category 5 |
| Examples of stamps Swiss watches, related to these categories |
Appella, Certina, Candino, Calvin Klein, Charmex, Continental, Cover, Emporio Armany, Enicar, Festina, Grovana, Gucci, Guess, Haas, Hugo Boss, Kolber, Sector, Swarovski, Swiss Army, Swiss Military, Tissot, Wenger, Nika |
Armand Nicolet, Auguste Reymond, Chanel, Edox, Epos, Eterna, Frederique Constant, Longines, Luis Erard, Marvin, Maurice Lacroix, Mido, NinaRicci, Oris, Revue Thommen |
Alpina, Apella Gold, Balmain, Baume Mercier, Bulova, Concord, Eberhard, Jaguar, Montblanc, Omega, Pequignet, Porsche-design, Rado, Raymond Weil, Tag Heuer, Techno Marine, Tudor, Van der Bauwede | Bovet, Breitling, Bvlgari, Bucherer, Cartier, Chopard, Chronoswiss, Corum, Ebel, Gerald Genta, Girard Perregaux, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jean Richard, Jorg Hysek, Panerai, Paul Picot, Perrelet, Piaget, Rolex, Ulysse Nardin, Zenith | A. Lange & Sohne, Arnold & Son, Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Breguet, Carl F. Bucherer, Daniel Roth, DeGrisogono, De-Witt, Franck Muller, Glashutte Original, Franc Vila, Graham, Harry Winston, Hublot, Louis Moinet, Louis Vuitton, Parmigiani, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Roger Duduis, Vacheron Constantin |
| category2 |
| category3 |
| category4 |
| category5 |
The price of replacing a battery in a Swiss watch depends on several factors:
2. Availability of additional devices (watches with a chronograph, perpetual calendar, etc.).
3. Difficulty in accessing the battery (monocoque).
Watch maintenance when installing the battery:
Simultaneously with installing the battery, the watch mechanism is checked for current consumption, all gaskets and seals are treated with silicone grease or, if necessary, replaced with new ones.
All of the above work is already included in the cost of installing the battery.
Battery replacement time:
All batteries are available in our watch service.
The installation of batteries in almost all watches occurs immediately, at the time of use. The exception is a rare category of watches
with non-standard opening.
The battery installation time, taking into account all the watch maintenance work and leak testing, ranges from 10 to 40 minutes.
We present to your attention an article by our watch repairman; we hope it will be useful to novice watchmakers.
We draw the attention of owners of Swiss watches that the process of replacing the battery in a watch is not as simple as many people believe, and requires certain qualifications and the use of special devices and tools.
If you try to replace the battery in your watch yourself, you risk causing damage to the watch mechanism and then you will have to seek repairs.
" How to replace a watch battery , without killing them"
In fact, replacing the watch battery is easy.
There is one condition: it is important for us not just to replace the battery ourselves, but to replace it in such a way that:
1. the watch remained in its original condition, retained their geometric dimensions, did not receive mortal wounds in the form of grooves and scratches from a broken screwdriver, key or bottle opener.
2. The watch mechanism was not damaged from a slipped tweezers or an accidentally torn screwdriver or something else.
3. we knew for sure that the battery we will install is original, fresh, produces exactly the voltage it should produce.
4. The watch mechanism does not require maintenance, responds to movement of the head from the “clock movement” position to the “movement of hands” and “calendar correction” position and button presses and lasts for the required 2-2.5 years on a new battery
5. After installing the battery and closing the watch, the watch will remain sealed within the value declared by the manufacturer.
If we do not fulfill at least one of these conditions, the watch with a high degree of probability can be considered dead and resuscitation measures will be required.
This applies to Swiss and Japanese watches. You can work with Chinese watches, copies, replicas, and whatever-they-else-are-called as training equipment. They are of little value and are quite suitable for training skills.
I tried to describe all the most important things that you will encounter when replacing a battery, but in order not to tire you, I ask you to read only what is interesting and useful for you, we skip the rest.
So, let's begin.
The first step is to thoroughly clean any possible dirt on the case, if there is any, and carefully inspect the watch that we want to open. I recommend using a magnifying glass, microscope, binocular - whatever is convenient for you. It is important to inspect the opening location - the back cover of the watch. The lid can be screwed onto a thread, can be screwed, can slam shut, or can be completely absent, as, for example, in a “monocoque” type watch (they open through a welt or removable glass).
If in front of us clapper cap
, first of all, you need to find the opening location provided by the manufacturers.
This could be a tongue - a small protrusion or thickening for resting the blade of the opener, it could be a recess between the body and the lid where the blade will rest, or it could be nothing.
In the latter case it is more difficult, but not terrible. Armed with a magnifying glass, we find a thin gap and select a tool that will allow you to open the lid without damage or nicks.
In such situations, a device with replaceable knives and a screw feed for opening lids is indispensable. It allows not only to strictly control the flow rate and pressure, but also protects against the tip jumping off inside the housing when the lid is suddenly opened.
When we have a protrusion or depression in the lid, it is convenient to use a manual opener, although the device is safer.
When opening manually, please control the position of the opener tip relative to the gasket. The sting may damage the gasket and will require replacement.
The back cover gasket may be unique, of an unusual shape, and ordering an original new one may take a long time and require significant financial resources.
The hardest thing will be if you have it in your hands "monocoque"
. This is a watch that opens not through the back cover, but through the glass.
There are several difficulties:
*opening is possible by removing the glass, and for this you need a special tool - a syringe.
*you must remember that after installing the battery, the glass must be put back in place; you will need a press with an appropriate attachment.
*As a rule, the head of such watches has a “dovetail” device - a special connection between the shaft and the head. In order to remove such a head and put it in place, you need experience or a good mentor behind you or, in extreme cases, luck.
But let's start with caution:
First of all, you need to examine the watch case, the crown area with a magnifying glass, and make sure that we are dealing with a “monocoque” type case.
Carefully pull the head to the “adjust the arrows” position and pull it coaxially with the shaft until it clicks and the head is removed from the body.
We place the case loosely in the film to prevent the glass from falling to the floor. We connect the syringe with the foot of the watch and sharply pump the pressure inward. Due to excess pressure, the glass falls out of the case with a pop. It is very important to be careful not to damage the dial and hands from falling glass.
A screw cap usually doesn't cause any problems. It wouldn’t hurt to have a two- and three-point wrench, a special clamp for fixing the watch, a steering wheel and sets of attachments for non-standard cases like “Rolex”, “Breitling”, “Omega”, etc.
Cover with screws will require your attention - you need to choose the right screwdriver size, unscrew the screw without breaking it, and not lose the unscrewed screws.
Lift the lid carefully! - the gasket may stick, become stuck, dry to the lid and to the body and there is a risk of damaging it.
Very important!
All operations are best performed using a watch magnifying glass., this will allow you to strictly control all movements and interactions of the tool with the watch case - accurately hit the opener blade into the groove of the cover, correctly grab the head, pull it in the right direction, etc.
When the lid is opened and the gasket is removed, a quartz watch movement is revealed to us.
Further algorithm of actions:
*it is often necessary to remove the positive current collector- the plate holding the battery in the socket, the plate is usually spring-loaded and the screw you unscrew can throw up - be careful!
*after removing the battery be sure to inspect it for leaks, especially carefully if the battery is more than 2 years old. Inspect the negative current collector (bottom contact) for corrosion. If you find it, be sure to remove even minor oxidation and plaque. The quality of the watch's operation and the service life of the newly installed battery depend on the cleanliness of the contact.
*if there is a diagnostic tool(this is more for masters) every time you change the battery, you need to check the current consumption of the quartz watch. If the obtained value is greater than the declared value indicated in the technical card by the manufacturer, the watch requires repair or preventive maintenance, replacing the battery will not bring the expected effect.
*new battery must be exactly what the manufacturer recommends.
*even a new battery, just removed from the packaging, must be checked by the device to ensure compliance with the declared voltage under load.
*battery is installed and is fixed in the same way as the previous one.
*all functions are tested in a watch: the head turns on the clock, checks the translation of the hands, checks (if there are such functions) the operation of the chronograph, alarm clock, GMT, perpetual calendar, compass, moon phase indicator, etc.
*if everything works, we are preparing to close the cover: we inspect and treat with silicone grease all the gaskets in the watch - the cover gasket, the transfer head gasket, the foot seal, the button seals (if any).
*close the lid.
Closing the lid is no less important a task than opening it. The lid must be closed so that there is no painful pity for broken glass, jammed gaskets and leaked watches.
It is most convenient to close the cracker lid using a screw press with nozzles. This eliminates any risk of breaking the glass, deforming the lid, or damaging the gasket. Smooth dosing of pressure with a screw allows you to control the position of the seal and the cover itself relative to the body.
If you don't have a press, you can try to close the lid with your fingers, but you need to be extremely careful - there is a risk of crushing the glass or deforming the lid.
Tighten the screw cap in exactly the same way and with the same thing that was used to unscrew it.
We assemble the "Monocoque" with extreme care. We install the mechanism into the body, align the groove and the protrusion of the dovetail and, pressing on the head, connect the shaft until it clicks, rotating, checking the operation of the shaft.
Using a press, we install the glass into the body using a seal.
A mandatory finishing procedure is checking the assembled watch for leaks. It is important to make sure that the gasket is installed correctly, the seals are working, the glass is pressed tightly and the water resistance of the watch corresponds to the declared one. For this you need a special device. It is very expensive and not every master has it. You can always use "Chronostudio" to check.
This is how easy it is to replace the battery yourself. I hope mine simple tips helped you do it right.
We will further consider the topic of opening monocoque watches separately.
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Japanese quartz or Swiss mechanics? This question has been haunting the minds of millions of future watch owners for several years. Undoubtedly, with the advent of the Apple Watch and smart wearable devices from third-party developers, sales of classic wristwatches have decreased noticeably, as Swiss manufacturers have already reported more than once. Both smart devices and multifunctional quartz are “dependent” on electricity, or more precisely on a small power supply. But if “smart” devices need to be charged almost every day, then a regular battery in a wristwatch lasts for a couple of years. We will tell you in this article how to change the battery in a wristwatch without affecting the functionality of the device.
Sooner or later, every quartz owner will think about the above question, since in our world nothing lasts forever. Of course, you can go to a watch shop, but it’s much easier to buy a battery in a store and replace it yourself at home. When purchasing, you should not save, as a low-quality battery can damage the watch mechanism. A high-quality power supply, as a rule, ensures the operation of a wristwatch for 2-5 years.
To replace the power supply in a watch, you must first remove the back cover. Typically, there are several ways to attach the cover to the body. It can be either pressed or tightened using small screws. If there are screws at the edges of the cover, unscrew them using a small clock screwdriver with the appropriate profile. Moreover, when unscrewing, do not rush, because the screws are quite fragile. If there are no screws on the back cover, then find a small recess, pick it up with a screwdriver or knife and pry off the cover.
However, there are watches with a fastening in the form of a threaded ring. In this case, there are small notches in a circle on the back cover. As a rule, such covers are unscrewed to the left.
Replacing a watch battery will not cause any difficulties if you use the tools skillfully. After opening the back cover, carefully inspect the internal mechanics, note the location of the battery and its polarity, and then carefully remove the power element using non-metallic tweezers. It is important that the new battery matches the element being replaced in all respects (diameter, thickness, voltage), otherwise the watch may lose its functionality.
After installing the power supply, make sure the watch is working properly and carefully screw or press in the cover. At the same time, try not to touch the battery with your fingers. If the back of your watch is marked "Water Resistant", be careful not to damage the seal when closing the cover.
The new generation of quartz uses “End Of Life” technology. The low battery indicator (EOL) is activated when the battery is running low. If on a watch equipped with an EOL system, the second hand stops jumping every second and starts counting down 4 seconds, then this indicates that it is time to change the battery on the watch.
A video on how to change the battery on a wristwatch is available below:
14.04.2017
How to change the battery in a wristwatch Instructions
Store website
Battery-powered watches are convenient because they do not need to be wound and quartz watches are more accurate. The question arises, where and how to replace the battery. And replacement in a workshop will be quite expensive, except for our workshop IMchasov M. Savelovskaya, Sushchevsky Val, 5 building 12, TC Savelovsky mobile, pavilion L150. Study our recommendations and replace the battery in your watch yourself, usually an SR626SW battery. But keep in mind that there are watches where you can open the back cover, but you will have to close it using a press.
To replace the battery in your watch, the first step is to open the back cover of the watch. The cover can be screwed and pressed. Look carefully: if the cover is pressed in, then there is a recess on the watch case and the cover needs to be lifted either with a screwdriver or a knife. Take a small knife or small screwdriver, insert it into the recess and pry off the lid. You need to hold the watch firmly, and press firmly and carefully so as not to break the watch and get hurt.
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If the back cover of a wristwatch has special recesses along the case, about six to eight, then it can be unscrewed. Of the tools that a home craftsman might have, a caliper or a small rubber ball is best. Spread it to the width of the marks and tighten the bolt. Insert the caliper into the two recesses and unscrew the cap. You can also open the lid with a small rubber ball. Press the ball against the watch cover and begin to twist and the cover will unscrew. You need to unscrew it to the left.