watch batteries

[rosyposy]

Anyone know an easy way to get the back off a watch to change the battery please, or does it have to be done at the shop? TIA rosy

[boxtops]

I take my to the local jewellers, it costs two quid including the fitting. Bargain.

[glenbar]

I know there is a special tool they use, but I have managed to get the back off with a knife. You just have to be careful and persistent. When you can buy a card of batteries for £1 it seems a waste to pay £2.99 for it in these times.

[Buenchico]

That's an incredibly cheap jewellers! Most charge at least £8, with many wanting considerably over a tenner. (However there's a local market stall around here which replaces batteries for £3).

If the rim of the back of the watch has two (or more) notches in it, that means that it's a screw fit. It's possible to unscrew the back by pushing hard on the edge of one of the notches (anti-clockwise) with a small screwdriver. However it's also easy to end up stabbing yourself with the screwdriver!

If there are no notches, it's simply a push fit. The blade of a penknife can be used to prise the back off, with a quick twist. (Once again, it's also possible to injure yourself. Take care!).

Chris

[boxtops]

Local and private, chris - charged me £4 for two watches. I must admit I was surprised, I'm sure the one I went to before charged me a fiver for one.

[david21]

use a small flathead screwdriver,like the type used to tighten the screws on specticals, you will see a small grouve in the back casing of the watch and just prize off...as glenbar says you can buy a 12 pack of batterys of ebay for 99p.

[david21]

OFF ebay...sorry!!

[rosyposy]

Thank you all for your replies. Yes, lucky you boxtops, ours charge £5 and as we have six watches languishing in the drawer it will be a bit expensive. I will try a knife glenbar, I bought the card of batteries as you say, for a £1 (79p actually!). Thank you for the information Chris, that will help a lot - if I don't post again you will know I chopped my fingers off - rofl rosy

[rosyposy]

Thanks David, as I said, 79p from Home Bargains (my favourite shop!) I also got the spectacle repair kit for 39p so not a lot ventured and hopefully a lot gained....... unless I end up with six broken watches! Thank you all again rosy

[Gizmonster]

Do a search on Ebay for "watch repair tool"
There's plenty about - you'll prob get a full kit, including the case opener (some have 2 prongs and some have 3) for around a tenner - it'll save u a fortune in the long run.
I bought one a while ago, plus a set of different size pins, so now when my battery needs replacing, or if I snap a pin .... no costly visit to the jewellers :)

[gingejbee]

Anybody into changing their own watch batteries will find this site very useful: (particularly the FAQ and help section at the top)


http://www.watchbattery.co.uk/

[scotman]

maplin do some kits and bits for this

http://www.maplin.co....criteria=watch+repair

[rosyposy]

Wow, got loads of info now, thank you all very much for your replies and interest, rosy X

[planeloco]

I cant really add much more to the answers already given, EXCEPT:- WOW What a coincidence as I did just this only yesterday with my favourite watch which has sat in a drawer for months. There are/were no notches on the Watch Back so I went to my tool-box & pulled out my Stanley-Knife. I had to be VERY CAREFUL because ONE SLIP could have caused a very nasty CUT !! Using the SIDE of the blade (NOT THE TIP) I managed to get a grip JUST under the lip & BINGO the back flipped off. Like others I bought a CHEAPIE STRIP of Batteries from Home-Bargains only to find that the LOT OF THEM are too BIG !!! So after all this I will have to visit my local jeweller in Llandudno on Monday for a battery...Grrrr !!!

[gingejbee]

Maplins Electronics sell lots of different, good quality silver oxide batteries for watches much cheaper than jewellers. Llandudno has a Maplins store. Hence, no need to go to jewellers!

[heathfield]

Moral...open the watch, note the type number of the battery, and only then go out and buy the correct replacement! ;-)

[jewellerjim]

to take off a back, find the little notch where a pen knife fits under and apply pressure and it should pop off. Always always buy silver nitrate batteries for watches or they eventually interfere with the movement, hence any decent jeweller charging a fiver for these. However, take your watches to a jeweller and they should remove the backs free of charge - we do! and they will put them back on as wel. Bare in mind once the backs have been off they will no longer be water proof. Its such an easy job.

[welshlibranr]

your local jeweller will do it for a small charge!..........

[Segilla]

A friend argued that he'd paid a fair price about 5 years ago, (£6.00) to change his battery as the jeweller said he had serviced the watch at the same time!