Your Watch Battery: how long?

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In early December, the battery to my beloved TAG-Heuer watch began flicking the second hand in several-second increments, indicating that it's time to change the battery. It was maybe 3-5 years since I had that done. I bought the watch about 1998-2000. I disremember (or unrecollect) the exact date.

Well, by late Dec., my also loved Seiko Sports 100 from the 1980's also began the second hand tick trick and the watch was dead in about three days! The TAG is still working, and I SWEAR that I will find time to get the battery replaced next week, now that the mall mobs from the holidays have dropped off. It's that or use my cell 'phone to tell time.

My second Seiko died this summer, and I need to fix it, too. All three need batteries. And the jeweller whom I trust to clean the watches, check and lube the seals, and change batteries wants $45 each.I am not rich...prob. won't do all three at once.

How long will YOUR watch work after announcing that it needs a new battery? And how long will a fresh quartz watch battery last?

My brother who wears a cheap Casio says that his battery is supposed to last for ten years, and the watch cost less than it will to replace a battery in any of mine. I'd still rather wear my watches. :)
 
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I have a couple quartz watches. the batteries usually last about 5 years. I change my own, so the cost is minimal.
 
45 dollars to change a watch battery? :eek: That is way high. Find a little mom and pop jewelry store or watch repair place. I think I get charged 10 Max. I could see maybe a little higher on the Tag, but it is still just a quartz watch. You are getting hosed at 45.
 
I have a couple of Sieko's that I really like. My first one needed a battery replacement after 11 years. The second one is running 6 years on it's first battery.

It's been my experiance that when the watch shows signs of of a weak batter it'll last about 3 weeks.
 
bshepherd said:
45 dollars to change a watch battery? :eek: That is way high. Find a little mom and pop jewelry store or watch repair place. I think I get charged 10 Max. I could see maybe a little higher on the Tag, but it is still just a quartz watch. You are getting hosed at 45.
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For a Heuer,Tissot,Citizen and the like, $45.00 is cheap if it is done correctly.Most Heuers are water resistant and to change the battery involves specialized tools and batteries, as well as changing the o rings and re vacumizing the watch in order to retain the integrity of the watch when wet or submerged.
My old Heuer 1000 black coral diver can no longer be serviced by a Heuer dealer because they no longer make replacement o rings.
Your average shopping mall jeweler has neither the tools nor the experience to change specialized watch batteries and in the rare occasion they do accept the task,should tell you that the watch is no longer water resistant at least to manufacturer's spec,will void any remaining warranty and the battery will last only a fraction of the time of the OE unit.Additionally if the watch needs repairs,most will not accept the work if a non OE battery is found in the watch.
On average I get 4 to 6 years on my Heuers,3 to 5 on Tissots and god only knows on my Casio G Shock which I wear just about every day.
 
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I wear a 25 year old Seiko quartz chronograph that belonged to my dad. I have a little local jewelry store that changes the battery and cleans it for $25. I usually get about 5 years out of it, and you've reminded me that I am about due.
 
I have quite a few fairly 'fancy' watches, the type I used when I had to wear a suit everyday for work. I just about never wear them now.
Instead I have a Casio G-Shock on my wrist that uses a solar rechargeable battery and checks the atomic clock reference everyday (or sooner, if I choose to do so during the day). Its plenty rugged for rough outdoor activities including shooting my big bore handguns. Keeps accurate time down to the second (I check it against a couple other atomic clocks we have).

I havent checked in a long time, but I'm sure some of my 'fancy' watches' batteries have likely expired. Doesn't matter - - - this G-Shock does a better job - giving me the time under any conditions & without any hassles - than any of them.
 
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Here is a TIP.
If you have watches that you don't wear often, pull the stem out while stored. This will stop the watch and save the battery. ;)
 
I've had my Submariner since 1971, and have never had to worry about it ever dying on me; slight wiggle of the wrist, and she's good to go...
 
Kanewpadle said:
That's why I bought a Citizen Eco Drive. No batteries or winding. ;)
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Yeah, when I got a promotion about a year ago, I bought myself a new Eco Drive as a gift from me to me....what a beautiful watch. After a year of everyday wear though, I need to get it into a jewelery store for a GOOD cleaning.
 
mg357 said:
I just got a watch for christmas and it does not need batteries i just wind it every other day.
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Me too. "Swiss Army". My battery watch I wear for yard/car/etc. work normaly lasts a couple years. I just throw them away and buy another "Dollar store" watch.
 
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I will admit, there is something about a fine timepiece that I like. I however can not afford them so I just wish and dream. The few watches that I have are all quartz except one which is mechanical. My 1998 Seiko still has the original battery in it. The others I have are new enough to not need a new battery. My 4 year old Timex is still on its factory battery. The mechanical watch is a wind up model but it is not an expensive watch. I bought it new from a Hong Kong website for $85.
 
I save a lot of money on batteries. My Rolex is self winding. There is a small matter of the 5 year service. It runs about $600 if you send it back to Rolex and $350 if done locally. Been running great since 1990.
 
I will never buy another battery watch. I have an automatic and some manual winding watches. I'd much rather wind a watch every morning than ever go up to the mall for a new battery.
 
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