WATCH BATTERY REPLACEMENT GUIDE

You know it’s time to change a watch battery… But what’s next?

There are several stages of watch battery replacement, and by following these simple steps you can be sure to successfully change your watch battery every time. Before you get started and purchase a bunch of tools, you should consider if you are just going to be occasionally changing watch batteries for yourself or if this will be part of your business. If you intend to change watch batteries as part of your business, it would be best to invest in a watch battery replacement kit, otherwise it would be more sensible to just by the tools you need for your specific watch.

For every case is there is always an exception to the rule. Always use extreme caution when working on any watch, but particularly when working on expensive watches. The key is to use common sense and keep an open mind: If you don’t think you can do it, take it to a professional.

Step 1: TEST THE BATTERY

Before you even open your watch case to change the battery, it’s good to test your watch to see if the battery is actually the problem. There are a variety of watch and battery testers that allow you to test a watch movement while it is still closed. To learn How to Test Your Watch Battery, check out the articles here.

Step 2: OPEN THE WATCH BACK

When you know that the battery is actually the problem with the watch, you will need to open the watch case in order to reach the watch movement.

For help identifying what type of watch case you have and how to open your watch case, check out this article on How to Open a Watch Back.

Step 3: CHANGE THE BATTERY

When changing a watch battery, the actual act is fairly simple, but there are many things you need to be aware of beforehand to keep from damaging the watch movement. You must determine what kind of battery you are dealing with and what size replacement battery you will need. Learn How to Order a Watch Battery here.

Always try to note the battery number before you remove the old battery from the watch movement in case it jumps out of the case and gets lost. And when you are replacing the new battery, make sure it goes in the same way the old battery came out.

Some batteries are held in by thin metal straps or by spring loaded arms, and others need you to reset the movement before they start working again. To learn how to change the many different kinds of watch batteries, check out our article on How to Replace a Watch Battery here.

Step 4: CLOSE THE WATCH BACK

When you are finished changing your watch battery you will need to replace the back on the watch if you want to wear it again. For help learning How to Close a Watch Back, visit this article.

REMEMBER:

Only watches that have “Quartz” marked on them somewhere are battery powered. If your watch has a mechanical movement, there will be no battery to replace.

For every case is there is always an exception to the rule. Always use extreme caution when working on any watch, but particularly when working on expensive watches. The key is to use common sense and keep an open mind: If you don’t think you can do it, take it to a professional.