How to change the battery in a Chinese wristwatch. How much does it cost on average to replace a watch battery?

Time is one of the fleeting resources that humanity has. Wearing a watch helps keep track of it. Do not forget about one of the disadvantages of the accessory - the presence of a battery, which can exhaust its limit at the most inopportune moment. Find out how to remove the batteries without damaging the device.

Is it possible to replace the watch battery yourself?

All people have used this simple device at least once. A person values ​​time and is afraid of being late for an important meeting, to the hospital, or on a date. Devices capable of counting help you control and set priorities correctly. There are situations when the phone or other equipment dies and a person is left with only wrist watches that help control time. They can stand up too. What to do in this case?

There are two ways to replace the power supply: yourself or go to a workshop where experienced specialists know how to change the battery in a wristwatch. If repairs in such a place are impossible, then you will have to do it yourself. Replacing batteries requires care. One awkward movement can damage the accessory. Restoring Nick's Swiss or jewelry watches and memorabilia is especially expensive.

How to open a wristwatch

Owners of any walkers know that the baby charger is located on the back of the device. The lid is attached in various ways: with bolts or by pressing. Given this fact, it needs to be removed in a certain way:

  • In the first case, you have to take a screwdriver and disassemble it by unscrewing the fasteners. Do not forget to place the accessory on a flat surface and secure it to avoid falling.
  • In the second case, you should be more careful. First, the device is secured, then you have to pick up the cover with tweezers and remove it.

When the cover is removed, all that remains is to figure out how to change the battery in your wristwatch. To do this, it is advisable to carefully look and disassemble the device layer by layer, be it a quartz or electronic version. Lay out the parts in order and separately - on a fabric surface or napkin. Previewing video materials that should contain instructions will help avoid damage that could ruin the operation of the product.

How to replace the battery in a wristwatch

If “time” has stopped, how to change the battery in a wristwatch is not an idle question. To avoid damaging the device, replacing the power supply must be done with care and following the step-by-step instructions:

  1. Remove the accessory from your hand.
  2. Place on a flat surface and secure.
  3. Open the lid. Unscrew the bolts if present.
  4. Remove the old power supply with tweezers. Remember or write down its position.
  5. Buy a new battery. Buy the appropriate type of battery.
  6. Insert the new battery into the recess.
  7. Close the lid. If there are bolts, they must be tightened.
  8. Start the device.

How to close the cover of a wristwatch

The problem of how to change the battery in a watch has been solved. The old battery is removed and a new one is installed in its place. All that remains is to figure out how to close the watch cover. It won't be too difficult to do this. The main thing is to remember the opening system of the structure. If bolts were used for this, then you need to insert them into place and tighten them. If there was a pressed-in lid, then it must be pressed down tightly. You can use a board, because its wide surface evenly distributes the load. A click will indicate that the procedure was completed successfully.

Video: replacing batteries in a wristwatch

Sooner or later you will be faced with replacing the battery in your quartz watch. Before you open the watch cover or take it to the nearest workshop, read these simple recommendations that will help you understand this simple procedure.

If your watch is under warranty, go to the nearest authorized warranty repair shop. Opening a guaranteed watch by an unauthorized person will void the international warranty.

1. Make sure that the reason for the clock stopping is a dead battery.

If the clock stops, lags, stops and after a while starts again, then the battery may have exhausted its life. Possibly, but not necessarily. The same symptoms may appear if the mechanism or electronic module of the watch is faulty. The cause of the malfunction can be determined by conducting diagnostics using devices designed for this purpose. The current consumption of the electronic part, the minimum starting voltage of the mechanism, and the running accuracy are measured.

Deviations in the parameters of current consumption and minimum voltage indicate that the mechanism is not operating normally. This may be due to worn-out or dried-out lubricant, contamination of the mechanism due to a violation of the seal of the housing - everything that complicates the normal operation of the mechanism. If so, replacing the battery will not solve your problem. However, in most cases the battery is to blame. Especially if, according to your calculations, it’s time to change it.

The new generation quartz watches use the “END OF LIFE” battery exhaustion indication system, which literally translates as “END OF LIFE” and is designated by the abbreviation EOL. If your watch is equipped with this system, the second hand will start jumping after four seconds when your battery is running low.

2. Make sure that the watch has a standard battery.

If you insert a smaller battery into the watch, the contact with the electronic part of the mechanism will be unreliable, and accordingly the watch will be unreliable. They may stop or stop altogether.

If the battery is thicker than the standard one, then when closing the watch cover, the mechanism and dial may be damaged, the cover may be deformed, which will also lead to loss of sealing of the case.

3. Make sure your watch has a quality battery.

A good battery lasts from 2 to 5 years, depending on the type of mechanism and its capacity. The data sheet for the watch indicates the approximate operating life of the standard battery under normal operating conditions.

A low-quality battery does not last long, but this is not a problem for the watch. Problems begin when it leaks and damages the mechanism. The battery leaks either due to corrosion of the case or due to its deformation. In both cases, the cause is a chemical reaction of the battery components: zinc and salts. A leak leads to expensive repairs, often involving replacement of the mechanism.

Leading battery manufacturers RENATA and MAXELL produce batteries with a casing design that prevents leaks.

4. Do not use metal tweezers to install the battery - only plastic or tweezers with an insulated working part.

Shorting the battery poles leads to a significant loss of capacity and significantly reduces its service life.

When replacing, do not handle the battery with your hands. Installing the battery into a watch with your fingers is a sign of unprofessionalism. Touching leaves a mark that impairs the contact of the battery with the electronic part of the mechanism.

5. Make sure your watch is sealed after replacing the battery.

Moisture and dust inside the watch case interfere with the normal operation of the mechanism and trigger corrosion processes on the metal parts. The friction of the mechanism parts increases, the lubricant loses its properties. A sealed case is a necessary condition for the normal and long-term operation of your watch. After replacing the battery, ask to check the watch for leaks. If you changed the battery yourself, contact your nearest watch shop that has a device for checking the tightness of watches.

The typical battery life for a quartz watch is 3 to 5 years. It’s easy to understand that it’s time to replace the battery based on these signs:

  • the clock's late
  • The second hand moves jerkily through 4 divisions

Why don't you replace the watch battery yourself?

Opening the watch case with your own hands is not difficult. It is much more difficult to do this without damaging the mechanism and electronics, as well as without touching the sealed protective circuit. Closing the lid correctly is also not easy, but ultimately leaving the case leaky and vulnerable to moisture is a piece of cake. In addition, when replacing it yourself, there is a high risk of running into a cheap, low-quality battery, which will leak in a matter of days and damage the mechanism. At the same time, it really won’t be difficult for an experienced watchmaker at the CONSUL service center to replace the battery in a quartz watch reliably and quickly.

Advantages of replacing batteries at authorized service centers:

When contacting us for service, rest assured that your watch will be safe and that the result will correspond to what you want. We will replace the battery in your wristwatch, strictly following the manufacturer's technical regulations. The step-by-step implementation of the service looks like this:

  • Preliminary check of the battery.
  • Removing the non-working battery and installing a new battery.
  • Cleaning.
  • Checking functionality at the stand.
  • Setting the exact time.

The CONSUL service center replaces batteries in watches from Tissot, Guess, Rado and other brands at a competitive price. You can see the full list of brands in the brands section or check with a consultant.

BATTERY REPLACEMENT COST IN HOURS:

You can see the cost of replacing a battery in a watch in the prices section or check the cost of the service with our specialist.

You can find out more about all the services of the service center in the watch repair section or check with our specialist.

Video - Replacing a watch battery

This site is for informational and reference purposes only and under no circumstances constitutes a public offer. Prices, descriptions of goods and services may be changed by the administration without prior notice. The exact cost of services can be found out in CONSUL personally by any direct method of communication.

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%. In appearance, mechanical and quartz wristwatches 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 yourself, then before you begin, you should prepare your work area. 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. The white color is convenient because if a screw or other small part is accidentally dropped, it 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, which is attached to the bar on the reverse side, there is a recess 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 of dirt using a toothbrush moistened with soapy water from laundry soap. The best way to completely remove dirt from a bracelet is to place it in the dishwasher. You can wash the strap in the washing machine, but to do 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 the technical characteristics of different types of 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 is the best choice for both watches with a simple mechanism and a complex one.

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, batteries of the same size and technical characteristics 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
SR43301 SR43SWSB-A8RW34LR43G12120 11.6×4.2LD
SR44303 SR44SWSB-A9 LR44 175 11.6×5.4LD
SR48309 SR754SW RW38LR48G580 7.9×5.4LD
SR67315 SR716SWSB-ATRW316 19 7.9×1.6LD
SR62317 SR516SWSB-ARRW326 10 8.8×1.6LD
SR64319 SR527SWSBAE/DERW328 21 5.8×2.6LD
SR65321 SR616SWSBAF/DFRW321 14 6.8×1.6LD
329 SR731SW RW300 37 7.9×3.1LD
335 SR512SWSB-AB 5 5.8×1.2LD
337 SR416SW 8 4.8×1.6LD
339 SR614SW 11 6.8×1.4LD
341 SR714SW 15 7.9×1.4LD
SR43344 SR1136SW RW36LR42 105 11.6×3.6LD
346 SR712SWSB-DH 10 7.9×1.2LD
350 LR42 105 11.6×3.6HD
SR44357 SR44WSB-B9RW42LR44G13190 11.6×5.4HD
SR58361 SR721W LR58G1121 7.9×2.1HD
SR58362 SR721SWSB-AK/DKRW310LR58G1123 7.9×2.1LD
SR60364 SR621SWSBAG-DGRW320LR60G120 6.8×2.1LD
365 SR1116W 40 11.6×1.6HD
366 SR1116SW RW318LR45 40 11.6×1.6LD
SR69370 SR920WSB-BN G638 9.5×2.1HD
SR69371 SR920SWSB-ANRW315 G628 9.5×2.1LD
SR68373 SR916SWSBAJ-DJRW317 29 9.5×1.6LD
376 SR626W 27 6.8×2.6HD
SR66377 SR626SWSB-AWRW329 G428 6.8×2.6LD
SR63379 SR521SWSBAC-DCRW327 G015 5.8×2.1LD
380 SR936W 82 9.5×3.6HD
SR55381 SR1120SWSBAS-DSRW30LR55G850 11.6×2.1LD
SR41384 SR41SWSBA1-D1RW37LR41G345 7.9×3.6LD
SR43386 SR43WSB-B8 LR43G12130 11.6×4.2HD
SR54389 SR1130WSB-BU LR54G1080 11.6×3.1HD
SR54390 SR1130SWSB-AURW39LR54G1080 11.6×3.1LD
SR55391 SR1120WSB-BS/ES LR55G850 11.6×2.1HD
SR41392 SR41WSB-B1RW47LR41G345 7.9×3.6HD
SR48393 SR754WSB-B3 LR48G580 7.9×5.41HD
SR45394 SR936SWSB-A4RW33LR45 84 9.5×3.6LD
SR57395 SR927SWSBAP-DPRW313LR57G755 5.9×2.6LD
SR59396 SR726WSB-BL LR59G232 7.9×2.6HD
SR59397 SR726SWSB-ALRW311LR59G232 7.9×2.6LD
SR57399 SR927WSB-BP/EP LR57G755 5.9×2.6HD
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 a protective glass or 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.

Yana Volkova July 29, 2018, 11:13 pm

A modern person rarely has to worry about the problem of replacing a battery in a wristwatch. Usually they are changed at points of sale quickly and free of charge. But sellers are different. It happens that behind the counter you are greeted by a charming young lady who may understand the sizes and manufacturers of batteries, but has no idea how to design a wrist accessory. This problem is also familiar to those who go on long hikes or whose work involves constant exposure to nature. A watch is irreplaceable, and a spare battery should always be in your pocket.

Variety of batteries for watches

Pocket and wrist watches – the time of quartz devices

Mechanical watches – prestige and status. And often also the memory of those beloved relatives to whom they belonged. Modern quartz watches are certainly an elegant accessory, but also a necessity to constantly be in the flow of time and monitor it. Winding a mechanical watch is a beautiful procedure, a kind of ritual. Replacing the battery in a wristwatch is an important routine. Let's find out what is needed for this.

What will you need to open and remove the cover? Determining the type of protection

So, let’s say that you have a bloody nose and need to insert the battery into your watch yourself - the mechanism is standing, the time-measuring device will soon come in handy, there is a spare battery. In a good watch, the battery and mechanism are reliably protected by a cover that can be attached in at least three ways:

  • screwed on with screws;
  • closed with a screw mechanism;
  • closed with a slamming mechanism.

These methods determine how to correctly and accurately remove the cover of a wrist or pocket watch without damaging your valuable device and precious nerves.

Pocket and wristwatch cover – reliable protection

Method No. 1. How to open a watch with a snap cover using your fingernail?

Changing the battery in a quartz wristwatch with this type of cover is not difficult. Look carefully at the back of your accessory and feel for something like a notch or indentation. Then pick up this place with your fingernail and pull the watch cover towards you. The threat of ruining your manicure undoubtedly exists.

If you have small scissors, a knife or something similar that is flat and hard on hand, use it

And leave damage to your nails to a completely hopeless situation. Be careful if the back of your watch just won't open, no matter how hard you try. Stop damaging property. You may be dealing with a screw cap.

Method No. 2. How to unscrew a screw-down back cover with a rubber ball?

Ideally, you should have a caliper handy for this type of cap. It's better to use it like this:

  1. Spread the tool along the width of the marks and tighten the bolt firmly.
  2. Insert the caliper into the two recesses and smoothly begin to unscrew the cover to the left.

But a caliper is not always an accessible tool. It’s still somehow easier to find a rubber ball. To do this, firmly press the watch cover without a recess with a rubber ball (little by little!) to ensure its reliable adhesion to the surface.

Keep the watch in one place and rotate the ball counterclockwise without lifting it from the lid. As the ball turns, the defense must also move. If everything works out, then carefully unscrew the cap all the way with your fingertips.

  1. Open the scissors.
  2. Install their tips into two opposite grooves in the cover.
  3. Secure with a little force and begin turning the scissors counterclockwise.
  4. Has the lid given way? Unscrew it all the way with your fingers.

And please be very, very careful with scissors! Do not accidentally injure yourself or others.

Vernier calipers are a safe tool for opening the watch cover.

Method No. 3. How to unscrew a tight back cover or a cover with screws?

You can open the watch to change the battery with your fingernail only if a couple of conditions are met:

  1. The nail is quite strong and long.
  2. The screws are not tightened too tightly.

But for a more successful result, it is more convenient to use scissors, a knife or a screwdriver of the appropriate size. Simply place one tip of the tool into the groove on the head of one of the screws. Be sure to press the end of the tool firmly into the grooves and do not lose your grip as you turn them. Unscrew all the screws one by one and carefully place them in one place. They are small and instantly lost.

Changing the battery

Hooray! The cover is off! The battery is in front of us. What's next? And then, to successfully change the battery in a quartz wristwatch without damaging it, use tweezers or small tweezers. Use them to remove the old battery, but first remember its correct location in the watch. Confusing a plus with a minus is a questionable procedure for a fragile device.

If the size and shape of the new battery completely matches the old one, also carefully insert it into place in the watch using pliers or tweezers, observing the polarity

Check the clock operation. Are they coming? Wonderful! No? Check again the contact of the battery in the mechanism and, if possible, its expiration date. If everything is ok, but the clock still does not work, then contact a specialist. The risk of the watch breaking is high.

Carefully replacing the battery with tweezers

Put the cover in place

In any case, you should still close the back cover of the watch after replacing or removing the battery. If you find something to unscrew the protection with, use the same thing to screw it back. Only with a rubber ball, do everything in the reverse order - first, carefully screw it in with your fingers, and then press the ball and screw it all the way. Don't overdo it! Simply press the slamming lid firmly with the right side, most often until it clicks lightly.

These are the simple tricks for replacing batteries. Don’t forget to set the hands on the dial to the correct time and get ready to answer the simple question “What time is it?” for another couple of years. Can you tell me?" And this watch will help you with this:

Women's watch with crystals on a ceramic bracelet, OKAMI(price on the link)

Classic mechanics for lazy amateur watchmakers