Watch Battery Replacement

We understand how disappointing it can be when your favorite watch stops ticking. There’s no point in wearing a watch that doesn’t work, and yet you feel naked without it. It’s very possible that this is simply a battery issue. Every watch with a battery, however expensive or cheap, must be brought in for a servicing and watch battery replacement sooner or later. Different watch batteries have different lifespans, however the general rule of thumb would be about once a year. Drop off your watch to be serviced and prepared for pick-up, or have it done while you wait and shop around!

How To Tell When My Battery Needs Replacing

There are multiple ways to tell if the juice in your watch has run out:

• Still Hands: The easiest and most obvious symptom of your watch’s need for a battery replacement is Still Hands. When you see that the hands no longer move, and a “ticking” sound can’t be heard, it is time to replace the heart of the watch.
• Incorrect Time: If your watch can’t seem to keep the correct time no matter how much you adjust it, it could be a sign that the battery is on its last breath. When the watch runs out of juice, the hands get thrown off of their rhythm, often not outputting enough power to keep it going at the correct pace, or outputting too much in order to not fall behind.
• Jazz Hands: As explained previously, some watches will tick at an irregular pace when the battery runs low, and this is sometimes intentionally done to make it more obvious to the wearer that its time has come. Some watches will feature huge leaps forward in order to make it more visible to the wearer that servicing is required.
• Moisture or Rattling Noises: Generally, moisture behind the glass of a watch can be due to a faulty (or sometimes non-existent) gasket. However, sometimes batteries can become heavily “oxidized” in the watches, and acidic build-up and moisture begin to gather in your watch. These acidic build-ups are crystal-like substances that break off and begin to rattle around in your favorite wrist wear.

What Type of Battery Does My Watch Need?

• Alkaline: Alkaline batteries are by far the cheapest and most common option. These cells output a voltage of 1.5V. The interesting thing about this battery is that as it’s being used, the outputted voltage drops. The capacity of the battery is solely determined by the cut-off voltage of the watch it’s in. It’s a good option for a temporary fix, however it will fail after a while and will need to be replaced.
• Silver-Oxide: Arguably the most common watch battery, these cells output a slightly higher voltage than alkaline batteries, coming in at 1.55V, however the difference between them is enormous. Having a very high energy-to-weight ratio, these cells have about twice the energy capacity as alkaline batteries and are meant to last up to approximately 10 years.
• Lithium: Lithium batteries are the most expensive, but the most effective option. Lithium batteries hold on to their full voltage until the end of its charge life, while alkaline batteries decrease their voltage throughout its use. Although Lithium batteries cost a lot more, they will last for approximately 10 times longer than your standard Alkaline battery. These batteries are not very common for lower end watches, and generally are seen more high-end watches.

What To Keep In Mind for Watch Safety:

Watches are prone to failure for one reason or another, however there are precautions that can be taken to mitigate these risks:

• Hot & Cold: Avoid extremely hot or cold environments as they can affect the functionality of your watch.
• Direct Sunlight: Avoid exposure to direct sunlight as this can quickly damage your battery.
• Hard Impact: Any hard impact sustained by the watch can damage the internals of the watch.
• Magnets: Exposure to a magnetic field will affect the functionality of the watch. Keep any magnets from getting too close to your watch to avoid this.

How Much Does a Battery Replacement Cost?

A battery replacement here at Hollywood Pawn Shop & Jewelry is $9.99 for most watches. Some higher end watches that require a very particular battery, or multi-function watches that feature multiple batteries, may be more expensive to service.

We also offer a free brief inspection of your watch to let you know what kind of servicing is required! Stop by today for your free inspection!

Watch Movement Types:

Mechanical: The classic movement type for quality watches and still a personal favorite to this day by most watch connoisseurs. This watch type, however, does require more complex maintenance than any other watch type. The heart of a mechanical watch would be the mainspring, which powers it. The mainspring is carefully wound in the watch so that it releases its tension as time passes, in turn powering all the gears inside. Eventually, this tension will be released completely and will have to be taken to an expert to be serviced.

Automatic: Automatic watches (also known as Perpetual Motion Watches) are very similar to, and at first glance could be mistaken for, mechanical watches. However, these watches have an additional feature that gives it a functional edge over the classic mechanical watch. Although a lot more prestigious, mechanical watches require them to be wounded by hand to continue working; whereas automatic watches feature a self-winding mechanism that uses the kinetic energy of the wearer in order to keep the mainspring wound. In other words, when the wearer moves (walks/runs around), a component in the watch rewinds the spring to ensure that it keeps ticking.

Quartz: A more modern movement type, this method uses an internal battery to power the watch as opposed to a complex mechanical movement. This makes maintaining them a lot easier and a lot more affordable, therefore being the most common watch movement type of all.