Replacing Your Watch Battery

Judy
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts

Replacing Your Watch Battery - face of the watch after battery has been replaced I always took my watches to the jeweler to have them replace the battery, at a cost of $8-$15. I saw watch batteries for the first time at Dollar Tree, and decided that I would try to replace them myself. Dollar Tree sold them 4 to a pack, which ends up being 25 cents to fix a watch.

Total Time: 5-10 minutes

Supplies:

watch
batteries
small screwdriver
toothpick

Steps:

Place your watch down on a towel, to protect the face.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - place watch on a towel to protect the face

The hardest part is taking the back off. There is a notch someplace on the back. Stick a very small flat head screwdriver in and pry off the back.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - find the notch and use a tiny flat head screwdriver to remove the back

Some watches have a plastic piece covering the battery. If yours does, remove it.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - opened watch with plastic battery cover still in place

Replacing Your Watch Battery - remove the plastic covering the battery

Use a non-metal tool to pop the battery out. I used a toothpick. Look at the number of the battery imprinted on the top. That is the replacement battery to buy.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - once battery is exposed use a non-metal tool to pop it out

Put the new battery in. Check to see that the watch works.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - replace the battery with the proper type, check to make sure the watch is working

Replace the plastic piece that covers the battery, if you had one.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - replace the plastic battery cover if there was one

Replace the back. You may have to press hard to push it back in.

Replacing Your Watch Battery - replace the back

Make a note of which type of battery your watch uses, to make it easier next time.

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linda

September 5, 20181 found this helpful

sounds easy i will have to see if my dollar tree has the batteries or look on amazon lol, yeah i pay like 7.00 at the jewelers too they raised the price it use to be 5.00 and i have quite a few watches so that is costly great tip thanks.

Molly Sharka

September 29, 20180 found this helpful

When you buy cheap batteries you may find they last a very short time. Also, the batteries may leak more quickly. Buy batteries in Wal-mart in their camera department or at a good grocery store that sells batteries and replace them yourself. I have been doing this for years.

Some watches do not allow you to change your own as you need a special tool to open the back. In this case....head to Wal-mart. A new battery and done for you for a few dollars. I don't go to the jewelers.

Judy
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts

September 29, 20180 found this helpful

The batteries were made by Sunbeam, a brand I recognized, so I felt confident buying them.

Jodi Murray H.

September 23, 20180 found this helpful

I have a scale that uses watch-type batteries, and for a while I was going to a local jewelry store to replace them--at about $6-7 a pop.
I decided to check on Amazon, and got several of them for a lot cheaper.

HerkDia
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 140 Feedbacks

September 29, 20180 found this helpful

Be careful opening your watch. I worked for a jeweler and they use a special wrench to unscrew the back. To save a few dollars you don't want to ruin a good watch.

Judy
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts

September 30, 20180 found this helpful

You make an excellent point. I noticed that many of my watch backs were scratched. I assume this was done by the jeweler, since I never touched them. Since I posted i repaired one more watch, a Gruen. It was very easy to take off.

From now on I will put masking tape on the back of the watch, just in case. I will be looking for that tool if I get a watch that I cannot open. So far Ive fixed all 8 watches in our household with no issues.

DeBushe
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 179 Feedbacks

October 6, 20190 found this helpful

I have seen the tools that you use to open a watch at Harbor Freight stores. If you don't have one in your town, just look at one of their ads (they are ubiquitous in every publication including the Sunday paper) and go to their website... HarborFreight.com

ann

October 5, 20190 found this helpful

My kids had toys that talked and used button batteries, we would buy these off of ebay. We were getting 50 for just a few dollars. We never had a problem with hte batteries.

Now we buy all watch batteries from ebay. Normal price is 10 batteries for a dollar or two and most offer free ship.

joan

October 17, 20190 found this helpful

In the past I have always replaced my own batteries in my watches but the back of the watches don't have the the notches anymore! I have tried the eyeglass screwdrivers but still cannot get in between the back of the watch and the cover. If anyone knows if there is a special tool (that really works), please tell me what it is!

Thanks,
Joan

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