A typical workaday at Tom Swift's Watch Repair Shoppe

Question, for you Ricky. Should the Energizer batteries last as long as the OEM
ones such as the Renatos?

All else being equal, an Energizer will usually last a bit longer than OEM cells.
Not a hard and fast rule, and the extra life may be modest. But generally speaking, that's my personal experience.

Also worthy of note, my personal observation is that, as a quartz movement ages, the life from a given cell may decrease. IOW when the watch is shiny new, and for the first couple of batteries, you may see.. oh, let's say 2 years of battery life. A decade on that may fall to 18 months, no matter what brand or how fresh the cell. This is anecdotal, and I can't back it up scientifically. But nevertheless that is my observation...

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Timemiser
..the OEM ones such as the Renatos?

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Ricky Lee

The only top-brand watch cell with which I've had bad experiences is, ironically, also Swiss-made. A division of Swatch Group, no less. And, yeah, that would be Renata. ( Renata SA, CH-4452, Itingen, Switzerland ). I tend to stay away from them, whenever possible. I know I know! Renata is a respected name, and has a good reputation. Nevertheless I have personally seen not one, not two, but three of their cells leak , thereby destroying the movement.

Original post

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Ricky Lee

Generic watch cells are never a bargain. IMHO. And that despite the fact that you can get them for well under 20¢ per online, if you buy them in quantity. But they won't last as long as an and, worse, you run a very real risk of leakage and damage to your watch!

And, yeah, I've tried them. In fact, I still have a small store of generics in some select sizes. (OK, OK! I'm a nitwit! ) I'm offering them to folks at half-price, in an attempt to use them up. Thing is, once I explain the dangers, and they hear the small difference in cost, most everyone eschews them. I may have to start giving the damned things away...

original post

The Renata cell I just replaced was in for five years +. I have yet to replace one that has lasted that long.
Even new Seikos last longer from the factory. Now to be honest I had been using Walmart batteries which are Rayovac. For the past year I have been buying Energizer cells from a local jeweler. I pay $2.50 + tax. I am not sure if that's a good deal, but I do not buy in bulk. My son come to find out is friends with his son. He saw him on tv in a commercial & said, "Hey, thats JJ's dad!" . He has on two occasions actually given me a total of six batteries free! Once just because we returned his sons glasses that were left at our house.

Re: Even new Seikos last longer from the factory.
Which agrees with my "law of diminishing returns" observation that quartz movements tend to eat batteries at an accelerated rate as they age, if you think about it.

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Timemiser
..I had been using Walmart batteries which are Rayovac.

Ahhhhh.. no. Not if you mean the ones in the Wal-Mart packaging which are kept behind the counter and sold individually.

There are exceptions, but 999 times out of 1000 those will be..



..a Varta®.

Now, if we're talking the blister packs on the aisle racks, you can find Duracell, Energizer, and Ray-O-Vac.

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Timemiser
..Energizer cells from a local jeweler. I pay $2.50 + tax. I am not sure if that's a good deal..

Decent. Not great. You could get 'em for about half that price online.

No, I bought the Varta twice. One was dead right out of tne package!
Then I bought the Rayovac. Unfortunately the Walmarts that I have been to around here do not sell any other type watch battery.

OK, I'm confused.

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Timemiser
No, I bought the Varta twice.

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Timemiser
One was dead right out of tne package!

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Timemiser
Unfortunately the Walmarts that I have been to around here do not sell any other type watch battery.

The ones in the Wal-Mart branded package? Again, as pictured. They're not Varta®?

Ok, sorry if I confused you. Let me simplify.
I bought exactly what you pictured. = crap
Then I was buying the Rayovac. = not worth the time.(No pun intended )

Gotcha!

Fun side business you have. (n/t)

It is, usually. And one of..
..these years I may even end up with the balance sheet in the black, perhaps.

Sound like I might start a battery swap service too...
..Maybe it's a "hole in the market", let's see what batteries I should order...

If you do..

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James T. Kirk©
..let's see what batteries I should order...

I recommend you start with

● SR626SW (#377), 25 pieces

● SR621SW (#364), 10 pieces

● SR927SW (#395/#399), 10 pieces

● SR920SW (#371), 10 pieces

● SR521SW (#379), 5 pieces

● CR2025 lithium, 2 or 3 pieces

● CR2016 lithium, 2 or 3 pieces

● CR1616 lithium, 2 or 3 pieces

● CR1216 lithium, 2 or 3 pieces

Those cells will cover maybe 80% of the quartz watches you will encounter. That being said, Murphy's Law means that the first watches to cross your workbench will use some off-the-wall cell like an SR416SW (#337) or SR1116SW (#366).

Also, at a minimum you'll need a Jaxa®-type case opener, a good case knife, caseback-crystal press with a full range of dies, SS tweezers, non-conductive (plastic) tweezers, good quality watchmakers screwdrivers in the .50 mm to 1.00mm range, a sharpening rig to keep the screwdrivers in tip-top shape and, lastly, some form of illuminated magnification, be it a bench-mounted work lamp or a visor.

Good luck!

 (n/t)

Considering the biz yourself, are ye?

if that is at all directed at me....
Yes, Ive looked into the TZ training program where one starts with all the separate pieces of a Swiss chronometer, buy the tools & accessories (including a real bench & fixtures ) and end-up assembling and sealing the watch by the end of the course. Its not cheap, being in the $3k+ range (I believe) just for classes (ie videos and online support) when alls said & done, plus the hardware & watch bits.

I'm in N.Cali and not sure if theres anything in-between home study and certified watchmaker school. Just as well, I cant afford the $ or time to attend a regular school. Ive started two successful small bizs and its not my habit to take-up a hobby that costs but doesn't produce. So, buying/repairing/selling seems a natural extension of the hobby itself. Really, Ive fallen in love with Horology (ala Horus, the Sun in its increase) and the fine craftsmanship & care extended to this art.

Inevitably, I will move toward repair and custom design if I can. Ive seen several people on sites like Etsy who simply make custom dials and assemble the movements, cases, etc and it looks to be great fun.

'tis.

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Ethan_Mack
Yes, Ive looked into the TZ training program.. ..buying/repairing/selling seems a natural extension of the hobby itself. ..Ive seen several people on sites like Etsy who simply make custom dials and assemble the movements, cases, etc..

Ah! You're even more ambitious than I first thought!

I've kicked a similar idea around but, like you, there is no way I could do it justice at present.

For now, I'm content to be a Professional Battery Swapper, with the occasional movement replacement thrown in for good measure.

Considering new ways to make a buck...  (n/t)

Sure. But why the sad face?

Because it's not working... (n/t)

Ah. Well then.. that does warrant the frowny, I got to admit.

Hmmm maybe not
I don't even have a workbench (or place for it) and a few of the more expensive tools either....

Re: I don't even have a workbench (or place for it) and a few of the more expensive tools either....
Well. If ye ain't gonna go whole-hog, don't go at all. That's my best advice.

My wife advised against it, she said, what if...
..you break on of the clients's watches?

Re: ..you break on of the clients's watches?
That is a Sticky Wicket, and no two ways about it!

I am ashamed to admit that I have been in this situation a couple of times.

Basically, your choices are twofold:

▪ You lie like a dog, and tell the customer that the watch was busted to begin with.

▪ You 'fess up, and make restitution at 100 to 150% of the $$ value of their watch.

Guess which one I chose?

And there goes all of you hard income...
..as I told you before somewhere, the battery swap shop I used to go, regularly said that my watches are dead and I still have 2 former 'dead' watches running here... I think I better keep it to my own watches and my family, and with friends, I tell them "no warranty"!

Well, I've been lucky in that on the two occasions I mention...
..the solution was to provide the customer with a new watch from the Tom Swift Sales Section. Since I had a hefty markup on them anyway, my $$ outlay was minimal. Zero in one case, except for the cost of the battery I'd installed in the watch. But the customer was satisfied, and that's what really counts.

Also, bear in mind that we're talking twice out of many hundreds of battery swaps, so it's not an everyday occurrence. Indeed, both those cases were quite early on. I've leaned a lot since and {knocks on wood} the chances of it ever happening again are slim.

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James T. Kirk©

I think I better keep it to my own watches and my family, and with friends, I tell them "no warranty"!

I make it clear to my customers that I don't guarantee water resistance after a battery change.

That being said, I do my best. Caseback gaskets get replaced if they look shady at all, and lubed with silicone grease in all cases. But I don't know that the watch is watertight when the customer brings it to me, you know? It's never been a problem yet. {throws salt over shoulder}

 (n/t)

A good topic ,Ricky! I like such things!
Even the Geneva watch would be good if there was no humidity and liquids.

Re: Even the Geneva watch would be good if there was no humidity and liquids.
Well, yeah, it really ain't a bad watch. The fact that the bloke got a decade of use out of it speaks for itself...

That being said, it's not exactly world-class construction. I did some forensics on it last night, and turns out that the dial feet were not broken. It never had dial feet! The movement was attached to the dial by Dial Dots® from the factory. They simply got dry & brittle, and lost their grip...

The dark brown colors of that Timex reference design ques from it's days of yore... (i.e. 70s)  (n/t)

It IS a nice color...
..and reminds me that my collection is somewhat deficient in brown-dial watches.

 (n/t)

I would not have the patience for that
I have a few cheap quartz watches, for a couple of reasons. Both use a Citizen movement and very tiny batteries, so they need new batteries frequently and as such they aren't running right now. My dad had run across a couple of gold Seiko's, not running, sort of a matched set of a mens president and ladies president. And then my daughter inherited a 2-tone Seiko quartz from the estate of a friend of their family. So I have 5 dead quartz watches, and I'm not going to pay $4+ each to buy batteries and try to resurrect them. I used the link that you provided before to an ebay seller and bought batteries for all 5, plus some spares for my 2 Casios, all for around $5 shipped!

I cleaned up the inherited Seiko, put a battery in it, and it runs fine. And I just ordered a cheap leather strap from our sales forum for it.

I put the new batteries into the Seiko presidents but could not get either to run. I think my dad had tried at his local jewelry store and they couldn't get them to run either.

I haven't gotten around to my Casios yet but I've changed batteries in them numerous times and I'm confident that they will wake up and run again.

I'll try not to lose any more of those tiny little screws.

Like anything...
..the more you do it, the more efficient you become at the task. If the moon and the stars align just right, it literally takes me less than a minute to accomplish some battery swaps, start to finish.

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Bill J.

I'll try not to lose any more of those tiny little screws.

Key thing to remember is that you very seldom need to actually remove the screw. Just loosen it 1 to 2 turns, leaving it in place, and you're good to go.