How do you close a water-proof watch?

Okay, got this watch and had to change the battery. How in the heck do I put the water-proof back on?

Surely I don't have to take into a jewler to get it back on? Went the pliers route to no avail, and hey it's still in tact as well.

AKPilot said:

Okay, got this watch and had to change the battery. How in the heck do I put the water-proof back on?

Surely I don't have to take into a jewler to get it back on? Went the pliers route to no avail, and hey it's still in tact as well.

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Sandwich it between two small pieces of plywood (to protect the crystal and the back) then squeeze it shut with a small c-clamp. Its worked for me in the past. Good luck!

Unlike regular watches that have a friction fit back on the watch case, all of my dive watches have had o-ring seals and the back of the watch had a threaded closure that compressed the o-ring.

If that's what you have, it should just screw back together.

Crud, no screwing together.

It's a Timex. And it had two batteries, one for the digital (huge) and one for the traiditonal hands (tiny). Looks like it's time for the jewlers.

My Wenger Swiss sport watch has to go to the jeweler's whenever the battery needs changing.

I have a diver's watch and they charge over $100 to change the battery. However, if I don't want it certified as to its waterproofness then they'll do it for $25. Heck, I can barely swim let alone dive. I always go the $25 route.

The local jeweler here will change the battery no charge, if you buy it from him. I'd call around and ask your local shops the same. It only takes him a few minutes.

rip-claw hammer and duct tape

some watches need to be pressurized befor the back will go on. troy if you have the timex explorer then you will need a tiny bit of protrolem jelly to close it.

It is like pressing in a bushing or a bearing or a press-fit insert (just reviewed a Tech Order change to include detailed instructions how to do that).

Mine had an o-ring and a press fit. Put something soft but firm on the 'crystal' side and then press the back on. If there is a way to place a ring shaped support around the crystal side so it does not bear against the crystal, then that is best. It can also be tightened in a vise (with appropriate crystal protection).

Wal-Mart will replace the battery if you buy the battery there, but they will often not do so on waterproof watches.

shreadvector said:

Wal-Mart will replace the battery if you buy the battery there, but they will often not do so on waterproof watches.

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Walmart actually washing their hands of it. It's down to the customer now, as least at my local stores.

Not sure if it's more liability or laziness.

Troy,
8 pound sledge works everytime.. but the watch might not work again. I ended up taking mine to a jewler. After fighting with mine I tore the o ring and had to get one of them to boot. Now when any of my watches take a battery the wife justs takes it to the jewler before I even have a chance to work on it.

For my G-shock, I was told from several watch repair places that you need special tools to make sure the seal is intact. They did not service that brand and thus replaced the battery with no guarantee of the waterproofness (hey, if 'W' could make up words so can I). How much of this is in the 'guarantee' part I don't know. I never dove with mine but water leakage never was a problem, making me think that unless I took it deep, all was fine.

I can't believe it. We've "advanced" so far as a society that I now can't even replace my own watch battery. Sheesh.

Do what I did: get a Casio G-Shock solar atomic watch.

AKPilot said:

I can't believe it. We've "advanced" so far as a society that I now can't even replace my own watch battery. Sheesh.

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But we have advanced that relatively cheap watches can operate 50 - 100m underwater.

shreadvector said:

Do what I did: get a Casio G-Shock solar atomic watch.

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I love the G-shocks.

Stopped by the watch-fix place on the way home this morning (we got a bit of snow last night, so I went in early and am working from home). Anyhow, the watch repair kiosk was unmanned, as everyone's stuck at home. So I went to a jewler that carried watches. She said that the high-end jewlers can't do it either. She pointed to the kiosk and said that "they have the special pressure tool." Keeping in mind that they're closed.

Great!

So I asked her, "Has it gotten to the point that a person can't change their own watch battery?" And she replies, "Yes, even on our (high end watches)."

This reminds me of the "advances" in the auto industry to where I can't work on my own car anymore, without "special" tools.

Btw, it's a $40 Timex. I think I've spent more trying to replace the battery than simply buying a new watch, between gas & batteries.

shreadvector said:

Do what I did: get a Casio G-Shock solar atomic watch.

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I repeat the above.

Long ago I had a Timex self-winding watch. Your normal daily movement kept the spring mechanism would. It worked great for years but I finally wore it out. Naturally, they don't make them anymore.

I also had a Casio G-shock for about ten plus years. I wore it everywhere above and below water. Lost track of how many countries and perhaps three or four continents. When the second battery went dead the watch went with it. I was never sure if the watch wore out or if the mall kiosk did something to it when they took the watch cover off.

Right now I have a Timex Ironman Indiglo. It's OK but the functions are FAR from intuitive (I cant use them). Bottom line, I liked the G-shock a LOT better. If we have the cash, the next time I buy a watch, I'm getting another G-shock.

A SOLAR G-shock huh? Sounds promising.

The G-shock is bulky but being largely rubber it isn't all that heavy. You can of course fins a skinnier smaller plastic housed watch. And it doesn't have any knobs.

rstaff3 said:

The G-shock is bulky but being largely rubber it isn't all that heavy. You can of course fins a skinnier smaller plastic housed watch. And it doesn't have any knobs.

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Mine has 0% rubber and I cannot tell if the 4 rectangular buttons are black plastic or anodized aluminum.

I'm sure the plastic "rubbery" versions are somehwat lighter, but I do not notice the weight at all.

There was discussion on Howard Stern this morning about expensive watches that require winding because they would never use a battery in such high end 'time pieces'. I missed 90% of the discussion but hope to hear the replay on the way home (if I time it correctly and catch that portion of the 4 to 5 hour show).

Here is another solution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_watch

Have you tried to use Casio's G-Shock website? https://www.gshock.com/ Yech!

I love this line on the product info page for their "Classic": "They also lend to a more agronomical fit." Uh, good for farmers? Yeah, true, but I don't think that is quite what they meant.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking G-Shock watches - I have one that I found on a soccer field over 15 years ago and it is my favorite watch for casual and outdoor use. Not sure what model it is, but it is smaller than most (lady's?), so it fits my small wrist better than all the other G-Shocks I've seen. The alarm annunciator died awhile back, which was disappointing because that was a quite useful function. Replacing the battery didn't fix that.

The "DUMBEST CLOCK EVER!" has to be the one in my neighbors fully restored 1957 Ford Edsel. (And he thinks my hobby is dumb!)

It had a self winding clock in the center of the steering wheel.

Since he rarely drives it, so he has to turn the wheeel back and forth every few days to keep it wound.

shreadvector said:

Mine has 0% rubber and I cannot tell if the 4 rectangular buttons are black plastic or anodized aluminum.

I'm sure the plastic "rubbery" versions are somehwat lighter, but I do not notice the weight at all. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_watch

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I have always owned, and only shopped for, the rubber bodied ones. Rubber rules. (may technically be plastic, but whatever)

AKPilot said:

Walmart actually washing their hands of it. It's down to the customer now, as least at my local stores.

Not sure if it's more liability or laziness.

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Yet another way in which the Evil Empire (sorry, I can't stand Wal-Mart and won't shop in them) does away with customer service.

Spend a few extra pesos at a local jewelry store (not a chain) and I bet they'll replace it for next to nothing.

The two times I've had the battery in my watch replaced, I think it cost me $5, including the battery. Small, locally-owned jewelry store that provides awesome service.

-Kevin

Peartree said:

Right now I have a Timex Ironman Indiglo. It's OK but the functions are FAR from intuitive (I cant use them). Bottom line, I liked the G-shock a LOT better. If we have the cash, the next time I buy a watch, I'm getting another G-shock.

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I love my Ironman, so much I bought one for my son for Christmas. I found once I spent a little time figuring out the functions they're not all that obscure, and I use mine at the racetrack to time splits when I need three watches instead of just two. And yes, I change my own batteries. Our Wal-Mart still does it, but you have to wait for them, so...

my Citizen skyhawk is solar powered so no batteries required


also my Suunto is battery driven but come with a battery hatch with which you can fit your own 2023 battery

Found a Wally-world willing to give it a shot. The employee told me that their tool on works 50% of the time. After 15 minutes, mine was the 50% that didn't work with her tool - although I bought the watch there.

Crud, by the time I find someone who can do it - it'd been easier to just buy another watch!

Oh, btw, I ended up buying a new watch in the end. 50% off at Wally-world, and solar powered.

Lesson learned.