Watch battery (395)

cerastes

I tried some usual places (but not a jewelers yet) for a battery (395) but couldn't locate.

Its for a Seiko watch (it's a 7T92-1, the battery is a SEIKO SR927SW, but I've found that a 395 battery is the same thing).
I'd thought it was some kind of kinetic movement but seems not, I hardly wore it and it always appeared to have stopped until I put it back on, recently it stopped completely, or at least when I put it back on it didn't start again. So I checked the manual and it says there's a battery in it, should need to be replaced every 3 years, maybe they were being conservative though as it has actually been 7.something years since I got it.

I was going to get it done, but just checked some prices online to see what I might be charged, after seeing some prices, started thinking of doing it myself.

Any idea where to get a 395 battery (silver oxide)?
how much?
or how much to get it done?

Eoin

If it's a standard quartz, I'd have thought no more than a tenner for supply and fitting in most jewellers.

cerastes

ok, thanks for the quick reply
I might put it on and when Im going past one drop in.
I saw a figure of 130 to change a battery, I thought it had an automatic movement. The price pushed me to considering just doing it myself.
On the off chance my local jewelers aren't so reasonable, where would I get such a battery?

Is there much harm letting automatic movements stop?
I've a citizen eco drive, it must be 16 years old, but I dont wear it much, from time to time I put it out on the window sill (upstairs) and it gets it going again).

I've also got an Emporio Armani dress watch, I've never really had much occasion to wear it, I don't think it was too expensive, I think maybe not much over a hundred (euros or pounds, not sure), it stopped years ago, and has been in its box since. Any harm?

rat catcher

Hi I always get my batteries on ebay or amazon. They normally come delivered between 5- 10 euro. have a look on youtube about changing your battery. ( always make sure it is the correct battery!) Good Luck

Eoin

I can go months without wearing one of my automatics; I don't think it's a huge deal. I got a watch winder a couple of years ago, but general opinion seems to be that they're not needed at all.

I don't know about solar watches - I'd think that keeping it charged in the light is better than the opposite, but that is based on little knowledge.

If a quartz has stopped for ages, I'm not sure if the expended battery might cause any damage - that'd be something I'd check out.

Wibbs

cerastes wrote: »

I saw a figure of 130 to change a battery

:eek::eek: 130 quid? Daylight robbery. Replacing an entire quartz movement would or should cost less than that. Battery changing is a handy earner for jewelers and some clearly take the piss.

Eoin wrote: »

If a quartz has stopped for ages, I'm not sure if the expended battery might cause any damage - that'd be something I'd check out.

They can cause damage. It used to be worse back in the day as battery tech has improved massively in the last 20 years, but watch batteries can still corrode and leak and can kill a movement dead. I've seen it with my own eyes.If any moisture gets into the watch case that's nigh on a given.

cerastes

Wibbs wrote: »

:eek::eek: 130 quid? Daylight robbery. Replacing an entire quartz movement would or should cost less than that. Battery changing is a handy earner for jewelers and some clearly take the piss.

They can cause damage. It used to be worse back in the day as battery tech has improved massively in the last 20 years, but watch batteries can still corrode and leak and can kill a movement dead. I've seen it with my own eyes.If any moisture gets into the watch case that's nigh on a given.

This I believe was quoted as including a basic service, although Im uncertain what that would be, especially for somewhere that doesnt specialise in a certain make or specialise at all? which might do more harm than good,
Maybe replace an o-ring? or should that be done at battery change anyway?

Wibbs

It's pretty much a con C. An O ring costs damn close to nothing and they don't service quartz movements, or extremely rarely. If one fails they simply replace the whole movement and the majority of quartz movements cost under 50 quid, usually closer to 20 and that's retail.

cerastes

Wibbs wrote: »

It's pretty much a con C. An O ring costs damn close to nothing and they don't service quartz movements, or extremely rarely. If one fails they simply replace the whole movement and the majority of quartz movements cost under 50 quid, usually closer to 20 and that's retail.

This was what I thought, but didnt know for sure. I wanted to confirm
I couldnt locate anything more detailed than "analogue quartz" in the manual.
I'll check in the local jewelers to see,
I was wary to try an locate (and I tried but couldnt find) a specific Seiko authorised repairer in the event it would be an increased price because of that.

Wibbs

cerastes wrote: »

I was wary to try an locate (and I tried but couldnt find) a specific Seiko authorised repairer in the event it would be an increased price because of that.

True though a Seiko agent would have the specific seals/gaskets if they aren't basic O rings. IIRC and from what I've read on various watch forums over the years Seiko aren't rip off merchants, quite the opposite apparently. THough these were reports from outside Ireland. Too often we get the "paddy price" on top. :rolleyes:

cerastes

Got it done in a regular jewelers, will see how long the battery lasts compared to the original one.
It was only €10 but as its water resistant and I dont/wouldnt wear it in swimming conditions, I didnt bother going for the more expensive send it away to be pressure tested? not sure how they'd seal it up and then test it?

I did notice before the second hand seemed off a fraction but it didnt concern me too much, but just took it out of the case and it was off by what looked like a second, kinda distracting as the main second hand doesnt move except when in stopwatch mode, so it would sit off center all the time, a bit pedantic of me perhaps, but it would distract me and Im sure if I brought it back they could say I might have dropped or knocked it, maybe it wasn't anything to do with them opening it up, but Id expect they'd reset it centrally, although Im not sure how it seemed off more than before how that could be achieved? dropped?

I wazs going to ask what might I have to do to reset it but checked youtube first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjOkLgQjBb4
This has a very similar layout of buttons and dials as my watch but doesnt look the same.Instead of numbers, mine has radial bars with luminous glow in the dark tips.
In case anyone has a similar issue, might be a youtube clip for your watch type. As it turns out the 1/20th hand on mine seems a hair off still, but I cant get it exactly zero (would if I could), but it is slightly hidden, but the large second hand being actually halfway between the second positions meant it was at the start of the radial bar and looked off, resolved now.