Battery changing and waterproofing

[Alfachats]

I'm a pretty competent engineer and have always changed the batteries in my own and families watches, however recently when the battery failed in my wife's Seamaster (2561.80) she told me it needed to go to a specialist to have its battery changed as it was an Omega. I ended up doing it myself for the cost of the battery (99p), it was the same with my step daughters Tissot, local store told her it would cost £53 as it was a Tissot and had to be done by a specialist, again I did it for peanuts.

So my question is, what are specialists doing that I am not? I've heard rumours of pressurised work rooms that ensure the inside of the watch case is at a positive pressure and thus waterproof but with the pressure at 50m being 5bar I can't see that as being 100% true.

What do people think?

Roger.

 

[YY77]

You don't do any gasket replacement?

 

[Aroxx]

A Alfachats

So my question is, what are specialists doing that I am not?

Getting paid a bunch of money to do it.

Seriously though, probably replacing the gasket and doing a pressure test. Don’t think there is much else.

 

[bonzodog]

A few years back I took a Marathon tsar for a battery change,they wanted £85.00 because they were not familiar with the brand.Bought a new battery and gasket did it myself,never go near water with my watches so no pressure test.

 

[Donn Chambers]

I replace batteries on some cheaper quartz watches I own, but I always replace the back gasket when I do — I bought a bunch of different sizes years ago to do this. I don’t have the means to pressure test, so I hope for the best.

But these are inexpensive watches, and if they get water in them, I’d just toss them and replace. For my wife’s quartz Omega Aqua Terra and Cartier Tank, I take them to a watchmaker and fork over the extra money to have them replace the battery and seals and do a pressure test.

 

[Canuck]

A trap that many unwary fall into when doing (for example) Omegas, is that the case back seal is unlike the typical gasket found in many watches. I refer to any Omega in which the seal is red acrylic. In many instances, when the case back is removed, the red seal remains in position in the case. After a cell change, the unwary will have left that red seal in place in the case, and they discover that they are unable to fit the case back, again. Two schools of thought. Some on the message board insist that red seal should be removed from the case, and replaced. Others find that the red seal can be removed from the case carefully, and without losing orientation of the gasket (don’t flip it over), and re-fit it to the perimeter of the case back after cleaning the case back and gasket. The case back can then be refitted without any problem. Omega is not the only company that uses these seals. The OP may have lucked out and the red seal remained in place on the case back when it was removed. So there was no problem. However, had the seal remained in place in the case, it would not be possible to refit the case back, the seal would become ruined in the process. Had that happened, it would have meant an expensive cell change!

 

[Archer]

A Alfachats

So my question is, what are specialists doing that I am not?

At a brand service centre, when you bring a quartz watch in for servicing, they are typically doing the following...

Disassembly of the case
Cleaning of case parts and bracelet
Refinishing of case and bracelet
Changing all seals (case back, crown, HEV, and crystal) and some of these may require a new unit, such as a new crown.
Electrical checks on the movement for base and total consumption (current draw), function of the EOL indicator, testing of the lower working limit, and resistance of the coils.
Reassembly of case, and appropriate pressure testing (including high pressure wet testing for any watch rated above 120 meters)
Checking and replacing worn pins/tubes in the bracelet, and clasp springs if needed.
Replacement of spring bars.

Oh, and install a new battery...

So their scope of work is very different from simply opening up the watch,and changing a battery...anyone can do that.

Cheers, Al