My quartz Constellation is a few years old, still on the original battery, and still keeps accurate time. I just noticed the second hand is advancing in four second increments. Has everyone ever heard from such a thing? Could it be the battery is about to Ka-Boom. Could it be related to the stepper motor? Any help would be appreciated. Thx, Don
Precisely, its designed to do that to let you know when the battery is low, make sure whoever changed it can also reseal it correctly and pressure test it afterwards.
Not likely to Ka-Boom. Just a quiet ceasing of movement. I have several other quartz Omegas that have exhibited that behavior--also known as the low battery indicator feature. Google the issue and you will find you are not alone.
This is called the EOL indicator - End Of Life. It means the battery has dropped below a specific voltage - in most modern quartz Omega's that is about 1.3 volts. Do not delay in getting the battery changed - once the voltage drops off they are more prone to leaking, and that can damage the movement.