Were these "watchmakers" in a kiosk at the mall where they change batteries?
🙄
I recognize the humor BUT keep in mind there ARE competent battery change individuals who work at a Mall. I humbly consider myself one of the better ones, as I follow the one rule that has never failed me over about 60 years: Do every repair as IF I were doing it for myself! If I see an issue, do what needs to be done to make it acceptable if it were one of my own pieces. Simple, but rarely followed or even thought of today!
I don't know why others don't work the way I do, because they would surely get MANY more $$$ in tips if they did! It shows you care about the customer's watch IF you change them the way I've always done it. It amazes me when I've seen some mall workers go right into a watch before prepping it,... ie CLEANING all the crap you can get off the back and case parts first!
First step is to open the band at the most convenient place to gain access to what is important to follow. I take a piece of paper towel in my hand, about 3 x 4 inches wide, and add 2 small spritz of 91% denatured alcohol, rub the paper towel together to make sure it is "just" slightly damp, and then wipe as much of the worst of the sludge buildup off as you can. (some require a few pieces of paper towel!)
Next I use a medium stiff toothbrush to get material in the nooks and cranies loose over a trash bag (which just happens to be in view of the customer, as are most every step.
😀 ) Then blow onto the back with a few shots of canned air. On some watches it may look clean enough, but often I can use the smallest watchmaker's screwdriver to "lightly" rub into the caseback/case seat to pull a fair amount of more gunk out. Another small burst of canned air over a trash bag, and then I start to unscrew a screwoff back, OR use a case back knife (some of my own making), to just lift the back up but it's NOT ready to come off yet!
The screw down back is just loosened enough to be able to do the last turns by hand,(the pry off back just held in place for now), and again I get off whatever new material has now become visable. I use the toothbrush and or a thin screwdriver again, and then a light bit of caned air, and sometimes just a hand air squeeze ball, to blow that off into the trash bag. When I have cleaned all I can see, I flip the watch over onto a "Bounty" or similar towel, hand finish unscrewing the screw down back and sliding it (or the pry off back) over as I lightly tap the case on the towel a few times to dislodge any debree within the case. Only then does the watch case get flipped over and exposed to my eyes.
At this point there IS usually some material build up on the case, just outside or on the gasket. I take another small paper towel piece and "lightly" spritz it with 91 % denatured alcohol, and begin to clean off that materal at the LOWEST position of the watch case at all times. Gravity is your friend, and keeping the area you want to clean at the lowest point means any fallout goes on the paper towel or to the trash bag and not into the watch. Everytime I begin to clean a new area, I fold the slightly damp towel to a expose another clean area at the low point of the case, until I have cleaned off all I can see. A few light squeezes with my hand held air ball gets any remaining debree from within the case out...
...and only then do I change the battery, using a screwdriver to loosen the hold down screw 1/4 turn, and then press against the battery and spring arm to carefully pry it up and out. A bit wider but thin tweezer then removes the old battery, and the "*right" battery replaced using the tweezers and screwdriver in the reverse of the removal process. (*often someone has previously used a 364 battery where the 377 was intended, etc) Then another hand ball air spritz, the back is cleaned and canned air blown off, and then the back is placed back on. Most every press on backs are replaced on a watch press, and I use a custom piece of 2mm thick leather to cushion the flat crystals a bit, IF I can't find a good hollow centered die to clear the crystal and touch only the case areas. Some days the Mall where I work on parts of Saturdays (4-5 hours), or all day when the owner goes to New York City on business (an 8-9 hour day), can have 35 to 50 batteries installed by me, on a really good day. The store does jewelry repair and sells jewelry also, but battery changes are an important part of the business.
...and although it takes much longer to describe what I do, it is on auto when I do all this, and an average battery takes just about 10 minutes to do the steps described. It's the way I would do it for ME, and my customers appreciate a business that takes the time and care to do it right.
Tips aren't solicited, necessary or required, but we don't refuse them either and MANY have mentioned they've never seen this sort of care in the battery changing proceedure. Sometimes just a few dollars, but $5, $10 and even a $20 tip occasionally for the worker. By the way, we charge only $11 w/tax per battery replacement, which is less than half of what most jewelry stores charge. Be it a Timex, Tag Heuer, Movado, or even the huge and popular Invicta watches (with the tiny movements), They ALL get the same Spa Day!
ALL get the same treatment and care,... because I care enough to do it the way I would do it for myself! Yep, I'm old school, and I'll be 68 on July 17th.
😀
A little backround if you're wondering..I started as a repair professional in an apprentise role when I was about 16 in 1973. In a few months I was a better jeweler than the owner, but he was a mighty fine watchmaker, (Navy trained). and his son followed him gaining Rolex Certification and others Certifications I believe. I had over 35 years doing strictly diamond setting, ring sizing, chain repairs , etc. But over about another 11 years I've changed out maybe 20 THOUSAND Batteries!
😀
Cheers,
Joe T
