How to Keep Your Watch Battery Running as Long as Possible

February 27, 2020

Is the time on your watch slowly starting to fall behind? If you’re finding yourself running late a little more often, thanks to a slow watch, it’s most likely time for a watch battery replacement. Thankfully, this is a pretty quick job, and a good jeweler should be able to get you up and running on time again, in less time than it takes you to pick up a coffee. But if you feel you need replacement watch cells too frequently,you can try these tips for how to extend the life of your watch’s battery. However if these fail, and you continue to experience quickly draining batteries, you may need to have the mechanics of your watch looked at.

Pull Out the Crown

If you have a large collection of watches or you do not frequently wear a particular watch, you can try pulling out the crown before you put the watch away. The watch will stop keeping time until you push the crown back in, which may help to extend the life of the battery. This must be done carefully, as the crown is fragile and can be costly to repair. It is also recommended that you push the crown back in every couple of months to ensure that the battery is still functioning.

Remove the Battery

You can take it one step further in helping to extend the lifespan of a watch battery by removing the battery when you are not using the watch. Depending on the brand of watch, this may be as simple as unscrewing the back plate and removing the battery. This is a delicate task and may not be recommended for every style of watch.

Stop the Chronograph Feature

If your watch has a chronograph feature, stopping the chronograph may be enough to double the life expectancy of your watch’s battery. On most watches, this is done by simply pressing the upper button once. However, as watch models vary, you may need to check your instruction manual.

Depending on the watch, you should expect to get between 1 and up to 3 years out of a watch battery. If you are getting significantly less than that,there may be something mechanically wrong with your watch. There are a number of possible issues, ranging from a leaking battery to a defect with the circuitry. The only way to properly diagnose and repair the problem is to have the watch looked at by a professional.