New watch or new battery?

private joker · #1 10-04-2005, 05:30 PM

About a week ago I noticed my watch was way slow. I reset it but it slipped behind again within a day. I didn't think the battery was dead because the second hand was still ticking -- the watch just wasn't keeping time. But then a day later I saw the second hand just start to vacillate up and down a few clicks, then it started moving again. It hasn't kept time since.

Before I pay for a new battery, I want to make sure it's the battery that's the problem -- no point putting money into a watch that's busted (In that case, I'll just go get a new watch). Does anyone know if a slow watch can be a symptom of a bad battery? Or do all batteries keep watches going fine until they stop completely?

In case it matters, the watch itself is a regular, inexpensive Fred Belay quartz. (i.e., Has anyone had problems with this brand?)

swede123 · #2 10-04-2005, 05:34 PM

I don't recognize that brand, is it super Walmart cheap or like fifty bucks cheap? If the first, buy a new watch. If the second, it's worth replacing the battery.

Swede

WDC · #3 10-04-2005, 05:46 PM

I had a similar thing happen. Took the watch in for a new battery. They told me it didn't need a battery but needed a cleaning. The cleaning cost more than the watch so I bought a new watch.

tonypaladino · #4 10-04-2005, 05:49 PM

Try a new battery, if not, take it to a jewler.

wacki · #5 10-04-2005, 06:02 PM

WTF, are you serious? Watch batteries are 2 bucks. You are wasting more money just thinking about this.

Dariel86 · #6 10-04-2005, 06:51 PM

My TAG HEUER ha same kind of problems, they fixed IT FOR FREE. TAG HEUER MAN.

exist · #7 10-04-2005, 06:53 PM

get a Casio Solar Atomic Watch, doesn't need batteries and is calibrated to the atomic clock in Ft.Collins, CO every night. costs around 100 bucks.

wacki · #8 10-04-2005, 07:02 PM

Very cool. In fact I would much rather have a watch like this than a Rolex.

edfurlong · #9 10-04-2005, 07:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
get a Casio Solar Atomic Watch, doesn't need batteries and is calibrated to the atomic clock in Ft.Collins, CO every night. costs around 100 bucks.

[/ QUOTE ]

How does that work? Thats pretty cool.

daveymck · #10 10-04-2005, 07:56 PM

I've got one of those kinetic watches that run off movement in your arm, surprisingly even though I do most stuff left handed it often stops and has got worse so if you dont wear it for a day its stopped which is more of a pain in the arse than changing a battery once every year or whatever.

I hope that solar atomic one works better.