Tony writes:
Recently I had the battery replaced on my old (but still very nice) gold Bulova Accutron watch. It was a gift from my uncle when I entered the USAF some 50 years ago. The watch had been unused for over 35 years & I was afraid the old battery had leaked. The good news is the old battery held & the watch insides were pristine. The watch runs perfectly again. The bad news is the new battery cost me $35! This from my friendly neighborhood watch repair guy who originally wanted $48 for the job.
Yesterday I spoke with the watch battery replacement person at a large department store about the cost of Accutron batteries. She would also charge me about $35 for a Bulova battery. She said it is a fairly common silver oxide battery that the watch uses. The catch is this: The cost of a battery is directly related to the brand of the watch! She has a pricing guide which assigns a grade of 1 to 5 on every watch brand. The Accutron is a 4. An Omega or Rolex is a grade 5 & therefore even more costly than the Bulova for battery replacements. I did not ask her what a Seiko or a Citizen grades out in her book. I'll query her more the next time I'm in her store. So I guess I'll be scouting out some low cost battery replacement guys the next time my Accutron needs a battery. As an aside, The Accutron has the original band made of turtle skin leather. I don't think turtle skin leather is available these days………
I have heard this and I believe it's a farce. The idea is that if they take your expensive watch apart to install the new battery----they are risking liability for a more expensive watch, so even if the battery is the same as a digital watch you got for free in 1988 for applying for a credit card----they will charge you $35.00 for the Bulova battery and $9.00 to install the battery in the cheap beater watch. Here is why I believe this is a farce: Will they ever admit fault or accept blame if "something happens" to your expensive Bulova watch as they are changing the battery? Of course not. It's not as though they're going to say, oops, my screwdriver slipped, I owe you a new Bulova. If in fact they scratch the case----what would the settlement be? Would you end up taking them to small claims court? They could even deny that they did anything----could say the scratch was already there. No, it's a case of "He has an expensive watch, he could afford to pay more for the battery."
Posted by: Angelo | November 09, 2013 at 04:10 AM
And Tony, I'd love to see a photo of the turtle leather! Is it dried out or still in good shape?
Posted by: Angelo | November 09, 2013 at 04:12 AM
In the couple times I've needed a new battery, I've just ordered them on Amazon for cheap (~$5 a piece, maybe less) and done the job myself.
I'm wondering if the inflated prices are for "official" (brand) batteries. Even so, you're paying a lot more for someone else to do it - probably twice as much or more for the battery itself, then the labor.
That said, sometimes its best to get "OEM" parts. I'v got a Canon printer and for the last two ink changes I bought some very cheaper cartridges on Amazon for something like $10 for all the cartridges. They worked fine - didn't mess up the printer or leak - but they didn't last very long.
This time around I decided to go with Canon ink. It cost about $50 for all of the cartridges. I'm guessing they won't last 5x as long, but I could tell there was more ink in them - my guess is 2-3x.
Posted by: jonnybardo | November 09, 2013 at 05:43 AM
Jonny: I don't think the batteries are brand specific. I know one jewelry repair shop in my town---that charges a premium for some watches and claims that the batteries are "special" but they are not brand specific. I don't mind changing batteries in some of my inexpensive watches----but I'm always afraid of screwing something up on my better watches---either scratching the case if the tool slips or ruining the integrity of the gasket inside---or damaging something while trying to work the battery out and the new one in. I have successfully changed batteries in some watches, but have also got hung up on some others. Do you have decent watchmakers tools, like an adjustable tool for unscrewing cases with the screw down back? Or something that works well for prying open cases of that style? I end up using mini eyeglass style flat head screwdrivers to pry open cases---and have slipped and scratched a couple times (some of them are very stubborn). I don't have a tool for the screw down style----though once, just by using my hands and getting leverage, I was able to unscrew one. Where do you get decent tools?
Posted by: Angelo | November 09, 2013 at 08:05 AM
Lately I've been buying mostly solar-powered watches to avoid the cost and inconvenience of battery replacement. Also, not opening the caseback on a regular basis keeps the gasket and water resistance intact.
Posted by: Gary | November 09, 2013 at 09:22 AM
Angelo, there are some very cheap (in both senses of the word) tool sets on Amazon for under $10. I'd buy one of those just to have the range and for most adjustments, band changes, etc, they do the job. I also picked up a higher quality micro-screwdiver at a hardware store, and of course some more expensive divers come with their own tools (e.g. the Tempest).
Posted by: jonnybardo | November 09, 2013 at 09:56 AM
I replaced my battery today and was charged $15, I am not complaining any more but I would have at #35.
Posted by: Da n | January 06, 2014 at 09:54 PM
There are dozens of battery sizes & I'm not aware of a particular design only being suitable for one make of ewatch in this case. Why not make further enquiries which battery number is suitable for the Bulova?
Posted by: Bob1942 | January 07, 2014 at 02:14 AM
I have a watch me brand watch and the battery is going so I bought another and when I opened the package the battery seem low.i am going to return it probably, but i still have the other one and I am wondering how much it will be to replace?Do you got any clue if so please message back as soon as possible . Thank you
Posted by: Jennica | October 06, 2014 at 04:51 PM
Jennica: Just go to a mall and find a kiosk that replaces watch batteries---or go to any jewelry store that does this----it's usually around ten dollars, unless it's some luxury brand (I doubt that Watch Me watches are in that category.).
Posted by: Angelo | October 07, 2014 at 04:14 PM
Oh ok thank for replying so quick. If I have any other questions I will ask. Thank for your convenience , Jennica
Posted by: Jennica | October 07, 2014 at 04:30 PM
Why do I have type in numbers and letters whenever i post a comment, but like I don't under stand how automated websites could post
Posted by: Jennica | October 07, 2014 at 04:32 PM
Ummmmmm...do you live far away from new York and in north Syracuse because my time here is not 4:33 it is 7:33. Please respond because I am wondering a lot
Posted by: Jennica | October 07, 2014 at 04:37 PM
Jennica: Are you related to Nancy Pelosi?
Posted by: Angelo | October 08, 2014 at 04:27 AM
I believe the nice man in charge of this website has the site based in the pacific time zone of the U.S. of A. I'm in the eastern time zone myself.
Posted by: Angelo | October 10, 2014 at 05:04 PM