A 173 Short
There is peace in the simplest of things. - me
A rainy afternoon, a handful of tiny batteries, and one more excuse to learn a new skill.
If you're anything like me, you sometimes find the greatest joy in doing some of the simplest things. Maybe it's sitting on the porch on a rainy day, or putting Turtle Wax on some restored old tools. Well, this time it was about the simple joy of changing the batteries in some of my watches. Let's get into it.
A Drawer Full
It all started because I have a drawer full of watches, all of which were graveyard dead. Like most of the world I spent about a year and a half working from home, so I had little use for a wristwatch. And I've been back at the office for about a year now and just feel like it's time to wear a watch again.
Old Marley was as dead as a doornail.
Mind! I don't mean to say that, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a doornail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a doornail. ― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Building a Watchmaker's Toolkit
A couple of my watches are fairly expensive and have proprietary casebacks that need special tools to open the watch just to change the battery. So I called a local jeweler and, now get this - about $50 to change one watch battery! $50! Now, I'm not always cheap, but $50 is ridiculous! So - I did what any sensible man would do - I bought a watch repair kit for about $20!
And it turned out to be a nice kit! Here's what it came with:
- Watch Case Holder
- Watch Band Holder
- Adjustable Case Opener
- Small Hammer
- Link Pin Remover
- Tweezers
- Spring Bar Tool
- Watch Back Pry Opener
Worth every penny! And, while I won't get real technical here, for everyone's reference, including mine, here's a quick watch anatomy:
Figuring Out Which Batteries I Needed
After gathering ten of our favorite watches (I know - ridiculous!), I used the case opener to pop the casebacks off the watches, a necessary step to figure out what batteries each needed. Turns out we needed five different sizes!
In the tick-tocking, round-the-clock whirlwind of life, where moments fleet past us like sand through an hourglass, we often find ourselves captivated by the wondrous creations that mark our passage through time – watches and clocks.
These steadfast keepers of time, with their rhythmic beating hearts, have inspired poetic musings, witty quips, and profound reflections from the greatest minds in history.- Jewelry Cult
Tiny Parts, Big Magnification
And to embody the stereotype of a watchmaker, which may not actually be a stereotype - watch parts are obviously tiny, I had an opportunity to use my magnifier! I love that thing, it even sits on the bookcase in the dining room!
The older I get, the more use this little tool gets. I think I picked it up about a dozen years ago when I was building my Moebius Invisible Man monster model:
Of which I was rather proud!
And I also used it when, while bemoaning the removal of our Hemlock tree back in '18, I waxed poetic about the tiny seeds of these great trees a la' Henry David Thoreau's Faith in a Seed.
Wow, I've really strayed off the path here, so let's get back to it. While I'm at it let me just mention that some of the casebacks came off with a little bit of resistance. As a matter of fact,one of the watches, my Fossil, required use of the caseback remover wrench, which is an interesting tool. It has a number of different bits that you thread into the base of the wrench.
Using the adjustment knobs, I lined up the bits to fit into the grooves or notches in the caseback. From there I was able to unscrew the caseback and get to the movement. It really is a very interesting tool and it's already paid for itself in the very first use!
I've noticed that this has become a recurring theme around House 173. Whether it's plumbing, electrical work, painting, restoring old tools, or now repairing watches, I've found that buying the right tool is often less expensive than paying someone else to do the job once. Better yet, the tool stays with you. Every time it gets used after that, the investment makes a little more sense. Before long, you've accumulated not just tools, but confidence.
One Tool That Paid for Itself
Once all the casebacks were open and I could identify what batteries they needed, it was just a matter of ordering them. I ordered them off Amazon rather than driving all over town trying to find all these sizes of watch batteries.
It only took a few days for all the batteries to arrive, then it was just a matter of installing them and putting the casebacks back on. It was a matter of just a few minutes and all my favorite watches were back in working condition!
A Drawer Full of Time Again
While I still have a drawer full of watches, my favorite watches are sitting on my dresser. I think the next thing will be to get a case for storing watches. I saw a couple on Amazon, and they looked nice and would look classy on the dresser.
After that, maybe I'll start working on some of the other watches. There's a couple inexpensive watches that have a very nice design, I'll probably start with them!
And, there we have it, the story of one of those peacefully simple little things that occupy the mind and are good for the soul as well as the wallet! Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you next time!
I don't know the first thing about repairing watches, and honestly, I probably would have just paid someone to change the batteries. But by the end of this post, I found myself thinking, "Maybe I could actually do that." That's one of the things I enjoy most about House 173. You don't write like an expert trying to impress people, you write like a curious homeowner figuring things out and bringing the rest of us along.I also enjoyed all the little detours. The magnifier leading back to the Invisible Man model and then to the Hemlock seeds made the post feel very personal. Some blogs would edit those moments out to stay focused, but here they remind readers that hobbies, memories, and projects all overlap. It makes the house feel lived in rather than staged.The part that really made me smile, though, was the realization that a $20 repair kit saved you from paying $50 for a single battery replacement. That's classic House 173. It wasn't really about saving thirty dollars, it was about learning one more skill, adding one more tool to the collection, and proving once again that a little curiosity often pays for itself. - The Casual Reader
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth buying a watch repair kit just to replace batteries?
If you own several watches, absolutely. Basic watch repair kits are often less expensive than replacing the battery in a single watch at a jewelry store. In addition to battery changes, most kits include tools for resizing bands, replacing spring bars, removing links, and opening several styles of casebacks. Even occasional use can quickly justify the purchase.
Why do some watches require special tools to open?
Not all watch casebacks are designed the same. Some simply snap off with a case knife, while others use threaded casebacks with small notches that require a specialized adjustable wrench. These designs help improve water resistance and prevent accidental opening, but they also mean the correct tool is essential to avoid scratching or damaging the watch.
How do you know which battery a watch uses?
The safest approach is to open the watch and read the battery number directly from the old battery. Even watches from the same manufacturer can use different battery sizes depending on the movement. Recording each battery number before ordering replacements helps ensure you receive exactly what you need and avoids multiple trips to the store.
Can replacing a watch battery damage the watch?
It can if done carelessly. Tiny components are easy to bend or lose, and metal tools can scratch the case or short the battery if used improperly. Working on a clean, well-lit surface, using plastic tweezers when appropriate, and taking your time greatly reduces the risk. Most straightforward battery replacements are well within the abilities of a careful DIYer.
Why do simple repair projects feel so satisfying?
Simple repairs offer an immediate sense of accomplishment. They require focus without becoming overwhelming, save money, reduce waste, and often teach a new skill. Whether it's sharpening a tool, changing a watch battery, or fixing a squeaky hinge, these small projects remind us that not every rewarding task has to be a major renovation. Sometimes spending an hour quietly repairing something is every bit as satisfying as completing a large project.
Keywords
change watch battery, watch repair kit, DIY watch battery replacement, watch case opener, replace watch battery, watch repair tools, Fossil watch battery, watch maintenance, DIY repair, House 173