One of the most common faults with watches comes when the battery simply reaches the end of its working life. In most modern watches, batteries last for around two years, so being proactive and replacing on a regular basis will ensure you never reach the stage where you go to put your watch on one morning and it’s not working.

Our watch technicians can very quickly replace an old or faulty battery, getting your watch back up and running again in no time. During this process (subject to the case being free of defects and for watches where we can obtain original parts) we will replace the gaskets as required and carry out a pressure test to the appropriate pressure rating of the watch. We will also provide a 12 month warranty on water resistance but please see chart below for guidance on pressure rating expectations. The movement will not be examined in detail during a simple battery replacement but we will advise if there is an obvious fault which prevents the watch from running with a fresh battery.

General guidance on water resistance

It has been illegal for many years for manufacturers to describe a watch as ‘waterproof’. Watches are rated in terms of their effectiveness in water resistance.

The commonly used term ‘Reseal’ is also misleading as it implies that a simple wipe over with a sealant or grease will make a watch water resistant. In fact making a watch water resistant is extremely difficult and complex, involving not just a back gasket but also the glass and crown or pusher gaskets. Wear or corrosion to the case may also make it impossible to make a watch water resistant to its original specification, especially if original casing parts are no longer available.

My watch is labelled water resistant to 30 meters but the manufacturer says that I should not wear it while swimming/showering. Why is that?

The different levels of water resistance as expressed in meters are only theoretical. They refer to the depth at which a watch will keep water out if both watch and the water are perfectly motionless. In real life, the movement of the wearer’s arm through the water increases the pressure on the watch dramatically; so it can’t be worn to the depths indicated by lab testing machines. This applies to all brands.

Is water resistance permanent?

No. Water resistance depends on several factors, some of which can be affected by wear or simply by time. Gaskets can become perished or misshapen; watch crystals can become loose or cracked. So get your watch WR tested at least once a year if this feature is particularly important to you.

Can I wear my watch in the hot tub?

No. Exposing your watch to excess heat, whether it’s in a hot tub or sauna, can cause the gaskets to lose their shape and their ability to keep water out.

Besides extreme heat what else can jeopardize my watch’s ability to keep water out?

Some chemicals can corrode the gasket. Heavily chlorinated water can cause problems, as can petrol fumes, hair spray and spray-on perfumes – they can work their way into the watch’s seams and damage the gaskets.

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Please send your watch in for the examination and an estimate to repair it. Our highly skilled team providing a wide range of watch repairs from our state-of-the-art facility in Leicester!
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