How Long do Watch Batteries Last? [Complete Guide]

How Long do Watch Batteries Last? [Complete Guide]

Wristwatches come in many different shapes and forms. But in general, watches are divided into two key categories, quartz and mechanical. Quartz means that the watch is powered by a battery. Mechanical means that the watch is powered by mechanical movements, either hand-wound or automatic.

Mechanical watches are essentially “perpetual” as they can, at least in theory, last forever as long as they are manually wound (in the case of a hand-wound watch), or worn consistently (in the case of an automatic watch) so that it has enough energy to function. The caveat is of course that mechanical watches occasionally need to be serviced to function properly and accurately.

Since quartz watches are powered by batteries, they will eventually run out of energy. And like all batteries, they will need to be replaced.

But how long do watch batteries last? And can you do something so that the battery lasts longer in your watch?

The answer is that it depends on a number of different factors, but as a general rule, watch batteries last between 2 to 5 years.

The lifetime of a watch battery – factors that come into play

There are numerous factors that affect how long a watch battery lasts. Just like the battery life in an electric car can vary greatly, the same can be applied to quartz watches. The key factors that affect how long a watch battery lasts include:

• The type of watch
• The functions and features of the watch
• The type of battery used

The single most important factor that affects the battery life of a watch is its functions and how it is used. For example, if the watch has a light-up dial that you use frequently, it will consume more energy and thus make the battery run out of energy faster. Moreover, functions such as a chronograph will require energy to run and thus shorten the battery life. Watches without any additional functions other than the time will require less energy to function and thus last longer.

The type of battery used

Different quartz watches use different types of batteries. In some cases, quartz watches are not limited to one type of battery, meaning that you may in some cases be able to extend the battery life of the watch by changing to a different battery.

Most quartz watches use a 1.55V silver oxide battery but they may also use solar power for the battery, or special lithium-iodine batteries which, in some cases, have a theoretical lifespan of up to 10 years. As such, the span of 2-5 years is only general and can be both shorter and longer depending on these factors.

How to know when your quartz watch runs out of energy

The most common way that people find out that the battery in their quartz watch has run out of energy is that it stops. This is the easiest and most surefire way to tell that you need to change the battery.

However, some watches are equipped with power reserve indicators on the dial which show the current energy level of the battery. The visible power reserve indicator is more common 

Another function that some quartz watches use is a so-called end-of-life indicator. When the battery runs low, the seconds hand will jump in intervals of several seconds at a time, indicating that it is time to change the battery.

How to extend watch battery life

There are different ways that you can extend the battery life of your watch. The first is to not use the other and additional functions in your timepiece such as the chronograph function or a light-up watch dial.

Moreover, extreme temperatures can also affect the life length of any battery. As such, extreme cold or extreme heat can have a negative effect on how long your watch battery life lasts. It’s therefore important to keep your watch away from these temperatures if you want to protect them from these conditions.

Quartz solar watches and batteries

Some quartz watches are equipped with solar technology. What this means is that the watch has solar panels behind the dial which capture solar and ambient light. In turn, the light is converted into energy for the battery. Solar watches can therefore last a really long time as long as the watch is subject to light. When solar watches are not exposed to light, the battery usually lasts for about 6 to 9 months. But quartz solar watches do offer some great practicality in the sense that you don’t need to change the battery as often as long as you wear the watch in environments where there is light.

The quality of the battery

The quality of the battery will naturally affect its life length. Some batteries are cheaper and less qualitative than others. And as such, you can expect them to have a shorter life length. It’s therefore worth paying slightly more for a premium battery that has a longer life length because the difference in price is not that huge. Watch batteries are still affordable to buy and only cost a few dollars at most.

If you change the battery of your watch at a watchmaker, they usually provide a 12-month warranty that guarantees that the battery lasts that long.

As mentioned, some quartz watches use Lithium-Ion batteries and these are designed to last much longer than conventional batteries. Lithium-Ion batteries are normally found in digital quartz watches with multiple functions that require that extra power for all of their functions. In general, Lithium-Ion batteries are expected to last 5 years or more.

My watch battery stops working after a short period of time

If you have just changed your battery and the watch stops working after a short period of time, there may be different reasons for this.

The first potential reason is that your battery was faulty and doesn’t work the way it is intended to. In this case, you will need to replace the battery again. If it proves that the battery was in fact the issue, then it will usually be covered under warranty, assuming you had the battery replaced by a professional watchmaker.

Another potential reason may be that you have installed the wrong battery type. You need to make sure that you have the right battery for your watch. Some watches require different batteries so you need to ensure that you have the right type of battery for your watch.

Lastly, if you are still experiencing problems, it may be due to an issue with your quartz movement. Whilst quartz movement rarely needs to be serviced, it doesn’t mean that it may develop issues and need to be repaired in some cases. To determine what the issue may be, the best way is to have a watchmaker inspect it to identify the issue.

How much does it cost to replace a watch battery?

You can either replace your watch battery yourself or have a professional watchmaker do it for you. Replacing the watch battery is an affordable fix and is something that you can do easily at home with the right tools and the correct battery. A watch battery doesn’t cost more than a few dollars at most and even less if you buy them in a big pack.

If you decide to change the battery of your watch yourself, you first need to remove the case back. This can be done with the help of case back openers. The type of case back opener you need depends on the watch you have. You can refer to our list of good watch case back openers here.

First, you need to remove the old battery. It is advised to do this with tweezers so as to not damage or make the movement dirty. You can refer to our list of good watchmaking tweezers here.

Once you have removed the old battery, all you need to do is install the new battery and then close the back.

If you don’t want to change the battery yourself, you can have a watchmaker do it for you. They will usually charge between 5 and 20 dollars depending on who does it. And they will usually be able to do it within just a matter of minutes. The benefit of having a watchmaker do it is that you know it is done correctly and you usually also have a warranty on the battery.