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Thread: New battery for an Aerospace

  1. #1
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    New battery for an Aerospace

    Believe it or not, I’ve never had to replace an Aerospace battery before. It’s not very old and certainly doesn’t need a service, so what’s the best way to go about it?

  2. #2
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    Believe it or not, I’ve never had to replace an Aerospace battery before. It’s not very old and certainly doesn’t need a service, so what’s the best way to go about it?
    I've had an Aerospace Avantage since 2005 and aside from the the very first battery change and the one occasion it went to Breitling for a full service and battery change I've done it myself. Apply a very small amount of silicone grease to the seal.

  3. #3
    If its still under warranty they should change it FOC I think as you don't know how long it sat before being sold....

    cheers

    matt

  4. #4
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Thanks both, although I’d still like some advice should it not be under warranty, and should I not want to do it myself.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    Thanks both, although I’d still like some advice should it not be under warranty, and should I not want to do it myself.
    Take it to Timpsons. What could possibly go wrong? :)

    Cheers,

    Plug

  6. #6
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Feck me, it’s like getting blood out of a stone.

  7. #7
    Master Caruso's Avatar
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    I've done it twice on mine, I needed a caseback press to get the caseback back on properly.

  8. #8
    Some are great. Quick to ask a Q on a sales post with no real interest and others are quick to give advice as to what's not right (in their opinion)
    But ask about a battery or a bracelet pin, Jeez! A Q too far

  9. #9

  10. #10
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MattH View Post
    Looks like £140 to me, Matt.

  11. #11
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    Looks like £140 to me, Matt.
    For a chuffing battery swap?

    FFS.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  12. #12
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK View Post
    For a chuffing battery swap?

    FFS.
    The first battery change I had done in around 2007 was £90 at my local AD. I said to them that I would do it myself in future and have done so. Given that the battery is around £1.50 and it takes about 15 minutes that's one hell of an hourly rate for wielding a couple of small screwdrivers!
    Last edited by Skier; 15th April 2019 at 08:51.

  13. #13
    Can you not send it/ask one of the independents here (watch bloke for example) or a local dealer who may be able to do an on house battery change?

  14. #14
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plug View Post
    Take it to Timpsons. What could possibly go wrong? :)

    Cheers,

    Plug
    Took my Grand Seiko 9f to Timpsons and thankfully, nothing went wrong, watch guy had the most enthusiastic battery change of his life though.

  15. #15
    Craftsman Megatron's Avatar
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    Breitling say the Maintenance service (incl. battery swap) should be every 2 years. Now I've never done this on my Chrono Avenger M1 (which admittedly is analogue quartz and I'm guessing used less battery than an Aerospace) but when I did send it to them when the battery went they insisted on a full service (4ys after I bought if if I recall) for about £450. But it was a brand new watch when it came back...

    From their service blurb:
    "Maintenance service (recommended every 2 years) - mechanical and quartz watches. This service includes : cleaning of the case and metal bracelet, changing all seals, checking water resistance, checking movement parameters and watch functions. Changing the battery for quartz watches"

    Depends if water resistance was a factor - if not I'd do it myself if it was just for a battery change (like in this video):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43ABzpL94ts

    If I didn't want to touch it then I would be comfortable taking it to a watch repairer as the video makes it look relatively straightforward. Had done a lot of research as my Chrono M1s battery has also just died - I bought the bullet and sent it back to Breitling as it's 11ys old now.

    Also some good suggestions here: https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...ry-replacement
    Last edited by Megatron; 14th April 2019 at 19:16.

  16. #16
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skier View Post
    The first battery change I had done in around 2007 was £90 at my local AD. I said to them that I would do it myself in future and have done so. Given that the battery is around £1.50 and it takes around 15 minutes that's one hell of an hourly rate for wielding a couple of small screwdrivers!
    I manages it with an X33.

    https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...battery+change
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  17. #17
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by robert75 View Post
    Can you not send it/ask one of the independents here (watch bloke for example) or a local dealer who may be able to do an on house battery change?
    That could be a plan!

    Duncan?!?

  18. #18
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    This isn't rocket science. Take it to an independent for a battery change and pressure test. It doesn't need anything else. It's just a quartz watch, same as any other quartz watch.

    I took mine to Russell Talerman off Regent Street in London - £30 for change, reseal and test.

  19. #19
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Onelasttime View Post
    I took mine to Russell Talerman off Regent Street in London - £30 for change, reseal and test.
    I would follow this advice.
    Have just had the same discussion with my old man whilst sat in the pub, this is what he is now going to do.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    Looks like £140 to me, Matt.
    Damn i need the old eyes testing......

    whoops and ouch !

    matt

  21. #21
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Thanks for the comments and advice, chaps lads. I've now had much appreciated contact from one of our watchmaking members so think I'm probably sorted (and given that I'm splitting my time between London and Newcastle at the moment getting to the West End would have been challenging).

  22. #22
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    That could be a plan!

    Duncan?!?
    Duncan is very good.👍

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Onelasttime View Post
    This isn't rocket science. Take it to an independent for a battery change and pressure test. It doesn't need anything else. It's just a quartz watch, same as any other quartz watch.

    I took mine to Russell Talerman off Regent Street in London - £30 for change, reseal and test.
    It took a while but finally got there. This is the kind of advice he was asking for but the forum in its charming way took the long road to get there:-)

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by RAJEN View Post
    It took a while but finally got there. This is the kind of advice he was asking for but the forum in its charming way took the long road to get there:-)
    Post 12

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by robert75 View Post
    Post 12
    I thought he said he didn't want to do it himself.
    Mind you am not complaining. It is the part of the charm of the forum:-)

  26. #26
    Master
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    On both previous occasions my Aerospace needed a battery change I've dropped it in directly to Breitling at their service centre in Tunbridge Wells - cost under £70 both times iirc. The display started flashing again recently to indicate another battery change was needed, and as Tony noted their price has doubled since the last time - now £140.

    Previously it was a no-brainer, as the value for me was not in the couple-of-quid battery but in the replacement of the seals and pressure-testing (Yes I swim with my Aerospace; no, I've never started a thread about it..), and the fact the titanium screws are pretty fragile.

    £140 is not so much of a no-brainer to me though anymore..

  27. #27
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by learningtofly View Post
    Believe it or not, I’ve never had to replace an Aerospace battery before. It’s not very old and certainly doesn’t need a service, so what’s the best way to go about it?
    Russell Talerman on Maddox Street in London did mine recently. Sent an email, showed up, waited while they changed the battery and they didn't charge an arm and a leg (£30 as far as I recall with a one year warranty on the battery) I went away happy. Its a tiny office/workshop but they know what they are doing. Some nice pieces in their display cabinet as well that you can admire while you wait.

    Russell Talerman
    34-36 Maddox St,
    Mayfair,
    London W1S 1PD
    Last edited by Watchfreek; 15th April 2019 at 15:41.

  28. #28
    I got mine done at the watch doctors in Tring for £20 (I think)

    Didn't have it pressure tested as I've no intention of getting it wet.



    I fear it might have to go back to Breitling next time as the crown is very stiff, I've never managed to do the fast time change, always one minute at a time.

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