Reply With QuoteIf you can’t find anyone locally the guy with the kiosk in Piccadilly Circus tube station is always a back up.
He has done a few for me in the past and I have been happy.
First time in the UK in months for some business and a family wedding this coming weekend; and Mrs Draft took her Constellation out of the safe only to find its little lady battery has suffered a little lady death.
Quick call just now to the Omega boutique: “will you replace the battery while we wait?” “Oh no- we send it to our service centre”.
Had we been in Malta Karol at Demanuele in Valletta would have done it in a minute or two- he’s very careful and trustworthy. Unfortunately we are in SE London.
I obviously don't want to hand it to a Timpsons! Can anyone recommend anywhere- ideally Canary Wharf/Greenwich/Blackheath areas but will go into town if necessary?
Many thanks.
If you can’t find anyone locally the guy with the kiosk in Piccadilly Circus tube station is always a back up.
He has done a few for me in the past and I have been happy.
There’s a goldsmiths and a David M Robinson in Canary Wharf but not sure if they can do on site.Originally Posted by draftsmann
Buy a horb ball, a pot of silicon gasket a pack of rodico and a new gasket just in case, although it's unlikely. Wash the watch and horb carefully to get good friction, and you will be able to spin the back off easily. Before you remove the faraday cage back, gently remove the gasket, clean the channel with a cocktail stick, pegwood of a sharpened match followed by rodico. Wash the gasket, inspect and then re-grease, paying attention for any issues. Replace in the channel. remove the faraday cage and the battery will already be loose. invert and it will simply drop out. Check the terminals for corrosion and replace the battery, faraday cage and caseback with a whisper of silicon on the thread, gently spin the back on and tighten with the horn.
It's about as easy a job as it gets.
If you can get out to Bluewater I recommend The Watch Lab owned by Watches Of Switzerland. They’ve done a couple of battery changes for me. Change, reseal and pressure test while you wait and the service has always been spot on.
Thank you Matt. Generally I’m a very hands-on kind of person and this is something I just haven’t done because there’s a guy I take them to who changes them perfectly for a few quid including pressure test where needed. He’s just 1500 miles away unfortunately.
I will get myself set up to do this in future as it’s nagged me before.
That’s a good tip thank you- we have UK car with us and it’s only a 25 minute drive from here.
Sounds like an opportunity to buy a new watch......
A Constellation is likely to have a press- fit caseback and they’re a tight fit, the bracelet may need splitting too to get at the back. Replacing the back will probably require a press and the correct die. Small ladies watches can be quite a challenged, Mrs W has a ladies Constellation so I’m quite familiar with them. This one had to be serviced after approx 7 years........that was fun!
I can testify to that. I struggled (read that as screwed up) with a battery swop on one of my wife's watches and also found replacing the watch back challenging. I needed walkerwek1958 help to rectify both.
If Rickmansworth isn't too far for you, I'd recommend Time 4 People
Last time I went in to see them they were changing the battery on a Quartz Omega and know what they are doing
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