Solar watches

The last couple of watch batteries that I have bought were under $ 10. Canadian dollars. Seiko and Wittenauer watches. Batteries were brand-name not dollar store crap. Years ago, I would take it to a jewellery store - they would charge a few dollars more for the battery but install it for free .. not any more, unfortunately. John T.

A few years ago I bought the wife 2 solar watches that were about $ 200 each. Mostly for looks. Sofar they have kept decent time and held the charge. You just have to leave them under some light and not put them out of the light for long periods of time.

Biggest problem is like all watches, you have to set them for the Daylight savings time twice a year.

Consumer Reports didn't rate anything except smart watches. Have you thought about the self winding wrist watches? Then there are the old pocket watches if you want something different. I don't know if any of those self wind. You might just have to blame the man in the mirror if one quits.

I have a Citizen watch. Only thing I do, twice a year change Standard/DST. Not sure how old it is, about 5 or 6 years.

With about everyone having cell phones I would thing the watches would have been a thing of the past except for jewelery. I can't stand anything much on me that is tight, so carried a pocket watch for years. Never could wear a ring not even a wedding band. Tried for about a year to wear a college ring but gave up on it.

You are right. Stores like Walmart used to change batteries for any watch for a reasonable price.

Now they only change batteries for watches they sell.

They are afraid they will get sued if changing a watch battery does damage.

I have to place part of that policy on those "sue happy folks".

A reasonable person does not sue if an honest mistake occurs.

Andy

Was it a solar watch?

Andy

I stopped wearing any metal at all after seeing a guy get light up on a 100a power supply and it was only 1.5 v but it had his ring cooking his finger in about a second. If some guy was standing right there with a cup of luke warm coffee it would have been a lot worse. That was 1972 right after the battery in my $100 LED watch died and I wasn't going to pay a jeweler $40 to replace it. I took off my ring and threw the watch in the trash. I haven't had one since. I never had a problem finding out what time it was if it was important to me. I still follow the no metal rule. It is easy getting on a plane tho ;)

The plant I worked in made polyester material out of raw material. They had a rule that no rings or watches could be worn in any of the production areas. I don't know when they started the rules as it was in

One of the first rules for working on anything with electricity in it is no watches or rings.

I wouldn't trust any of my local Walmarts with a wristwatch ! I've changed the last ~ 5 watch batteries myself - and that goes back ~ 15 years because they tend to last ~ 6 years in my Seiko and slightly less in my wife's various watches.

1. buy a name brand battery from a respectable retailer - a. check the date on the package b. don't accept one that has been opened 2. prying-off the snap-on stainless steel back is tricky -

The problem is that it takes special equipment to change the battery out without breaking the watch crystal.

And it also usually requires a gasket change.

That is why I mentioned If it was gas or coal powered, I'd not add to the thread.

I have replaced batteries before, and it was hardly "easy peasy."

I ordered a highly rated solar watch.

Never have to spend any money on batteries or go thru the work of battery replacement.

It should last 20+ years.

Andy

The no rings and watches was a rule but largely ignored. In the field there was nobody to enforce it. Watching that glowing metal burning through a guys finger was enforcement enough for me. I can still smell it.

Part of the safety new-hire "class" at the IH bulldozer plant was some pictures of lonely fingers and tendons. One was a ring with attached finger in the slot of a drill press chuck. Another was a dozer salesman's finger where his ring fit perfectly in a slot on the fuel tank of TD25. He jumped down and left his finger and tendons behind. I never wore a ring in a factory.

I have a solar atomic watch. Might be 15 years old. I seldom wear it since it is somewhat clunky and keep it under the lamp over my computer to keep it charged.

I wore it on jury duty years ago and there was an atomic clock in the court room and my watch and clock were on exact time to the second.

I have other cheap battery watches and screws are impossible to get out to change the batteries and it is best to take to a jeweler. If somewhat worn out, I will toss them.

I worked textile fibers R&D and plants required steel toed shoes, safety glasses and hearing protection. Biggest problem was rotating equipment and running yarn and most common injury was loss of fingers. You also did not want something like long hair or loose clothes that might be caught in the equipment.

I remember hearing that Daylight Saving (not savings) Time started as a joke. That sounds right, since it's hard to believe anyone would be

However, at least it does give you two chances a year to get your clocks set right.

It is a royal PITA. I recall first time in a car clock taking a half hour to figure out how to change time. Also have a fax machine that takes a look at the manual to change the time. Even my atomic clocks sometimes get squirrely. Whoever mandated it should have to spend eternity resetting clocks along with the bastard that mandated spill proof gas cans who should spend eternity using these things.