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04-11-2019 08:02 PM - edited 04-11-2019 08:45 PM
it used to be FREE at our local established jeweler and they would do it while you wait. i think they were losing money. now they charge $15 or it is free if you purchased the watch from them.
a new jeweler opened up not too far away from them. they were employees that broke off from that original jewelry company i just mentioned to create their own jewelry store. they were doing it for free for a while. they now charge $10 and donate the proceeds to a local charity.
i have to add that at both places they will usually do it while you wait. they give you a free polishing cloth, jewelry cleaner liquid, and a soda, water, juice, or a glass of wine or beer.
04-11-2019 08:14 PM
Around here (NYC) barber shops and shoemakers change batteries. I pay about $5. I have a bunch of inexpensive watches and if I can't change them myself, I take them to one of those places.
The exception is my one "good" watch. I send it to the manufacturer's servce center for battery change and cleaning when needed. That's expensive .... between FedEx and service charge.... but I'm not willing to take a chance on the watch by having the battery changed locally.
For my Fossil ... there's an "authorized" service center around the corner from my ENT ... it needs a new battery but I keep forgetting to take it with me when I go to the doctor!
04-11-2019 08:18 PM
I change almost all my watch batteries myself. Our local hospital has a $5 Jewelry Sale where they sell packs of 10 batteries for $5, so that's pretty cheap.
I have one Citizen watch that I cannot get the back off myself. I have a lifetime battery ($20) in it from Zales. I have had that battery changed at least 20 times. However, my local Zales store closed and I have to wait until I go to a city 90 miles away to get it changed.
04-11-2019 09:56 PM
@grandma2pkmh I have many watches and am always paying $10 at a watch repair jeweler. They say to let them run, it’s better for the watch.( & probably because they sell more batteries)!
04-14-2019 11:02 AM
@nomless wrote:
@Sunshine Kate wrote:I don't think there should be a charge for changing a watch battery for a customer.
Usually merchants pay for advertising to get customers in the store. This is one way to get customers in the store for nothing.
If a business charges to install a new battery in my watch, I will not do business with them.
Have you heard the saying, "It's the little things." (That's what keeps me going back).
Yeah, but if you go in the store only to get free stuff, the store won't be there long. The store needs to make money to stay in business.
Fair is fair....if someone does work for me, like changing a watch battery, it is fair for me to compensate him/her with money for the time spent doing the work and thr expertise that I don't have.
Do you take that point of view with all companies? For example, McDonald's should give you a free sandwich, if they don't you won't go back? If not, what's the difference between the watch battery place and the restaurant? Why expect free stuff from one and not the other?
You took my post totally out of context. I'm not talking about a free watch battery. I think a customer should PAY for a watch battery and have it installed for free. Do you think people will be standing outside the door for this?
McDonald's and a free sandwich? What the?
I'm stopping right here, not worth my time.
04-19-2019 09:37 PM
An interesting take on my original post: I was at my local mall today and stopped at one of those watch kiosk places. They wanted 16.95 each to change the batteries for just 2 watches. I politely declined! On my way home, I passed by a jeweler I had used before. She did each watch for 10.00 each. Plus, I am always happy to support local businesses. So, just as previous posters mentioned, there is hugs price difference for this service.
04-21-2019 07:50 AM
I found changing watch batteries soooo annoying and cost $20+ , that I bought a solar watch and it’s awesome!!
04-25-2019 08:09 PM
I have an Ebel and it supposedly needs to be changed/replaced by an authorized Ebel watch person. So, you have to send it away. The first time I had it done by one the cost was about $160.00. They replace it and clean it. I then stumbled across a local independent jeweler who could do it and the cost was around $100.00. I've only had to replace it about 4 times since I got it in 2003.
04-25-2019 08:19 PM
I shop at Boscov's department store,I asked how much the jewelry department charges to replace a watch battery she told me unless you have purchased the watch from them they donot change watch batteries. I think it is because if they damage your watch they cannot replace it.
05-07-2019 03:40 PM
All my watches pretty much stopped at the same time so I did some research in my area to see who had the better deal and I found a small jewelry store near me that charges $9.00. Before I found this jeweler I just paid whatever the cost was because I need and enjoy wearing my watches.
I am bringing them to the jewelry 3-4 at a time whenever I can get to him.
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