In modern days, there are devices with lots of functions incorporated like smart phones so you don’t have to carry around too many things and still have access to most handy accessories, such as a clock to check time and date. But so far, wristwatches still remain among the most popular accessories for man. Small, compact and relatively durable, you can check the current time and date with just a simple glance. Of course, like any other accessories, a wristwatch sometimes doesn’t work very well and even brings in problems. Then you do need some essential knowledge to handle these incidents. And you will find what you need right here, in this article.
Ranging from the classic gears type to the latest electronic version, wristwatches remain their fairly complex constructions. Most problems with your wristwatch must be dealt with by technicians, but there are still quite a few things you can check and solve on your own, and don’t have to take it to a repair shop. Most of these things are rather easy to handle, requiring no sophisticated knowledge. So let’s spend some time reading the information below and put it in use whenever necessary.
01. “The watch has stopped”
A very common problem yet not too hard to deal with, all you need to do is to check the watch battery. For most of the case, the watch battery can support normal operation for up to 2 or 3 years. If this point has passed, it’s not a surprise to see your watch hands move slower and slower then completely stop. Usually, there will be small screws in the back of the watch; behind them is the battery compartment. But there are watches with special internal battery that cannot be reached by this way, if you own this type of watch, the only way is to get professional help.
02. “The watch hands start skipping seconds”
This is also a sight that your watch battery has reached the end of its life time. Mostly found on electronic watches, the circuit has a special built – in a function that knows when the battery energy is getting low. Should the battery voltage is near exhaustion, the circuit will make the watch hands move uncontrollably faster as a warning to the user. By installing a new battery, your watch will return to its normal operation.
03. “The digital number is faint and barely visible, hot to turn it back to normal?”
This can be mostly attributed to low battery as well. But there is another probable reason: malfunction contact points. The cause may vary from corrosion after a long time in use to a loose contact because of sudden shock. This prevents the needed energy to reach the display screen and results in what you see. First you may want to compress the watch a bit and see if the numbers are clearer, if so then use something to tighten it for a short time until you see that the numbers are back to normal. If the problem persists then the only solution is to send it to a maintain center for repair.
04. “I often use my chronograph and the battery life time usually lower than a year, is this normal?”
It’s obvious that when you use too many functions of a device, the overall energy drain will be bigger as well. Same can be said about watch. Using the watch chronograph regularly or let it running longer than you need inevitably shorten the battery life time. All functions of the watch take energy from the battery so using other functions than time and date keeping will require more energy than usual. In order to conserve the battery, the only solution is to use this function sparingly and stop it right at the moment you met your needs.
05. “The second hand keeps moving back and forward in 1 spot, the other hands also stuck too. Why does this happen?”
The cause seems to lie in the mechanical part of the watch while the electrical part remains operational. The mechanism of the hands may have suffered a structure failure and requires an immediate maintenance. This case is rather grave so you have to take it to somewhere with specialized technicians and don’t attempt to fix it on your own or the watch may get worse.
06. “The watch works just fine on its own but stops working the moment I put it on.
This issue may indicate a faulty electronic circuit. Everything inside the watch such as contact points and wirings functions normally when alone but when you put the watch on your hand, there will be a sudden rise in temperature due to your body heat. This creates a small expansion in air yet still enough to infiltrate and loosen the electric part which renders the watch unusable. This problem can be fixed only by people with specialized knowledge so take it to a repair shop right away and have it fixed.
07. “I have my watch for over a year, should I replace the battery?”
There is a saying “If it not broke, don’t fix it”. It applies perfectly to watch as well. Opening the battery compartment when not absolutely necessary may compromise the watch integrity and factory seal. It also potentially allows outside material from getting into the watch dedicate mechanism as well. At the very least, the process of changing the battery may require a re – applying of special resistant material to prevent water and sweat to get into the watch. There is a lot of work to do and risk taking for something not really urgent. So the point is to replace the watch battery when there are sights of its exhaustion, not before that.
Wristwatch is among the most popular accessory to bring with when you go out. It allows you to quickly check time and date with no effort. And if you really want to make you watch as effective as possible, you must know what to do when it doesn’t work normally. Just by this way you can keep it working well during its long lifetime and make the most out of it.
