My Quartz watch stopped working. Ugh.
Quartz watches are lauded for their incredible accuracy, but at the end of the day, they are just like any other watch and will eventually run into some trouble.
Can quartz watches be repaired?
Yes, Quartz movements are far easier to repair than their mechanical counterparts, and if all else fails, the entire movement can also be easily replaced.
Head to your local watch store and you’ll discover that repairing Quartz watches isn’t only possible, but is also pretty common and can be done by a watchmaker easily.
Related: Find excellent Quartz watches here
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While it is recommended to only let professionals repair your quartz watch, there are a couple of things you should know about quartz watches before heading to the watchmaker.
Reasons For Failure With Quartz Watches
Understanding the intricacies and science behind quartz movements is a long and arduous task, but learning why quartz movements fail is actually fairly easy as there are five general reasons why a quartz movement would fail.
These are mechanical, electronic, oxidation around the battery, a defective coil, or a defective tuning fork quartz crystal.
All of these problems have their own relatively easy solutions and it won’t hurt to know what these solutions are so that you know what is being done to your watch when it is being repaired.
Mechanical Failure
Mechanical failures happen when a certain amount of “dirt” accumulates within the movement that can set the watch’s accuracy off.
To fix this a watchmaker will simply disassemble the watch and clean the movement carefully, and the watch should be back to normal.
This is one of the most common reasons why a quartz watch would need to be repaired.
Electrical Failure
Electrical failures don’t happen that often with quartz watches but when one does, it usually requires the whole circuit board to be replaced. The cause could be bad parts, moisture, or corrosion.
Defective Coil
The coil in question with this kind of problem is the coil that is used to power the stepper motor.
This coil is incredibly delicate, in part because it is thinner than a human hair.
The coil can be damaged by a screwdriver or even just a fingernail hitting it, and this sometimes happens when an inexperienced person tries to replace the battery.
The coil will just be replaced completely.
Oxidation Around The Battery
Oxidation is a common occurrence with a Quartz watch, and is actually very simple to fix.
All one would have to do is take out the affected parts of the watch and clean them. Usually, corroded metals will be cleaned and polished with polishing paste to get the watch working again.
Defective Tuning Fork Crystal
This is the rarest reason for a malfunctioning quartz watch, but it can be caused by extreme changes in temperature or by extreme shock.
The tuning fork will just be completely replaced.
Most Common Reason a Quartz Watch isn’t Working
But by far the most common reason to find your quartz watch not working is a drained battery, so make sure to check the battery of the watch first to make sure you aren’t doing unnecessary repairs. Watch batteries are so inexpensive that you may just want to change the battery.
Repairing watches is a delicate task, and doing it wrong can result in even more problems with the watch. Make sure repairs are done by a professional. Qualified watchmakers are certified by the American Watchmaker-Clockmaker Institute. You can find one near you via their website here.
