SurveysJul 09, 2025
Jewelry Stays Strong as Luxury Market Slows, Bain & Co. Says Turbulence will be the new baseline for luxury as it faces its biggest potential setbacks in 15 years, a recent report said.
IndependentsDec 05, 2017
Ask the Watch Woman: Batteries 101
Sheila Gendron guest authors National Jeweler’s watch column and starts with something simple--a video on how to change a watch battery.
Sheila Gendron is one of the founders of Colorado Timeworks, a watch service center for single or multiple location retail jewelers. Contact the business at timeworks@hush.com.
Editor’s note: Sheila Gendron is stepping in temporarily for National Jeweler’s occasional watch columninst, her son Jess Gendron.
Why is it important to know how to do such a seemingly menial and simple task as a watch battery replacement correctly?
Far too often, we see watches that need major watch repairs that could have been avoided by a little education. These are repairs that cut into a store’s bottom line because a clerk made an error while changing a battery, or pulling out a screw-down crown without unscrewing it, or improperly opening a caseback, or myriad other innocent mishaps that can ruin a customer’s watch. Cause these problems enough times and your reputation is ruined.
Your store is not only judged by your inventory, but also by your level of service. I have a friend who tests a hair salon by how well they wax her eyebrows. If they treat that service like it was beneath them, or don’t do a good job at it, she won’t let them cut her hair.
Many customers surreptitiously will have you replace a battery in a cheap watch before they bring you their Rolex for repair, just to see how you handle something as simple as that. If you handle it in a caring and professional manner, you’ll get their business. If not, you’ll miss out on profits.
Watch battery replacement services can lead to many opportunities for building profits in other ways as well.
You can create a database of potential customers in other areas of your store by having a reminder service. Send the battery customer a yearly postcard to remind her or him to have their battery replaced again, or offer a “five-year battery,” which means you will replace her or his battery for the next five years for free at a one-time price of, say, $39.95 (or whatever your market bears).
If her or his watch is beyond needing just a battery, you have an opportunity to service the watch or sell the customer a new one. Plus, you now have a customer who will return several times in that five years and you can use your sales skills to sell her or him other items and services.
Now, changing a watch battery is not rocket science, but doing it correctly and professionally is a skill. You need to know what not to touch, when to open a watch
Why is it important to know how to do such a seemingly menial and simple task as a watch battery replacement correctly?
Far too often, we see watches that need major watch repairs that could have been avoided by a little education. These are repairs that cut into a store’s bottom line because a clerk made an error while changing a battery, or pulling out a screw-down crown without unscrewing it, or improperly opening a caseback, or myriad other innocent mishaps that can ruin a customer’s watch. Cause these problems enough times and your reputation is ruined.
Your store is not only judged by your inventory, but also by your level of service. I have a friend who tests a hair salon by how well they wax her eyebrows. If they treat that service like it was beneath them, or don’t do a good job at it, she won’t let them cut her hair.
Many customers surreptitiously will have you replace a battery in a cheap watch before they bring you their Rolex for repair, just to see how you handle something as simple as that. If you handle it in a caring and professional manner, you’ll get their business. If not, you’ll miss out on profits.
Watch battery replacement services can lead to many opportunities for building profits in other ways as well.
You can create a database of potential customers in other areas of your store by having a reminder service. Send the battery customer a yearly postcard to remind her or him to have their battery replaced again, or offer a “five-year battery,” which means you will replace her or his battery for the next five years for free at a one-time price of, say, $39.95 (or whatever your market bears).
If her or his watch is beyond needing just a battery, you have an opportunity to service the watch or sell the customer a new one. Plus, you now have a customer who will return several times in that five years and you can use your sales skills to sell her or him other items and services.
Now, changing a watch battery is not rocket science, but doing it correctly and professionally is a skill. You need to know what not to touch, when to open a watch
(hint: it’s not the first step in the process), where to perform the task (not on a back counter with your butt facing the customer), what equipment will help you (use a case press, not the edge of a counter) and many more nuances of the process.
Because of our commitment to jewelers’ profitability, we are offering a free video on replacing watch batteries (scroll to the bottom and click where it reads “Free Download.)
But don’t do any of this if you are going to treat a watch battery replacement service like a pain in the neck. If that’s the case, then just leave the profits to your competitors.
Sheila Gendron is one of the founders of Colorado Timeworks, a watch service center for single or multiple location retail jewelers. It also offers watch service training, conference speaking and seminars. Contact Colorado Timeworks at timeworks@hush.com to open an account, or visit Timeworks.biz.
Because of our commitment to jewelers’ profitability, we are offering a free video on replacing watch batteries (scroll to the bottom and click where it reads “Free Download.)
But don’t do any of this if you are going to treat a watch battery replacement service like a pain in the neck. If that’s the case, then just leave the profits to your competitors.
Sheila Gendron is one of the founders of Colorado Timeworks, a watch service center for single or multiple location retail jewelers. It also offers watch service training, conference speaking and seminars. Contact Colorado Timeworks at timeworks@hush.com to open an account, or visit Timeworks.biz.
More on Independents
The Latest
Policies & IssuesJul 09, 2025
James Avery to Donate $1M to Texas Hill Country Relief EffortsThe jewelry company is one of several contributing to relief efforts in the region after the recent floods.
Supplier BulletinJul 09, 2025
JCK Unwrapped: Trends, Insights & Post-Show TipsSponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
CollectionsJul 09, 2025
Cece Jewellery’s New Fruit Jewels Celebrate Life’s SweetnessThe “For the Love of Fruits” collection features five fruit pendants, each holding a different meaning.
Weekly QuizJul 02, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsJul 09, 2025
The Most-Read Stories of 2025, So FarDiamonds and crimes (some involving diamonds) top the list of National Jeweler’s most popular stories halfway through the year.
SourcingJul 09, 2025
Florida Couple Finds 3-Carat Diamond in ArkansasThey discovered “The Dash Diamond,” named for their dog, at the Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this month.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
CollectionsJul 08, 2025
Mikimoto’s High Jewelry Collection Turns Pearls into PetalsThe “Les Pétales” collection imagines roses caught mid-bloom as a tribute to nature’s beauty.
ColumnistsJul 08, 2025
Peter Smith: Why Jewelers Struggle With Premium PricingLuxury brands charge thousands for their shoes and handbags. Jewelers pricing diamond products should take note, Peter Smith writes.
TechnologyJul 08, 2025
‘Diamond Divas’ Brings the Showroom to Social Media Reality SeriesIt follows New York-based brand Shahla Karimi Jewelry’s all-women team in “Say Yes to the Dress” meets “The Office”-style episodes.
Policies & IssuesJul 08, 2025
SMO Gold Launches New FoundationIn its inaugural year, the SMO Foundation will focus on supporting two organizations in West Africa and one in South America.
Policies & IssuesJul 07, 2025
Higher Tariffs Set to Take Effect Aug. 1, Officials SayThe announcement comes just as the 90-day freeze on the “reciprocal” tariffs nears its end, giving countries more time to negotiate.
MajorsJul 07, 2025
Natural Diamond Council CEO David Kellie To Step DownKellie, who joined the organization in 2019, will remain in his role through the end of 2025.
CrimeJul 07, 2025
7 Suspects Charged in California Jewelry Store BurglaryPolice officers apprehended the suspects as they were allegedly attempting to gain entry into another jewelry store.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2025
Applications Open for Ella Klein Internship The program, a collaboration between Julius Klein Diamonds and the Women’s Jewelry Association, is in its second year.
Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New AmbassadorThe 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry HallThe West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-NegativeThis past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.
CollectionsJul 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Firework of Diamonds From YepremThe brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.
CrimeJul 03, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in BurglariesJSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Boucheron Looks to LA for First West Coast FlagshipLocated on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Marco Bicego Opens Milan FlagshipThe new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.
WatchesJul 02, 2025
Chrono24 Revamps Brand, Launches New CampaignThe online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.
SourcingJul 02, 2025
Bernadette Mack Joins Gem Legacy as Executive DirectorShe will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.
CrimeJul 02, 2025
Pandora, Amazon Partner to Uncover Counterfeit Jewelry NetworkWorking with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.
