Quick answer

Most quartz watches need a new battery every 2 to 5 years, and at Bijouterie Jamil in Montréal, a standard battery replacement costs $15 to $40 CAD and is done while you wait. Mechanical and automatic watches need a full service every 5 to 7 years, which includes disassembly, ultrasonic cleaning, oiling, regulation, and gasket replacement. Any watch you swim with should be pressure-tested after the case is opened, and brands like Rolex, Omega, and Cartier require sending out to an authorized service centre — we handle that for you.

Table of contents

1. Battery replacement: cost, timing, and what we actually do
2. Why waterproof testing matters after a battery change
3. Mechanical and automatic watch service intervals
4. What a full service includes (and what it costs)
5. Crystal and glass replacement: mineral, sapphire, acrylic
6. Movement replacement vs repair
7. Authorized service vs independent watchmakers
8. Warranty notes
9. FAQ

1. Battery replacement: cost, timing, and what we actually do

A quartz watch battery typically lasts 2 to 5 years. Some last longer, some die at 18 months — it depends on the calibre, the complications (chronograph, alarm, backlight all drain faster), and whether the watch was sitting in a drawer or on a wrist. When the second hand starts jumping in 2- or 4-second intervals, that's the End-of-Life Indicator on most modern quartz movements: change it now, before the cell leaks.

At Bijouterie Jamil, a standard battery replacement runs $15 to $40 CAD depending on the watch. Most are done while you wait — usually 10 to 20 minutes. Screw-down casebacks, complicated dials, or watches needing a special cell (like the Tag Heuer F1 chrono) take a bit longer and may cost more.

Here's what actually happens at the bench:

• We open the caseback (snap-back, screw-back, or two-piece — each needs a different tool)
• Inspect the gasket and the movement for corrosion or moisture
• Remove the dead cell, check the contacts, and insert a fresh Renata or Energizer silver-oxide battery sized for that calibre
• Reset the movement, replace the gasket if needed, and close the case
• Confirm the watch is ticking and the hands are aligned

If we open the watch and find a leaked battery, green corrosion, or a damaged movement, we stop and call you with a diagnostic before going further. No surprise charges.

2. Why waterproof testing matters after a battery change

Every time a caseback comes off, the seal is broken. The gasket — that thin rubber ring around the back — gets compressed, dries out, or shifts. Closing the watch back up doesn't restore the original water resistance. This matters more than people think.

If your watch is rated 30m, 50m, or 100m and you only wear it under a sleeve in Montréal winter, a fresh gasket is enough. But if you swim, dive, or even shower with it, you need a pressure test after the battery change. We use a dry pressure tester that simulates the depth rating and confirms the seal holds. If it fails, we replace the gasket and retest.

For divers' watches (Seiko, Citizen Promaster, Tag Heuer Aquaracer, Rolex Submariner, Omega Seamaster), waterproof testing isn't optional. It's part of the job. Add roughly $25 to $60 CAD depending on the watch and the depth rating.

A common Quebec mistake: people skip the test in winter when they're not swimming, then forget by July and lose the watch in a lake. Once water gets in, you're looking at a full service or worse.

3. Mechanical and automatic watch service intervals

Mechanical watches — manual wind or automatic — don't run on a battery. They run on a mainspring driving a series of jewelled gears, lubricated by tiny amounts of synthetic watch oil. Those oils dry out and break down. When that happens, friction increases, parts wear, and accuracy drifts.

The general rule: service every 5 to 7 years. Some brands say 10 years (Rolex now suggests 10 for modern calibres), some say 3 to 5 (older Omegas, vintage pieces). Here's how to think about it:

• Modern Rolex, Omega, Tudor: 7 to 10 years if accuracy is still within spec
• Cartier, IWC, Breitling: 5 to 7 years
• Vintage watches (pre-1980): 4 to 6 years, sooner if it's a daily wearer
• Heavily worn daily: shorten the interval by 1 to 2 years
• Sat in a drawer for 10 years: service before wearing again — dried oil is worse than worn oil

Signs your mechanical watch needs service: losing or gaining more than 30 seconds a day, automatic rotor making a grinding sound, power reserve dropping (an automatic that should run 40 hours only runs 20), moisture under the crystal, or it just stops randomly.

4. What a full service includes (and what it costs)

A full service is not "open it up and add a drop of oil." Done properly, it's a multi-day job. Here's what's involved:

1. Disassembly — The movement is taken out of the case and broken down to individual parts. On a chronograph, that can be 250+ pieces.
2. Ultrasonic cleaning — Each part is cleaned in a watch-specific solvent in an ultrasonic bath, then dried.
3. Inspection — Every pivot, jewel, and tooth is inspected under magnification for wear. Worn mainsprings, broken jewels, or pitted pivots are replaced.
4. Reassembly and oiling — Reassembled with calibrated micro-doses of synthetic oil (Moebius is the industry standard) at specific points. Wrong oil or wrong amount = damage.
5. Regulation — The watch is timed on a Witschi machine across multiple positions (dial up, dial down, crown left, etc.) and adjusted to factory specs.
6. Case service — Case and bracelet polished if requested, gaskets replaced, crown and pushers checked.
7. Pressure test — Sealed and tested to depth rating.
8. 48 to 72 hour observation — Run on a winder before it goes back to you.

Pricing in Montréal at independent watchmakers (not authorized centres):

Brand-authorized service is 1.5 to 3x these numbers. We'll cover that next.

5. Crystal and glass replacement: mineral, sapphire, acrylic

The "glass" on top of your dial is one of three materials, and they behave very differently.

• Acrylic (plexi) — Soft plastic. Scratches easily but you can polish scratches out yourself with PolyWatch in 5 minutes. Common on vintage watches and some modern pieces (Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch). Replacement: $40–$120 CAD.
• Mineral glass — Hardened glass, more scratch-resistant than acrylic but can crack on impact. Standard on sub-$500 watches. Replacement: $60–$180 CAD.
• Sapphire — Synthetic sapphire crystal, second only to diamond in hardness. Will not scratch in normal wear but can shatter on a hard impact. Standard on most luxury watches. Replacement: $150–$500 CAD for generics, more for branded (a Rolex sapphire has the laser-etched coronet at 6 o'clock and must come from Rolex).

If your sapphire is "scratched," it's almost always a metal transfer mark from a doorframe or zipper — wipe it firmly with a soft cloth and a drop of jewellery cleaner before assuming it needs replacing. Also see our jewellery repair services guide for what we can fix in-house and what gets sent out.

6. Movement replacement vs repair

When a movement fails, you have two paths.

Repair: Source the broken part, install it, regulate, return. Best for vintage pieces where the movement is part of the value, or for branded movements where parts are still available. More expensive, more skilled, sometimes weeks for parts.

Movement swap: Replace the entire movement with a new or refurbished one of the same calibre. Common for ETA-based watches (Tissot, Hamilton, Tag Heuer, older Breitling) where a fresh ETA 2824 or 2892 costs less than a rebuild. Faster, often cheaper, but you've technically changed the heart of the watch — vintage collectors care, daily wearers don't.

We'll quote both options when both make sense and let you decide. For a $300 quartz watch with a dead Ronda movement, a swap is the obvious answer ($60–$120 CAD installed). For a 1968 Omega Constellation, we repair.

7. Authorized service vs independent watchmakers

This is the big one. Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, and most modern Omega calibres require sending out to an authorized service centre. Independent watchmakers cannot get parts from these brands — period. If someone in Montréal claims to "service Rolex in-house," ask where they source parts.

What that means in practice:

• Bijouterie Jamil partners with the authorized centres in Canada (and direct with the brands when needed). You drop the watch with us, we ship it insured, track it, communicate with the centre, and return it to you. You don't deal with shipping, customs, or follow-up.
• Turnaround: Rolex full service is currently 8 to 14 weeks. Cartier 6 to 12 weeks. Omega 4 to 10 weeks. Add 1 to 2 weeks for shipping each way.
• Cost: Rolex full service runs $1,200 to $2,500 CAD depending on model. Cartier $900 to $2,000. Omega $700 to $1,800. These are 2026 numbers and they go up every year.

For everything else — Tag Heuer (older), Tissot, Hamilton, Longines, Seiko, Citizen, vintage anything — independent service is usually faster, cheaper, and just as good when the watchmaker is qualified. We do most of this work in Montréal.

8. Warranty notes

A few things customers ask us repeatedly about warranty:

• Battery replacements at Bijouterie Jamil come with a 6-month warranty on the battery and the seal. If it dies early or moisture gets in, bring it back.
• Full services done in-house carry a 1-year warranty on workmanship.
• Brand-authorized services carry the manufacturer's warranty, typically 2 years on Rolex and 24 months on most others — this resets the warranty on the watch's serviced components.
• Manufacturer's original warranty (the warranty card you got when you bought new) is usually 2 to 5 years depending on brand. Opening the case for a battery at an unauthorized shop does not void a Rolex or Omega warranty in Canada — but it can void warranties on some fashion brands. When in doubt, ask before we open.
• If you bought the watch from us, keep the receipt. We track your service history.

For watches bought pre-owned, see our pre-owned luxury watch authentication and watch strap and band sizing pillars for related care.

9. FAQ

How much does a watch battery cost in Montréal? At Bijouterie Jamil, a standard battery replacement is $15 to $40 CAD, done while you wait in 10 to 20 minutes. Complicated movements or special cells can run $40 to $70.

How often does a Rolex need service? Modern Rolex calibres (3135, 3235, etc.) are rated for 10 years between full services if accuracy stays within spec (around -2/+2 seconds per day). If you're losing or gaining more than 10 seconds a day, service it sooner. Full service takes 8 to 14 weeks through the authorized centre and runs $1,200 to $2,500 CAD.

Do I need to waterproof test my watch after a battery change? If you ever get the watch wet — swimming, showering, washing dishes — yes. Opening the caseback breaks the seal. Pressure testing adds $25 to $60 CAD and confirms the watch is still rated to its original depth. For divers' watches it's mandatory at our shop.

Can you replace a sapphire crystal on a Rolex? Only the brand can supply Rolex-marked sapphire crystals (with the laser-etched coronet at 6 o'clock). We send these out to the authorized centre. For non-Rolex sapphires, we replace in-house — $150 to $500 CAD depending on size and shape.

My automatic watch stopped — does it need a service? Not always. Automatics need motion to wind. If it's been sitting, give it a manual wind (40 turns of the crown) and wear it for a day. If it still stops or runs poorly, bring it in for a diagnostic — $40 to $80 CAD, applied to the repair if you proceed.

What's the difference between authorized service and an independent watchmaker? Authorized centres get genuine factory parts, follow brand procedures, and carry the manufacturer's warranty — required for Rolex, Patek, AP, Cartier, and modern Omega. Independent watchmakers are usually faster and cheaper, and for most Tissot, Hamilton, Tag Heuer, Seiko, and vintage work they're a great option. Bijouterie Jamil handles both — in-house when we can, sent to the brand when we must.

Will replacing the movement hurt my watch's value? For a daily wearer, no. For a vintage collectible, yes — original matching movement is part of the value. We'll always quote movement repair vs swap and let you decide.

Do you service Apple Watches and smartwatches? We don't service smartwatches. Battery replacement on an Apple Watch needs to go through Apple. We focus on quartz and mechanical timepieces.

Bring your watch in

Whether it's a $200 quartz that needs a battery or a 1965 Omega that needs a full service, we'll diagnose it honestly and quote you before any work starts. Walk in for batteries — no appointment needed. For full services, repairs, or anything brand-authorized, book a watch consultation at our Montréal store. We've been doing this since 1962.

Ziko Khazzoum is the second-generation owner of Bijouterie Jamil in Montréal. He specializes in luxury timepieces, gold buying, and pre-owned watch authentication. Reach him through the boutique on bjamil.com.