Changing your watch battery is a pain.
It seems the cheaper the watch, the harder it is to change. And what makes it even more difficult is the fact that there are hundreds of different watch batteries. They come in different thicknesses, sizes, widths, it causes a lot of confusion and frustration. What’s even funnier is the fact that a lot of watch batteries (or cells) look alike, but aren’t.
How is anyone supposed to know what’s the correct size for your watch? Pull out your old dead battery from your watch and look at it. Chances are, there’s a lot of gibberish on that battery (And some watches don’t even list a battery number on them at all, in that case, use a watch battery selector).
So what can you do to find the correct battery?
Convert it!
(Get great deals on watch batteries from Amazon here.)
Below is a conversion chart, or cross reference guide for the most common watch battery types. Both regular (silver oxide and mercury) and lithium batteries too. Take your watch battery number, look it up on the chart to locate the conversion number. Then go into any jewelry store, or Amazon, and buy one (just about any jewelry store, walmart, walgreens, kroger… sells watch batteries).
Note: There are some batteries that will work for multiple battery numbers. So if they’re out of one battery, you can always use the other. I’ll list these at the end of the post.
Here they are. The most common watch batteries, their conversion numbers and voltage (P.S. you can also purchase watch battery sets, which have multiple battery sizes).
(Also note that Energizer is probably the most common brand of watch battery sold. P.S. 364 & 379 are the two most popular watch batteries there are, so expect stores to be low on these (of course).
This chart converts batteries and voltage (most are 1.5 or 1.35 Volts) for Everready, Energizer, Duracell, Maxell, Panasonic, and Varta. And converts battery cell numbers: 301, D301, SR43SW, SP301, V301, 303, D303, SR44SW, SP303, V303, 309, D309, SR754SW, WS6, V309, 313, D313, NP313, V313, 314, SR716W, 315, D315, SR716SW, V315, 317, D317, SR516SW, SP317, V317, 319, D319, SR527SW, SP319, V319, 321, D321, SR616SW, SP321, V321, 323, D323, WH-6, V323, 325, D325, WH-1, V325, 328<, 329, D329, SR731SW, V329, 333, SR610SW, 335, SR512SW, SP335, 337, SR416SW, SR416SW, 339, SR614SW, V339, 341, V341, 343, D343, NP343, V343, 344, D344, SR1136SW, WS12, V344, 350, D350, V350, 354, D354, V354, 357, D357, SR44W, SP357, V357, 361, D361, SR721W, SP361, V361, 362, D362, SR721SW, SP362, V362, 364, D364, SR621W, SP364, V364, 362, D362, SR721SW, SP362, V362, 365, SR1116W, 366, D366, SR1116SW, V366, 370, D370, SR920W, SP370, V370, 371, D371, SR920SW, SP371, V371, 372, SR916W, SP372, 373, D373, SR916SW, SP373, V373, 376, SR626W, SP376, 377, D377, SR626SW, SP377, V377, 379, D379, SR521SW, SP379, V379, 381, D381, SR1120SW, V381, 384, D384, SR41SW, SP384, V384, 386, D386, SR43W, SP386, V386, 387, D387, V387, 388, D388, V388, 389, D389, SR1130W, SP389, V389, 390, D390, SR1130SW, WS-10, V390, 391, D391, SR1120W, SP391, V391, 392, D392, SR41W, SP392, V392, 393, D393, SR754W, SP393, V393, 394, D394, SR936SW, V394, 395, D395, SR927SW, SP395, V395, 396, D396, SR726W, SP396, V396, 397, D397, SR726SW, SP397, V397, 399, D399, SR927W, SP399, and V399.
All batteries listed are battery chemical system “silver-oxide” except for these few batteries listed: 313, 323, 325, 343, 354, 387, and 388. Those batteries are actually mercury batteries.
Purchase mercury watch batteries here:
Watch tool kits:
And while you’re at it, grab a watch tool kit so you can pop the case back off your watch, change the battery, and adjust any links. They work like a charm.
Want a printable battery conversion chart?
I’ve made one just for you. :) Download the free printable battery conversion chart here.
Lithium watch batteries are a little more odd.
Lithium batteries are flat, thin batteries that resemble nickels (see image). The number system on the cell (i.e. 2025, correlates to the size, 20 mm across, and 2.5 mm thick).
Lithiums are commonly used for calculators, remote control car starters and of course watches. Watches that use lithium batteries are normally the ones that have lots of functions and dials and buttons on them. Functions that use up a lot of juice.
They cost more.
The sad thing about lithium batteries is that lithium cells are normally more expensive than silver-oxide or mercury batteries are. And some watches even use 2 of these. Just check out any Casio watch with an LCD screen and stop watch, it drains a lot of cells quickly.
So here you go, the watch battery conversion chart for lithiums…
Lithium battery chart
This lithium battery conversion chart converts cells for Everready, Energizer, Duracell, Maxell, Panasonic, and Varta. They are all 3.0 voltage, and converts these battery cell numbers: CR1025, ECR1216, CR1216, ECR1220, DL1220, CR1220, ECR1225, ECR1616, CR1616, ECR1620, DL1620, CR1620, ECR2012, CR2012, ECR2016, DL2016, CR2016, ECR2025, DL2025, CR2025, ECR2032, DL2032, CR2032, ECR2320, CR2320, ECR2430, DL2430, and CR2430.
Do note:
CR1025 is made by Panasonic and goes by a couple of different names: BR1025, P031 ND, and P031 and has no conversion that I know of.
Interchangeable batteries.
Now some watch batteries are interchangeable. Like watch batteries 376 & 377 . If your watch takes either of these cells, you can use 376 or 377 in your watch. It doesn’t matter. Either one will work (good to know if the store is out of one number and not the other). Same with numbers 396 & 397. Those can be swapped out. 361 & 362 will work for each other. As well as 395 & 399. And 386 & 301. Companies like Energizer will state right on the packaging what numbers it will work for (see image. 357 & 303 are the same). And then you have crazy conversions like AG3 is the same battery as 392 and 384, go figure.
Are you backwards?
Speaking of batteries… I don’t know if you know it, but if you put a battery in backwards in your watch, it’s very possible that the battery will leak, explode and ruin your watch. Be careful. Oh, and do keep batteries away from kids, (especially the lithium ones) they can block the airways and that’s not a good thing.
The bottom line…
Make sure you get the proper battery for your watch. If not, have a jeweler do it for you. I always advise that anyway. People have a tendency of breaking their watch if they don’t know what they’re doing (crystals, crowns, gaskets, bands). It’s not worth the trouble.
Just take it to a jeweler and let them change it for you. They have all the tools, and it’ll only take them a couple of minutes.
Buy your watch batteries from Amazon and save money. :)
Pick up a watch tool kit as well. :)
… It makes changing batteries easy. :)
One more thing…
If you can’t figure out the battery because you can’t read the number, pick up the watch battery selector from Amazon, slide your battery through the slot and it’ll tell you which battery to buy. Easy as that.
Cheers!
