# best batteries for hi-end swiss quartz watch



## wilfreb

hi, i own some hi-end quartz watches including TagHeuer, Movado and Omega, and every time i go to the watchshops all i see is japan made batteries, i wonder, do people use japan batteries on their hi-end swiss quartz watches?

thanks.


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## Craig M

I believe most Swiss companies use Renata brand batteries, which is also a Swiss Company

www.renata.com

BTW This is apparently my first post in HEQ...hello!


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## Catalin

wilfreb said:


> hi, i own some hi-end quartz watches including TagHeuer, Movado and Omega, and every time i go to the watchshops all i see is japan made batteries, i wonder, do people use japan batteries on their hi-end swiss quartz watches?
> 
> thanks.


Generally it is a matter of 'reliability', and (depending on source) I have seen the JP batteries (and watches) at least as good (and very often better) than the swiss models - but just as I said - it depends on source.


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## ppaulusz

Catalin said:


> Generally it is a matter of 'reliability', and (depending on source) I have seen the JP batteries (and watches) at least as good (and very often better) than the swiss models - but just as I said - it depends on source.


My watchmaker thinks that Energizer is the best.


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## gaijin

ppaulusz said:


> My watchmaker thinks that Energizer is the best.


I agree with your watchmaker - it must be that whole bunny thing ... :-d


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## eurocopter

They do. There are some reliable brands like Energizer, Maxell, Panasonic to name a few.

as for Renata, I see it like this

[part of swatch group] + [too many leaks] = [overhyped ****]


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## vizi

Budapest, Longines, Omega, service centers using Energizer battery is the best.


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## John MS

wilfreb said:


> hi, i own some hi-end quartz watches including TagHeuer, Movado and Omega, and every time i go to the watchshops all i see is japan made batteries, i wonder, do people use japan batteries on their hi-end swiss quartz watches?
> 
> thanks.


The same model batteries from any of the big brands will be equally reliable and long lived. A volt is a volt no matter the brand name. I've used Swiss batteries in my Japanese watches and vice versa.

And I've used chinese, japanese and italian brand tires on my swedish cars.

So far no cultural clashes...


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## Eeeb

Though Asian batteries beat them on price, Energizers are what my watchmaker swears by. He claims to have never found a leaking Energizer...


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## tantancw

This is a little OT but the OP mentioned owning a HEQ Tag Heuer. Did Tag ever make a HEQ? I'd be very interested in one.


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## Eeeb

tantancw said:


> This is a little OT but the OP mentioned owning a HEQ Tag Heuer. Did Tag ever make a HEQ? I'd be very interested in one.


No.... but Heuer did! My camera just 'surfaced' (appearing on the dining room table in spite of every one not knowing where it was ;-)) so I can post a pic ... but probably not this week (I'll be in Chicago at a conference).

BTW it's not what you think, I suspect.


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## gaijin

Eeeb said:


> Though Asian batteries beat them on price, Energizers are what my watchmaker swears by. He claims to have never found a leaking Energizer...


A quick survey of my Energizer battery inventory reveals at least 3 countries of origin - Japan, Indonesia and United States.

Energizer may not be recognized as an Asian name, but at least some of their batteries are manufactured in Asian countries.

What is more important is the Quality Control and technology which stand behind the product - both top rate in the case of Energizer.

HTH


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## gaijin

John MS said:


> The same model batteries from any of the big brands will be equally reliable and long lived. A volt is a volt no matter the brand name. I've used Swiss batteries in my Japanese watches and vice versa.
> 
> And I've used chinese, japanese and italian brand tires on my swedish cars.
> 
> So far no cultural clashes...


"A volt is a volt no matter the brand name" is true, but more important to the use of these watch batteries is their Milli Ampere Hour (mAh) rating - an indication of how long and at what drain rate the battery can use those available Volts. The higher the mAh rating, the better.

A search of data/spec sheets (where available) for comparable batteries from different manufacturers will usually show that Energizer batteries have a higher mAh rating. This means that an Energizer battery should last longer in your watch than the competition.

HTH


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## lvt

Swiss made watches should use Swiss made batteries for a perfect marketing purpose (100% Swiss).

I believe Japan made batteries are as good as Swiss made batteries and theirs prices are more competitive thanks to very large annual production volume.


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## South Pender

gaijin said:


> "A volt is a volt no matter the brand name" is true, but more important to the use of these watch batteries is their Milli Ampere Hour (mAh) rating - an indication of how long and at what drain rate the battery can use those available Volts. The higher the mAh rating, the better.
> 
> A search of data/spec sheets (where available) for comparable batteries from different manufacturers will usually show that Energizer batteries have a higher mAh rating. This means that an Energizer battery should last longer in your watch than the competition.
> 
> HTH


Yes, I was wondering about the "A volt is a volt no matter the brand name" comment too. If we consider flashlight batteries (size D), for example, all are 1.5 V, but there's a huge difference in longevity between, say, Ray-o-Vac, on the one hand, and Duracell on the other. My experiences with batteries have shown Duracell to be the longest-lasting. Are Duracell watch batteries available?


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## Time

Hi guys,
Seiko is making batteries that are eco-friendly. They just started last year, I think. They are using them in all their watches now. I'm glad this is happening.


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## wilfreb

tantancw said:


> This is a little OT but the OP mentioned owning a HEQ Tag Heuer. Did Tag ever make a HEQ? I'd be very interested in one.


are you saying that Tag doesn't make hi-end watches or something like that?


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## tantancw

Eeeb said:


> No.... but Heuer did! My camera just 'surfaced' (appearing on the dining room table in spite of every one not knowing where it was ;-)) so I can post a pic ... but probably not this week (I'll be in Chicago at a conference).
> 
> BTW it's not what you think, I suspect.


Please do! I'm thinking it's a vintage, isn't it?



> are you saying that Tag doesn't make hi-end watches or something like that?


What I'm saying is that I don't know any High-end _Quartz _watches by Tag. Some of their watches are considered "high-end", but that's a completely different topic altogether.


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## South Pender

wilfreb said:


> are you saying that Tag doesn't make hi-end watches or something like that?


No; the central aspect of "high-end" (although not the _only_ criterion) on this forum is _high-accuracy_. This means movements with accuracy-enhanced features (like thermocompensation) that lead to performance levels with, for the most part, average _yearly_ deviations from absolutely perfect (atomic clock) accuracy of 20 seconds or less. Evidently, TAG-Heuer doesn't produce such watches. Still "high-end" is a fairly nebulous term, isn't it, and certainly in some senses quartz TAG watches can be seen as "high-end"!


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## ppaulusz

South Pender said:


> No; the central aspect of "high-end" (although not the _only_ criterion) on this forum is _high-accuracy_. This means movements with accuracy-enhanced features (like thermocompensation) that lead to performance levels with, for the most part, average _yearly_ deviations from absolutely perfect (atomic clock) accuracy of 20 seconds or less. Evidently, TAG-Heuer doesn't produce such watches. Still "high-end" is a fairly nebulous term, isn't it, and certainly in some senses quartz TAG watches can be seen as "high-end"!


I agree with the above with a condition: I would not insist on the "20 seconds or less" yearly figure. I would not put any yearly figure only "accuracy-enhanced" features. Why? Because your yearly accuracy figure would rule out the Rolex OysterQuartz. If we need to give some figures about minimum accuracy requirement, I would use the old (pre-2001) COSC for Quartz specifications (about 73 seconds per year) purely just for the sake of the OysterQuartz (and the Seiko 8F models!).


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## Catalin

ppaulusz said:


> I agree with the above with a condition: I would not insist on the "20 seconds or less" yearly figure. I would not put any yearly figure only "accuracy-enhanced" features. Why? Because your yearly accuracy figure would rule out the Rolex OysterQuartz. If we need to give some figures about minimum accuracy requirement, I would use the old (pre-2001) COSC for Quartz specifications (about 73 seconds per year) purely just for the sake of the OysterQuartz (and the Seiko 8F models!).


The OysterQuartz has its own place by historical reasons, just like the Beta21 or the tuning-forks - the new COSC is IMHO very relevant for NEW watches (like post-1990) - and if somebody designs and builds a new watch in the 21st century and can only do 6 seconds/month I will be VERY UNIMPRESSED - among other things since I have 2-3 non-TC watches which do better and one of them is from 1980 ...


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## ppaulusz

Catalin said:


> The OysterQuartz has its own place by historical reasons, just like the Beta21 or the tuning-forks - the new COSC is IMHO very relevant for NEW watches (like post-1990) - and if somebody designs and builds a new watch in the 21st century and can only do 6 seconds/month I will be VERY UNIMPRESSED - among other things since I have 2-3 non-TC watches which do better and one of them is from 1980 ...


Did you notice that you've just ruled out the OysterQuartz and the Seiko 8F movements fitted Seikos from the list of high-accuracy watches as none of the them could pass the new COSC for quartz?


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## rex

*Does Seiko actually own the watch battery factory??>>>*

or do they outsource and just put their name on them????

They Seiko is a "complete" manufacture but that might not include batteries as well...no?

My local watchmaker changed mine out last year...Not even sure what brand he used but it better last 43 months like the Seiko brand did or I'll sure be :-(


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## Sideshow_Bob

*Re: Does Seiko actually own the watch battery factory??>>>*



rex said:


> or do they outsource and just put their name on them????


It's part of SII
http://speed.sii.co.jp/pub/compo/battery/topEN.jsp

Marcel


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## rex

*Thanks for sharing Bob...With that said>>>*

I'd chose SII over any choice of microbattery if ever given the opportunity!


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## John MS

gaijin said:


> "A volt is a volt no matter the brand name" is true, but more important to the use of these watch batteries is their Milli Ampere Hour (mAh) rating - an indication of how long and at what drain rate the battery can use those available Volts. The higher the mAh rating, the better.
> 
> A search of data/spec sheets (where available) for comparable batteries from different manufacturers will usually show that Energizer batteries have a higher mAh rating. This means that an Energizer battery should last longer in your watch than the competition.
> 
> HTH


Within their markets, Energizer, Duracell and Renata tend to widely advertise and generally overhype batteries carrying their brand name. Lets face it, there really are few if any secrets to making batteries for consumer use, so I would expect that in the real world similarly priced batteries from major makers would perform similarly. Given the highly competitive nature of the business, the big battery companies would not have gotten to their position by providing batteries that last measurably less or that tend to leak more than the competition. I realize there are urban legends a-plenty about batteries as there are with many other consumer products. As with the Corning Kithchenware urban legend it is best to look behind the claims and review the facts about one watch battery brand tending to leak more or otherwise underperform the competition. You may find people who enjoy reading their own writing or people who are pushing a competing product.

The MAH numbers may mean that one maker has a performance margin and it may not. I suspect it is less helpful than you might assume. It's usefulness really depends on how the test was performed. Whether the number is 42, 44 or 45, or 165, 190 or 195 will likely not translate to measurable differences in the real world. As with horsepower in cars and jewels in watches, battery manufacturers know that being ranked first in a publicized number will sell batteries to a certain segment of the population.

The only meaningful test would be to take the same model battery from three different manufacturers all produced within 1 week of one another and install them in the same model watch and let them run.


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## gaijin

John MS said:


> The only meaningful test would be to take the same model battery from three different manufacturers all produced within 1 week of one another and install them in the same model watch and let them run.


And if one does that, the battery designed to have the highest mAh rating will last the longest - science is science, after all :-!

A good "real world" example of how the mAh rating works is rechargeable batteries.

Look at the different brands of AA size rechargeable batteries available on the market. Now look at their specifications. You will find that when fully charged they all have about 1.2 Volts, but their mAh ratings vary from about 1,200 mAh to 2,000 mAh or more.

If you fully charge the brand with the 1,200 mAh rating and the brand with the 2,000 mAh rating and measure their Voltage output, you will find they are both the same with approximately 1.2 Volts. But attach them both to a constant drain device, like a small light bulb, and you will find the battery with the higher mAh rating will keep the bulb lit for a much longer time.

So, yes, all batteries of a given size/design are very similar; but there are design and material diffrences that yield better performance from some. The mAh rating is a good, hard number to use in determining which will perform better.

HTH


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## John MS

gaijin said:


> And if one does that, the battery designed to have the highest mAh rating will last the longest - science is science, after all :-!
> 
> A good "real world" example of how the mAh rating works is rechargeable batteries.
> 
> Look at the different brands of AA size rechargeable batteries available on the market. Now look at their specifications. You will find that when fully charged they all have about 1.2 Volts, but their mAh ratings vary from about 1,200 mAh to 2,000 mAh or more.
> 
> If you fully charge the brand with the 1,200 mAh rating and the brand with the 2,000 mAh rating and measure their Voltage output, you will find they are both the same with approximately 1.2 Volts. But attach them both to a constant drain device, like a small light bulb, and you will find the battery with the higher mAh rating will keep the bulb lit for a much longer time.
> 
> So, yes, all batteries of a given size/design are very similar; but there are design and material diffrences that yield better performance from some. The mAh rating is a good, hard number to use in determining which will perform better.
> 
> HTH


Science may be science, but the scientists in a battery manufacturer laboratory may be measuring battery performance using a ruler supplied by the sales department. It is not unknown for scientists to find the numbers that support the conclusion that the sales office wants supported.

The only way to prove which of three batteries performs longer than the other is to test it in a device that it was designed to run. Button batteries are generally designed to run low drain electronic devices like watches and not high drain lightbulbs. The watch will have a built-in voltage cutoff below which it will not perform. Allowing the three batteries of the same age to run to the point of watch shutdown will provide measurable results that can be compared across manufacturer.


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## Beau8

Renata and Energizer~Cheers! ;-)


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## reverendkb

lvt said:


> Swiss made watches should use Swiss made batteries for a perfect marketing purpose (100% Swiss).
> 
> I believe Japan made batteries are as good as Swiss made batteries and theirs prices are more competitive thanks to very large annual production volume.


100% Swiss? :rodekaart 
Seems the marketing departments are working overtime. 
And with some modicum of success.


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## nectarios73

i prefer renata and (if u are able to find) varta


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## Danlr

wilfreb said:


> hi, i own some hi-end quartz watches including TagHeuer, Movado and Omega, and every time i go to the watchshops all i see is japan made batteries, i wonder, do people use japan batteries on their hi-end swiss quartz watches?
> 
> thanks.


You shouldn't pay more than £10 even for the best batteries! Those batteries being varta, reneta or rayovac personally being a self employed jeweller myself I recommend rayovac, I have been in business 33 years and I do omega tag heuer longenes Cartier and many more but most places charge £30-£200 do not pay that price!


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## Haqnut

Eeeb said:


> No.... but Heuer did! My camera just 'surfaced' (appearing on the dining room table in spite of every one not knowing where it was ;-)) so I can post a pic ... but probably not this week (I'll be in Chicago at a conference).
> 
> BTW it's not what you think, I suspect.


Ex-Heuer owner still waiting!


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## Eeeb

Haqnut said:


> Ex-Heuer owner still waiting!


Use the search in the upper right hand corner of the forum page and search for HEQ HEUER

I bet it finds this (among others...)


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## Avro Arrow

I just had the battery in my Movado SE replaced. The battery that came out was a Renata. I went to a store in Erin Mills Town Centre called "WatchWorks" which is a Movado AD and I asked him what kind of battery he uses. He said "I only use Seiko (Maxell) batteries. You see, your Renata had started to leak. It's good that you changed it when you did. There was a little residue inside the watch but I cleaned it. There is no risk of damage so never fear. Renata batteries are crap because they tend to leak but I have never in my life seen a Seiko/Maxell battery leak." I could see a small shimmer of liquid on the Renata that came out at the tiny crevice that surrounds the battery. Having seen this with my own eyes, I will NEVER put a Renata battery in my beloved SE. The battery was factory as my SE isn't very old and I'm glad I learned this from him. It only cost me $15 for the battery change whereas The Bay wanted $18 and I don't know what they use. I'm glad that some places still believe in quality work without trying to fleece you.


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## xzqt

I'll rather share experience on battery that did leak !
So far , i have seen Renata and Duracell battery leak (and of course plenty of those chinese made cheapo cell leak too!)

The ones that are good are :
Maxwell 
Sony
Seiko
Mitsubishi
Verta
Energizer


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## Wintergreen765

vizi said:


> Budapest, Longines, Omega, service centers using Energizer battery is the best.


Resurrecting and old thread aside, this topic helped a lot, I'm going to pick Energizer based on your input. -Breitling Colt II with Thermoline 955.652 I believe.


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## ronalddheld

No need to bump an old thread for this.


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