What it usually turns out to be
- The contacts are not making contact. A spring clip bent slightly out of place during the last change, or corrosion on the terminal. Very common and usually quick.
- The cell is the wrong one. A cell that physically fits but is a size or a voltage off will sit there and do nothing.
- The cell is flat out of the packet. It happens, especially with cells that have been on a shelf a long time.
- The movement is seized. Old lubricant, or corrosion from moisture that got in at some point.
- A hand is catching. A chronograph hand knocked out of position can stop the whole train.
- The coil has gone. The part that actually makes the movement tick, and it is not always worth replacing — we will tell you honestly which yours is.
- It needs a reset. Some quartz movements need the contacts bridged after a cell change before they will start.
Bring the old battery if you still have it
And bring the packet the new one came in. Between them they often tell us straight away whether this is a wrong-cell problem or something inside, which saves time.
No blame about where it was done
Kitchen table, kiosk, another counter — it does not matter to us and we are not going to make you feel bad about it. Plenty of these are a bent contact that takes two minutes. Just bring it in.
We tell you what we find first
We open it, look properly, and come back to you with what it actually is before anything is agreed. If it turns out to be more than the watch is worth to you, we will say that too.
Bring it in and we will look at it
Every piece is different and a watch that will not start especially so. Put it on the counter, tell us what has happened, and we will tell you what we see and what we would do about it. You decide from there, before anything is agreed.
Questions we get asked
I changed the battery and nothing happened — why?
Most often a contact not seated, or the wrong cell. Sometimes the movement. Bring it in and we will find out.
Can you tell if the new battery is the right one?
Yes, and bring the packet if you have it. That answers it quickly.
Does a quartz watch need resetting after a battery?
Some movements do. It is one of the first things we check.
What if the movement has gone?
We tell you what we find and what it would take, and you decide. On some watches it is worth it and on some it is not.
Will you tell me what you find before doing any work?
Always. We look at it with you at the counter, tell you what we see, and you decide.
Not sure we can fix it?
Send a couple of details and we will call you back. Or just walk in — it is quicker, and we can actually look at the piece.
Drop it off, shop the mall, wear it tonight
We are inside Orland Square Mall in Orland Park. Walk in during mall hours, no appointment. Most repairs are finished the same day and a good number while you wait.
Where we are
Julio's Jewelry, 800 Orland Square Drive, Orland Park, IL 60462 — inside Orland Square Mall. Mon–Thu 10am–8pm · Fri–Sat 10am–9pm · Sun 11am–6pm. We are also at North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 W Cermak Rd, North Riverside, IL 60546.