REI watch model#656

[Jay H]

By any chance, do any of you own this watch? It's a basic analog watch with illuminated face and an analog date display. It's a few years old and according to REI is made by "freestyle" for REI.

I need to replace the battery but the back casing isn't obvious on how to get it off. Some cases might be threaded while others simply popped off. I see no "lip" where one can pop it off and there are little cutouts on the corner which one might perhaps use a pin spanner to unthread it. So I rather not try to hack it off and strip the threads and left a message at Freestyle's 800 number. But if anybody has one and has replaced the battery, I'm all ears!

Right now, I am wearing my Suuntu Vector which is kind of overkill for normal everyday wearing, although it is fun on my bike commute...

Jay

 

[Quietman]

If you look at the warranty info on the last page of this PDF, it says that service should be performed only by a jeweler or authorized dealer.
Freestyle warranty
Maybe a local jeweler would charge you a couple of bucks.

Other than that, I can't help.

 

[DougPaul]

I've opened watches. I used sharp-nose pliers as a wrench in the little square dimples at the edges of the back. (I'm sure there is a proper tool for this.) The back simply unscrewed. When reassembling, you have to be careful not to cross-thread the threads and that the gasket is back in place. (I started the back gently using my finger tips. Only when I was confident that it was started properly did I use the pliers to finish the job.)

Do this at your own risk, etc...

Doug

 

[AntlerPeak]

I have a 15 year old Casio altimeter watch. Because of the barometer that sets next to the battery Casio suggested a jeweler change the battery when needed. Every two years or so the neighborhood jeweler changes the battery for ten bucks, includes battery plus service. I didn't think that to be outrageous. So take it to the jeweler should be in the $10 range unless there is some unusual requirement with the watch.

 

[Jay H]

Thanks folks, honestly, I didn't expect any replies thinking it not a good chance that somebody else happens to have the same watch.

There is no altimeter in the watch, it's a basic timepiece.

I do have a couple of pin spanners since I use them for working on my bike. (chainring bolts can be loosened with a screwdriver and a pin spanner (or a special tool) so I have a few of them at home, have yet to try it though).

I'll carefully get it open, I'm a cheapskate, I can't think of paying $10 for something that a handy person should be able to do him/herself. Funny thing, I got a voice mail from freestyle saying they don't have the parts I'm supposedly interested in. Apparently, the techie didn't listen to my voice mail closely enough! d'oh.

Jay

 

[KMartman]

I don't know, cheapskate or not, $10 is much better than the alternative if you make a mistake and ruin the watch....sure you can pick up a watch for $10 at kmart or whatever, but it is going to compare...

I say take it to the local watchman...and have him take care of it...

M

 

[Dugan]

(I'm sure there is a proper tool for this.)Doug

This is the tool I've seen jewelers use:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EREX34/103-2121568-5269464?v=glance&n=3367581

 

[Jay H]

$20 tool on a $50 watch! That's a serious tool.

Well, I used a needlenose pliers and used the tip as a pin spanner and unscrewed the cover to it. Now I need to get an SR621W watch battery! I never got a response from Freestyle, other than a voice mail saying that they had no parts for the REI brand watchs which wasn't my question so I called them back but never heard from them again. Oh well.

Jay

 

[HuiYeng]

Hi Jay,
First of all welcome back! What a great and exciting adventure you, giggy, guinness and the rest of the gang had out west.

I have a FreeStyle 635. Seems like you've already got the case opened, I don't need to bore you with the detail. There are 2 things I do want to point out. One DougPaul has already mentioned above, when you put the case back on, be careful not to press on the gasket. I noticed mine has a crease on it :-(

Don't know if your battery compartment is the same as mine. The first time I replaced my battery, I made a mistake by forcing the metal plate (+) to pop off the tongue, and ripping off the entire tongue all together. Now I need to place a piece of duct tape on it to make sure the metal plate stay in place.


Good luck!

 

[Jay H]

Thanks HuiYeng, we had a great time, despite my respitory problems. It was a really fun trip, can't wait for my next big adventure next year (And also another trip for The Brain Tumor Society, I always think of them up in the winter so stay tuned!).

Anyway, my inside looks diffferent than yours and my battery was simply face down in its own little cubby hole that I simply popped the old battery out and slipped in the new one.

I think the 635 might be more complex than mine. My watch is 100m water resistant but is just a watch, no altimeter, no compass, just an analog watch that tells the time and a stupid day counter that is useless unless you want to adjust it every month. It's got one button on it cause it is lighted at night but other than that, it's a $50 watch I use when not hiking.

Jay