Cardinal watches has been around for quite a long time. I came across a women’s Cardinal watch, but the watch battery was dead. Frustratingly, the rear bezel has no notch, raised lip or pry area, so opening it in order to replace the battery was difficult. Who would make a watch back like this, that would make changing the battery difficult and dangerous?
As a student I used to work at a Sears watch counter, so have changed my share of watch batteries. This watch was troublesome. I tried filing a notch into the bezel, but still could not get the watch back off. An internet search yielded nothing but the more traditional and easy way of opening the watch. After a couple more months of thinking, I tried a novel way to open it and it worked.
I noticed that the Cardinal watch’s rear bezel has no notch, raised lip or pry area, but it did have a very slight difference on height between the watch case and the rear cover, or bezel.
Tools Needed:
- table
- 6″ woodworker’s clamp, preferably with padded ends
- pen knife: I used my Swiss Army Knife
Use an adjustable woodworking clamp. Wrap the watch with a cloth on 3 sides of the watch, exposing one of the watch sides. Lay the clamp on a table. Put the watch loosely into the clamp, perpendicular to the table and clamp, but don’t tighten down too much more you’ll break the crystal. There should be enough room to allow the watch back to come off. Use the clamp to somewhat securely hold the watch upright. Take a sharp pen knife and insert the edge against the crack between the watch case and back. With your fingers above the knife, gently push down on the knife blade with the palm of your hand. The watch back will separate from the case. At all times your fingers are not in contact with or below the knife blade, so you will not cut yourself.
Cardinal watch back had no raised lips, notches, or pry areas, and could not easily be opened for a battery change. I put it into a woodworker’s vise and cracked it open with a pen knife. Photo by Don Tai.
Hopefully this post will allow you to open up your watch, without hurting yourself. Cardinal should ensure that all watch backs are easily opened for battery replacement.
This quartz ladies Cardinal watch, with gold arms, has no raised lips, notches, or pry areas on the back cover, making watch battery replacement difficult and somewhat dangerous. There are no other id markings on the casing. Photo by Don Tai.
Once opened I found the bad battery was an SR621SW, which I will replace. Replaced with a Varta V364, lasted 1 yr 7 mo. Replaced with Interstate Batteries 364, which on the battery is marked Varta V364. The movement is quartz, marked “6L22” and “Miyota Co”.
The watch strap was replaced with a 12mm leather strap. It fits very snugly.
