What should have been a straightforward battery replacement turned into a much larger Laco watch repair after a DIY attempt introduced superglue into the case.

The customer had tried to replace the battery at home and used what he described as a “little bit” of superglue to help hold the movement holder and battery in place. Once the caseback was closed, the fumes spread inside the watch and left a cloudy residue across the glass and the quartz movement.

Fortunately, the dial itself escaped the contamination. That gave us a good basis to restore the watch without replacing the dial.

A DIY Battery Change That Went Wrong

Changing a watch battery can look simple from the outside, but inside the case there are movement holders, contacts, seals, stems, hands and other components that can be damaged or contaminated very easily.

In this case, the battery itself was not the main problem. The problem was the adhesive used inside the watch. After the case was closed, the curing superglue left visible residue on internal surfaces.

As soon as we opened the watch, it was clear that this was no longer going to be a simple battery job. The movement had been contaminated and the glass had a heavy white haze from the glue fumes.

Superglue Residue on the Movement and Glass

The contamination can be seen clearly in the workshop photographs below. The quartz movement had residue across it, while the inside of the glass had become visibly cloudy.

Because the movement had been affected, cleaning alone was not the repair we wanted to rely on. We recommended servicing the watch and replacing the damaged quartz mechanism.

Replacing the Movement with a New Ronda 507

The contaminated movement was removed and replaced with a brand-new Ronda 507 quartz movement. Ronda lists the 507 in its current technical documentation, and you can view the manufacturer’s information on the official Ronda technical information page.

The original movement used a non-English day display, which appeared to be German. Before fitting the replacement we explained that the new movement would use an English day display. The customer was happy to proceed with that change.

This was particularly appropriate for the watch because Laco is a German watchmaker with roots dating back to 1925. You can read more about the brand on the official Laco website.

Removing the Glue from the Glass and Case

The movement replacement was only part of the work. We also had to remove the glue contamination from the glass and case unit.

After assessing the affected components, the glass and suitable case parts were treated in a controlled acetone bath to remove the residue. This is not something we recommend trying at home: acetone can damage certain plastics, finishes, seals and coatings, so material compatibility has to be assessed before use.

Once the residue had been removed, the case was cleaned and the new Ronda 507 was installed and set up.

The Finished Laco Watch

The end result was a clean watch, a new movement and normal working order restored.

A £20 Battery Replacement Became a Full Repair

This repair is a useful example of why a professional battery replacement can sometimes save money in the long run. In this case, what should have been a simple battery replacement costing around £20 became a movement replacement and extensive cleaning job because adhesive was introduced inside the watch.

It is not the battery change itself that caused the damage. It was the attempt to secure internal parts with glue. Even a small amount inside a closed watch case can create a much bigger problem.

If your watch has stopped, we would always recommend having it assessed before trying to secure loose components yourself. For simple battery work, see our watch battery replacement service in London. For damaged internal components or movement problems, see our watch part repair service.

Laco Watch Repair in London

This Laco repair was carried out by Ross Watch Repairs at our London Bridge workshop inside The Shard.

Ross Watch Repairs – The Shard
306 The Shard Retail Arcade
London Bridge Street
London SE1 9BZ

You can visit our London Bridge workshop for a free assessment. We also offer a UK-wide postal watch repair service for customers who cannot visit us in person.