The battery went dead on my Time Tank (Minute Machine) so I sent it back to Oakley to be replaced. Last time I did this a few years ago it was quite simple, I sent the watch back through USPS insured, it cost $20, and I had the watch back pretty quickly. When I called to set everything up I was told they have a new system, I had to fill out a form and send pictures of the watch, then they emailed me a prepaid UPS order. I asked if it still costs $20 and the woman said yes for the watch battery - plus labor which is usually $30!! $50 for a watch battery is quite ridiculous, hopefully she was wrong as the form I was emailed said $20 including labor. The woman also kept asking me if I have a receipt/proof of purchase which I do not as I received the watch as a gift and it was a long time ago anyway, probably 6 years. I'm wondering if the labor charge is to get some more $ out of people who bought stuff on eBay and don't have receipts.

I sent the watch in on 5/13 and it arrived 5/20 (took an entire week to get there since UPS is slow from NY to CA). Today it's the 29th and they still haven't gotten around to looking at my watch. I called them on Friday the 24th and talked to a guy who said they get a lot of watches in and they only have TWO people working on watches. He mentioned that with the backlog it will take 2-3 weeks.

Have you guys found a similar wait time? It seems quite excessive to me. I'm going to be without my tank for at least a month when all is said and done. If they try to charge me $50 for it they can also forget about me buying any more watches. Sad to say it but it seems O as a whole is slipping. The new designs are boring (both with glasses, apparel and shoes), the customer service is obviously not what it used to be, they're jacking up the prices of most everything, and the newer stuff being made in China just tops it off.

Sorry for the long rant.

When mine died, I went to the local watch shop. Cost $9.75 for labor and battery combined, and only took 10 minutes. I've never sent one to HQ, so I haven't experienced this sort of wait. If they try to charge you for anything more than you thought, have them send it back and hunt around locally for someone who can do it onsite.

That's a pretty typical wait time for most watch companies (although yes, Oakley isn't a dedicated watch company). Sometimes the service is faster, sometime's slower, but 4 weeks is pretty average for most companies. The pictures and forms are odd requests, though.

I assume the $50 includes not only battery but replacement of the seals and pressure testing as well. Including it in the cost of a battery replacement is standard practice for most companies. It's another way to squeeze more $ out of a service, much like how auto service places recommend fluid flushes when you bring your car in for seasonal maintenance.

Dann's right; you can take it to absolutely any watch service shop and get the battery replaced for cheap, since there isn't anything inherently special or unique about any of Oakley's watch movements. I don't know if they can get rubber gaskets for their more unique watches like the MM (if it's even required), but if you only want a battery changed in 10 minutes, that's you're quickest fix. Hell, you can do it yourself if you want as long as you get the right tools and not damage the case or case back (and of course make sure you're grounded so you don't static shock the movement).

That's also true. I don't intend to fully test the 10 bar submersion they claim, but as long as rain doesn't hurt it, I'm okay with local battery replacement.

The first time the battery went dead I just changed it myself. Was very simple, 4 screws on the back, take cover off, battery was right there and swapped it out. Problem is, somehow the "movement" (internal mechanism that makes the watch work) broke when I was setting the time & date (it wouldn't advance the date). I had to send it in to Oakley and they replaced the entire movement. ~$300 later and it was back in action.

I know that I did nothing to hurt the movement when I swapped the battery out, but it still cost me $300. So from then on I decided to start sending them back to Oakley to get the battery changed, that way if anything happens it's on them to fix.

Im with Dann. I have 24 Oakley watches and 2 Automatics. All bar the Automatics have been taken to the LWC (Local Watch Shop)and for $15AUD battery has been swapped in 10 mins . No issues ever.
The 10 bar test is a further $40 but as Dann indicates if you dont swim with the watch then not worth it.

I've personally sent mainly old Timebomb type watches for crystal changes and mechanism checks. But that was several years ago. I'm with Dann too on this. Just to clarify, it's the local non-mall watch battery change places. I got burnt once taking one to a mall place. Had bought one on eBay, watch arrived with dead battery, seller asked me to take to local store, and silly me took it to a mall store. Cost $60+, but it's lifetime battery change. I've gone back once thus far. They put some sticker inside the watch, then verify against your receipt. I'll never ever do that again!!!

The movement in most of the battery-powered O watches is so cheap, I would never spend $50 for them to replace the battery.

I have a local watch guy who is a magician when it comes to repairs, and I am sure your city does too just need to find him.

Local watch places are definitely the way to go for these. Even though Oakley watches are expensive, I don't classify this as real nice time pieces.

I assume the $50 includes not only battery but replacement of the seals and pressure testing as well. Including it in the cost of a battery replacement is standard practice for most companies

Oak (as usual) has your correct answer.

Local shops are hit and miss. Say away from the "mall jewelers" and find a local repeatable jeweler. I have seen several watches come back ruined by local shops because for $10 they weren't caring to reseal the gasket correctly (even saw one where they didn't but a gasket back in at all).

They called me today and said that the crown is bent and needs to be replaced ($58). I asked if it was cosmetic or if it could hurt the watch and they said it could hurt the movement over time so it should be replaced. Not sure how that could have happened and can't help but wonder if I fell for the "car repair upsell" but I gave them the go ahead to do it.....

Said I should have the watch back in a week and a half or so. The battery ended up being $20.

I agree with everyone that has taken their O watches to a local shop; that's what I've done. I would qualify the statement, though, to say to take it to a jeweler. My attitude is this...if they can work on Rolex, Omega, and Tag, I'm fairly certain that they can handle an O watch.