How to change battery of Casio AW-590

Wristwatches last a long time with me. I have had the Casio G-Shock AW-590 wristwatch since March of 2008. It has been with me in snowing temperatures, on mountains and in the sea. I saw that its battery had run out recently. Not bad, since it seems to have lasted 7 years!

This watch uses a CR1220 battery. I found that it was pretty easy to find this battery. It was available at the neighborhood DIY store and also online. Changing the battery took some finesse though.

Here is how:

1. You should watch the battery changing video for the Casio G-Shock DW6600 here. Else there is a big chance you might ruin the watch internals.

2. Use a screwdriver and remove the screws of the backplate. You need a screwdriver set with those tiny heads. The back portion of the straps hold down the backplate. However, I was able to jiggle it free, without removing the straps.

3. This is where I hit bad news. The rubber ring that protects the internals from water seepage seemed to have rotted out and broken in places! This rubber ring works exactly like the rubber ring in a pressure cooker does. So, this meant that once I put back the watch together, I wouldn’t be able to use in the sea.

4. I pulled out the inside module. There are 4 tiny metal latches stuck to the four buttons. You may need to free them using a tiny screwdriver or needle. (See video linked above.) Putting back the module is very tricky. It is better if you do not pull it out.

5. I found that there was a sticker pasted on the battery hatch. It was stuck with strong glue and took some effort to tear it off. Using a needle as a lever free the latch that presses down on the battery. (See video linked above.) If you are successful, the latch springs open.

6. Remove the old battery. This took some effort since I did not have a tweezer. I used two screwdrivers, one as a crowbar and the other to push it out. Replacing it with a new CR1220 battery is easy. Make sure the + sign facing down. Close back the latch.

7. Now comes the tricky part. Putting back the module took a lot of work. The 4 latches for the buttons had to be forced underneath them, one by one, using a screwdriver. It took several tries.

8. Screw back the back hatch. Set the time and date and you are done! 😊