Once you have your watch case open, eventually you will need to close it again if you want to wear it. Luckily, closing a watch back is almost as easy as opening a watch back when you know what kind of watch case back you have. In this article, we will be addressing how to close a snap off or pressure fit watch case back. These watch case backs are smooth without marks in the back, and they frequently have a little notch or tab on the edge of the back to help you open the back.

 

Step 1

The first step once you are ready to close a watch case is to check the watch gasket. Gaskets can get old or be damaged during repair – if you are concerned about the state of your gasket, replace it. For help on this, check out our article on How to Replace a Watch Gasket.

 

 

 

Step 2

Once you are satisfied that the gasket is in good shape, you are ready to replace the back on the watch case. Most watch case backs have a small notch that goes over the stem of the watch. Make sure that notch is aligned above the watch stem before placing the back on the watch case, otherwise you will risk damaging the watch movement.

 

 

Step 3

Now that the back is in place, you are ready to press the back on. Take the watch case in your hands, keeping the back balanced on the watch case. Grip the crystal with your fingers and press your thumbs down on the watch back itself until it snaps into place.

If one edge of the watch case is still raised after it has snapped, readjust your fingers and press down on the watch case where it is still raised.

 

Step 4

If you still cannot close your snap off/pressure fit watch back on your own with your hands, you will need to use a watch press to get it closed. Check out How to Close a Snap Off Case Back with a Watch Press for help closing your watch.

 

 

 

 

 

Finished

When the back finally snaps into place and you can’t see any raised edges, you will know that the back has been securely replaced on the watch.