Watch Almanac

317 battery equivalents

The 317 is a 5.8 × 1.65 mm silver-oxide cell, used in small quartz watches, including many women's and dress watches. It's sold under several names: SR516SW.

+US dime5.8 mm1.65 mm thick
317 (5.8 × 1.65 mm) from the top and the side, to scale with a US dime (17.9 mm).

Equivalents

Sold asTypeIn a watch
SR516SW, 317Silver oxide, low drainBest for an ordinary analog quartz watch

Look-alikes that won't fit

These are also 5.8 mm across, so they look right in the pack, but the thickness is different. They aren't substitutes.

Never use a lithium coin cell in its place. Lithium cells run at 3 volts, twice what a silver-oxide watch movement expects.

Getting a 317 changed

Watch shops in our directory list battery changes from $4.99 to $115, with a median of $15, usually done while you wait. A shop has the tools to open a screw-down caseback without marking it, and can replace the gasket and pressure-test a water-resistant watch. 455 shops in the directory list battery replacement. To do it yourself, follow how to change a watch battery.

Find the closest shops to you. Your location stays in your browser.

Questions

Can I use a 335 instead of a 317?
No. Both are 5.8 mm across, but the 335 is 1.25 mm thick and the 317 is 1.65 mm. A thinner cell won't press against the contacts, so the watch won't run reliably.
How long does a 317 battery last?
In a typical analog quartz watch, two to five years. It holds about 11–13 mAh; a running chronograph, a backlight or an alarm drains it faster. Unused cells keep for several years in the pack.