How to reset watch hands

Written By: Jayze Crawford

Comments: 6

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

15 minutes

Introduction

If your watch hands aren't lining up correctly, this guide will show anybody who owns a watch with a snap-off back, how to get those hands back to the correct alignment.

Tools

Step 1

To make your watch easier to work with, start by taking off the straps.
Pull down the strap until the lug can be accessed.
Pull down on the lug and it should freely come out of place.
The lugs have springs in them so when removing, be careful not to let them fly out of your work space.

Step 2

Locate the divot on the underside of the watch.
Carefully place your thin blade in the divot and pop the buckle off of your watch.

Step 3

Use your tweezers to grab onto the plastic holder and gently pull it out.

Step 4

Apply pressure with the pointed tip instrument at the spot circled; around where the stem meets the main part of the watch.
While applying pressure, pull the stem out and it should freely come off.

Step 5

Gently place the tweezers underneath the hands of your watch.
To remove the hands, carefully pry upwards and all of the hands should pop off.
In order to not accidentally scratch the face of your watch, place a piece of paper under where you will be prying up the hands.

Step 6

Using your tweezers place the hour hand in the center of the watch.
Press down on the hand, so that the hour hand is firmly attached to the center post.
Align the hour hand with the 3 O'clock position on your watch.
Be careful handling the hands because they can be very fragile.

Step 7

Using your tweezers again, place the minute hand in the center of the face.
Align the minute hand with the 12 O'clock position.
Press down on the hand until the minute hand is firmly in place.
Look to make sure there is a small amount of space between the hour hand and the face, as well as between the minute hand and the face.

Step 8

Carefully pick up and place the second hand in the center of the watch.
Press down firmly so that the second hand stays in place.
The position of the second hand is not extremely important, but to get the most accuracy; place it in line with the minute hand.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

6 comments

thanks a lot

Natalee Paterson - 20/02/18

The hands on my clock doesn't work

Aaliyah Crittenden - 16/07/18

There could be any number of reasons for that. You could adapt this method to fix clock hands that weren’t in alignment, but it won’t help you if they just aren’t moving…

Fin Hirschoff - 20/07/18

Thanks - the second hand fell off of my kid’s lego watch. It still worked, but it was important to him that the second hand moved. The trick in step 4 to get the stem off was the crucial thing that I was missing.

dunhamsteve - 11/04/19

I’m using Seiko Sportura ,and i love its kinetic movement.I just recommend this watch.

joseph john - 01/12/20

The hands in my watch moves around when shaken, it's not fixed and doesn't tell the actual time since its probably already moved as you turn your hand to check the time.

Lizzy Fad -