How to set the day and date on a watch
Set the day of the week and the date on a day-date watch without harming it, choose the language on the day wheel, and why the day can change later than the date.
Published
Find the setting position
On most day-date watches, pull the crown to the middle position. Turning it one way changes the date and the other way changes the day. Which way does which varies, so try a gentle turn and watch the windows.
If the crown has a screw-down thread, unscrew it first. If there is no middle position, the day and date change only by moving the hands through midnight.
Steps
- Pull the crown all the way out and move the hands to about 6:30, away from the hours around midnight.
- Push the crown to the middle position. Set the date to yesterday and the day to yesterday.
- Pull the crown all the way out and move the hands forward past 12 until the day and date jump to today. That is midnight.
- Keep going to the correct time, adding 12 hours if it is afternoon, and push the crown in on the minute with the sync countdown.
Two languages on the day wheel
Many day wheels carry each day twice, in English and in a second language or as a number. As you turn, the window alternates between the two. Stop on the one you want: the watch keeps to that language from then on.
Why the day changes later
On some movements the date jumps at midnight but the day turns over slowly through the early morning, or changes a few hours after the date. That is normal. It is also why the danger window for the quick-set day is as long as for the date.