# How to set time and date on an automatic watch Source: https://lumeandbezel.com/blog/how-to-set-an-automatic-watch Published: 2026-10-09 Publisher: Lume & Bezel **Short answer:** Move the hands to around 6 o'clock first, then set the date to yesterday's date. Next pull the crown to the time position and turn the hands forward through midnight so the date changes to today, then on to the correct time. Avoid quick-setting the date while the hands are between about 9 pm and 3 am. Setting an automatic watch looks simple, but doing it in the wrong order can leave the date changing at noon, or, on some movements, strain the date mechanism. This page explains crown positions, the date change danger zone, the safe step-by-step order, how to set a day-date watch like the Seiko 5, and notes for Tissot PRX and Orient owners. Follow it every time and you will not need to think about it again. ## Know your crown positions - Position 0 (pushed in): normal running. On most modern automatics, turning the crown here winds the watch. - Screw-down crowns: unscrew counterclockwise first. The crown pops out to position 0, ready for winding. - Position 1 (first click): quick-set date, and on day-date watches the day too (often one direction for date, the other for day). - Position 2 (second click): time setting. On hacking movements, the seconds hand stops here so you can synchronize. Note: Some watches, especially no-date models and GMTs, use different positions. Check the manual for your reference. ## Why the 9 pm to 3 am zone matters On many watches the date change mechanism starts engaging a few hours before midnight and finishes a few hours after. During that window the date wheel is partly engaged. If you quick-set the date then, you push against parts that are already moving, which on some movements can damage the date mechanism or misalign the change. Not every movement is affected, and some makers say their quick-set is protected. But the safe habit costs nothing: move the hands out of the zone before touching the date. Many people use 6 o'clock as a parking position, because it is far from midnight in both directions. ## Step by step: set time and date safely 1. Make sure the watch is running. If it stopped, wind it first; see [how to start a stopped automatic watch](https://lumeandbezel.com/blog/how-to-start-a-stopped-automatic-watch). 2. Unscrew the crown if needed, then pull it to the time position and move the hands to about 6 o'clock. 3. Push the crown in to the date position and set the date to the day before today. 4. Pull to the time position and turn the hands forward until the date changes to today. You are now past midnight, in the am. 5. Continue forward to the correct time. If it is currently afternoon, go around once more past noon. 6. For a precise setting on a hacking watch, stop the seconds hand at 12, set the minute hand a little past the target minute, then push the crown in exactly on the minute. 7. Push the crown fully in and screw it down if it is a screw-down crown. ## Setting a day-date watch like the Seiko 5 Seiko 5 Sports models show day and date together, one of the original Seiko 5 attributes. On many Seiko 4R36 watches, the crown's first position sets the date in one direction and the day in the other. Set the day first, then the date, both to yesterday, then roll the hands forward through midnight as above. Many day wheels show two languages, so you may need to click past the second language. Read [what is Seiko 5](https://lumeandbezel.com/blog/what-is-seiko-5) for more about the line, or [how to wind a Seiko 5](https://lumeandbezel.com/blog/how-to-wind-a-seiko-5) for winding. ## Notes for Tissot PRX and Orient owners The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 has a date at 3 o'clock and a push-pull crown. Use the same safe order: hands to 6, date to yesterday, then forward through midnight. Tissot's manual for your reference shows its crown positions. See [Tissot PRX sizes](https://lumeandbezel.com/blog/tissot-prx-sizes) and our [Tissot automatic guide](https://lumeandbezel.com/best/best-tissot-automatic-watches). Many Orient automatics with the F6922, such as the Kamasu and Mako, use a screw-down crown with day and date. Unscrew, and the first click typically adjusts day and date in opposite directions. Orient Bambino models with a date use a push-pull crown. See [are Orient watches good](https://lumeandbezel.com/blog/are-orient-watches-good) and our [Orient guide](https://lumeandbezel.com/best/best-orient-automatic-watches). ## Common setting mistakes - Date changes at noon: you set the time 12 hours off. Advance the hands 12 hours. - Turning the hands backward through the date zone: on some movements this is fine, on others it is not recommended. Going forward is always safe. - Forgetting to screw the crown down: this leaves a dive watch open to water. - Setting a stopped watch without winding: it will stop again within minutes. - Pulling the crown too hard: if it resists, check whether it needs unscrewing first. ## Frequently asked questions **When should you not set an automatic watch?** Avoid quick-setting the date while the hands are between about 9 pm and 3 am. Move them out of that window first. **How do I change the date on a Tissot PRX?** Pull the crown to the first position after moving the hands to around 6 o'clock, turn to set the date, then push it back in. Check your manual for the direction. **Can I turn the hands backward on an automatic?** Many modern movements allow it, but going forward is safe on all of them, so it is the better habit. **Why does my watch date change at noon?** The time was set 12 hours off. Advance the hands one full turn of 12 hours to fix it. ## Gear guides for this topic - https://lumeandbezel.com/best/best-tissot-automatic-watches - https://lumeandbezel.com/best/best-orient-automatic-watches - https://lumeandbezel.com/best/best-seiko-5-sports-watches