How To Set A Seiko Watch

Seiko SKX013

The Japanese watchmaker Seiko makes some of the most popular, affordable, and widespread watches in the world. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a casual wristwatch user, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the brand name and have likely sported one on your wrist.

Automatic watches have long lived within Seiko’s expansive catalog. Indeed, some of the brand’s most renowned models, including the SKX, Turtle, and Samurai models, are powered by automatic movements. These watch models also often serve as “gateway watches” into the hobby of watch collecting.

For this reason, we’ve put together this guide using these common models as examples of how to set the time on an automatic Seiko watch. If you’re trying to set the time on a different Seiko watch, follow the instructions for the watch that has the same complication as your own:

How To Set A Seiko Samurai (Time & Date)
How To Set A Seiko SKX or Turtle (Time, Day, Date)

Setting An Automatic Seiko Watch

Before getting to the specifics of how to set a Seiko, it’s important to become familiarized with the crown of your watch (if you aren’t already). The crown is most often found on the right side of the watch case, and it is what we use to set the complications on a watch.

Crowns have positions. Different positions allow you to change different complications on the watch. For instance, one crown position will let you change the time by moving the hour and minute hands. Another crown position will allow you to change the day or date complication.

When the crown is in its default position, the one in which it cannot be pushed any further into the case, we call this position 0. If you (gently) pull the crown out one “notch,” we call this position 1. Pull the crown out another notch, and we’d call this position 2.

It’s important to understand crown positions before trying to set your Seiko watch.

SKX007J Steel Case Crown Guard And Crown Closeup

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Avoiding The Danger Zone Of A Seiko Calendar Watch

Every mechanical calendar watch, for instance a watch with a date or day/date function, has what is colloquially known as the “danger zone” in the movement.

Dark Blue Dial SKX009 Pepsi LumiBrite Hour Indicies

Seiko SKX009

The danger zone is a time on the watch during which changing the date of the watch via the crown could potentially damage the entire movement. Generally, the danger zone is between 8 PM to 4 AM on the watch.

To avoid damaging the movement of a calendar watch when you set it, you want to make sure the time on the watch is outside of the danger zone if you’re going to change the date. So if you’re looking to change the date on a watch and the hour is set to between 8 PM-4 AM, first move the hour hand outside of this time range before setting the date.

How can you know if the watch is currently in AM or PM? You’ll have to cycle the hour hand past 12 and see if the date changes. If it does, you’ll know you’re currently in AM. If the date doesn’t change, that means you’re in PM.

Once you’ve moved the hour hand outside of the danger zone, you can change the date without concern.

If you are unsure about the above explanation, we suggest you jump straight to the videos below. In the videos, we explain the danger zone, how to avoid it, and how to change the time & date on a Seiko watch.

How To Set A Seiko Samurai (Time And Date Complication)

The Seiko Samurai is an automatic diver’s watch that has become quite popular since its release in 2004. This sports watch earned its name from its uniquely-shaped center hands. However, its oversized case size, sharp case angles, and crown at 3 0’clock (a rarity for many Seiko watches) also help it stand out from the crowd.

Blue Dial Made In Japan Text Seiko Samurai

Seiko Samurai SRPB49

Whether you’re dealing with a Seiko Samurai or any other automatic Seiko watch with a time & date complication, the following instructions will teach you how to set the watch.

To set this type of automatic Seiko:

Unscrew the crown if it’s a screw-down crown (such as the one found on this Seiko Samurai)
Remember to avoid the danger zone before changing the date.
Pull out the crown to the first position, position 1. We are going to set the date first.
Use the crown to set the date on the watch to the day BEFORE the correct date. For example, if you want to set the watch to the 10th, then at this step, set it to the 9th.
Push the crown back in all the way, into position 0.
Pull out the crown to the second position, position 2. We are now going to set the time.
Rotate the hour hand until the date changes over (i.e to December 10th). Not only will you now be at the correct date, but you also know whether the movement is in AM or PM.
Use the crown to set the watch to the correct time.
Push the crown all the way back in. Screw it down against the case if the watch possesses this type of crown.

While this may seem like a long list of steps, it is much easier to do in practice. Moreover, it will become second nature to you once you’ve set the time on your Seiko watch more than just a couple of times.

How To Set A Seiko Turtle Or SKX (Time, Day, And Date Complication)

Seiko Turtle Reissue Black Dial Black Bezel Black Strap

Seiko Turtle SRP777

The combination of a watch that possesses both a day and date complication has become an icon of Seiko’s catalog. Some of their most popular models ever, including the Seiko Turtle and the Seiko SKX, were considered incredibly practical thanks in large part to these complications.

Yet, the addition of more calendar functions does not necessarily make this Seiko watch more difficult to set. The below instructions can be followed to set the time, day, and date on any Seiko SKX, Seiko Turtle, or any automatic Seiko watch with the same time & day/date complication.:

Unscrew the crown if it’s a screw-down crown (such as the one found on a Seiko Turtle or SKX)
Remember to avoid the danger zone before changing the day or date.
Pull out the crown to the first position, position 1. We are going to set the day and date first.
To change the Day, rotate the crown clockwise. To change the Date, rotate the crown counter-clockwise.
Use the crown to set the date on the watch to the day and date BEFORE the correct date. For example, if you want to set the watch to Monday the 10th, then at this step, set it to Sunday the 9th.
Push the crown back in all the way, into position 0.
Pull out the crown to the second position, position 2. We are now going to set the time.
Rotate the hour hand until the date changes over (i.e to Monday the 10th from Sunday the 9th). Not only will you now be at the correct date, but you also know whether the movement is in AM or PM.
Use the crown to set the watch to the correct time.
Push the crown all the way back in. Screw it down against the case if the watch possesses this type of crown.

Various Seiko SKX Watches

If the above instructions seem a bit unclear, or if you’d like some clarification on the danger zone of a watch movement, check out our brief (2:35) video below outlining how to set a Seiko Turtle watch.