You press reset and the chronograph hand stops a few seconds past 12. On many Seiko quartz chronographs you can fix this at home in two minutes, without opening the watch.
Why it happens
Seiko’s manual says the zero position of a stopwatch hand can shift after a strong impact or exposure to magnetism.
The procedure (Seiko V172, V174, V175)
- Make sure the seconds hand ticks every second. If it jumps every 2 seconds, charge or replace the battery first.
- Pull the crown out to the second click (unscrew it first if needed).
- Hold button A for 3 seconds until the stopwatch minute hand makes a full turn.
- Press button B until it points to 0. Hold B to move it quickly.
- Hold A again for 3 seconds to select the 1/5-second hand, then press B until it reaches 0.
- Push the crown back in and reset the time.
On the V176, the same buttons cycle through the 1/20-second, seconds and minute hands in turn.
Other calibers
Other calibers have their own procedure, and the buttons and steps differ. Look up the manual for the caliber printed on your caseback before you start.
Hands still drifting after a reset? It may have been magnetized. See our magnetism guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t my chronograph hands go back to zero?
Seiko says a strong impact or nearby magnetism can shift the hands’ zero position.
Is the procedure the same on every Seiko?
No. Buttons and steps differ by caliber. Check the manual for your caliber number on the caseback.
Do I need to reset the time afterwards?
Seiko says adjusting the stopwatch hands can make the main time gain or lose, so reset the time after.
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