# How to Reset/Recalibrate A "Stuck" Quartz Chronograph



## Art Collector (Oct 14, 2010)

Ladies & Gents,

If you have a quartz chronograph and let's say it has a 30-minute subdial and for some reason the hand is stuck :-s at 29 when it should be at 30, most quartz chronographs have the same/a similar resetting method:

First, pull the crown out to the farthest position, typically where it lets you set the time. Then, hold down both chronograph buttons for a few seconds. Next, let go and if you push chronograph button one, it should advance the chronograph second hand once. Push that button until the chronograph second hand lines up at 12. If you hold down both chronograph buttons again for a few seconds, then push button one again, it should advance the chronograph minute hand once. This then lets you "unstuck" the chronograph hand from 29 to 30. Finally, simply push the crown back, and voila you're done.

This seems to be the standard approach for Swiss quartz chrono movements like ETAs. I have found that this works with my Wenger Aerograph Chrono, my former TAG s/el Chrono, and a search of the web shows that it seems to work for nearly all Swiss quartz chronos.

Enjoy! b-)

And now, a couple photos of my new baby!


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## Sodiac (Dec 6, 2008)

Good tip -- nice watch! Thanks!


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## iacchus (Mar 25, 2011)

Oh man, I have a chrono w/ Miyota movement that I haven't worn in months because the stuck hand bothered me so much. This fixed it!

Thanks a ton man, I had no idea about this trick.


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## kramer5150 (Nov 15, 2007)

No theres no set standard for recalibrating a quartz Chrono.

The ETA-G10 (for example) does not require you to press and hold either button simultaneously. My citizen aqualand you have to "unwind it" by holding the chrono pusher and "undo" it back to the 0:00 position.


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## RKabrx (Jan 11, 2013)

kramer5150 said:


> No theres no set standard for recalibrating a quartz Chrono.
> 
> The ETA-G10 (for example) does not require you to press and hold either button simultaneously. My citizen aqualand you have to "unwind it" by holding the chrono pusher and "undo" it back to the 0:00 position.


Thank you for this information. It worked like a charm on my ETA-G10! You saved me a trip to my watch guy.


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## AAWATCHES (May 2, 2009)

good tip


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## Mike2 (Mar 15, 2013)

I just used this to fix my 6 year old quartz Wenger. Thank you for posting this! I have been dealing with a chronograph for much too long that was not even close to zero set in any of its chrono hands. Just to touch on another variation of instructions for different movements, my Wenger required me to push only chrono button 2 to transition between chronograph hands instead of both chrono buttons.


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## Reinemar (Dec 26, 2013)

Just bought myself a used GUL chronograph, and the second hand was stuck at 1 second instead of straight up on the 12. Tried this and it worked like a charm. Thanks!! Miyota movement btw.


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## Soo Fuego (Feb 10, 2014)

Thanks for this, fixed my old Kenneth Cole (with Miyota movement).


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## Lusitanv (Dec 20, 2013)

After some years your thread is still useful like it was to me right now. 

Thanks 

Sent from my portable popcorn machine ;-)


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## Eric90 (May 3, 2014)

Thanks man!

Just got a Ch.Ward C7 Mkii from another member and this worked a charm!


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## Butchie Yost (Apr 15, 2012)

Excellent stuff thanks guys. I also found that on my Ebel Sportwave, to adjust the hours dial, I only needed to pull the crown out halhalfway and used the same method as above.


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## zaxsingh (Jan 18, 2014)

I have a Tissot V8 Chrono quartz. My problem is the big seconds hand is not parked exactly at 12 when the Chrono is reset. I remember years ago my local watchmaker did a similar trick to realign the seconds hand when I had gone in for a battery change. Maybe I shud try this myself ... Any idea if it'll work on the V8?


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## Inca Bloc (Nov 27, 2013)

zaxsingh said:


> I have a Tissot V8 Chrono quartz. My problem is the big seconds hand is not parked exactly at 12 when the Chrono is reset. I remember years ago my local watchmaker did a similar trick to realign the seconds hand when I had gone in for a battery change. Maybe I shud try this myself ... Any idea if it'll work on the V8?


 i think just trying it will be quicker than waiting for a response here


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## Thrax (Oct 6, 2012)

Worked like a charm on my ISA 8174/201 after pulling the crown to the first stop, rather than the second. Thanks.


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## ard1285 (Jun 24, 2015)

I had to finally create an account to reply with gratitude for this post. I was searching all morning for a reset for my Tag Heuer CAH1011.BA0854 Formula 1 Grande Date. I sent it in to Tag Heuer for service and they changed the movement but the chrono hands on the 1/10th second and 30 minute markets were off. Tag does not list manuals online and this was the only solution that worked. I hope others in my situation will be able to search out this post to resolve their issues.


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## Bill Adler (Oct 4, 2013)

Fantastic! The is the best thread ever on WUS. The sweep second hand on my Boccia watch has been stuck for months. I thought that the watch was a gonner.

Your instructions fixed it. Thank you! Thank you!


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## A_R_E_S (Dec 31, 2011)

Thank you very much! It was very usefull


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## V10k (Oct 18, 2008)

Worked perfectly for my Skagen Team CSC 720LTMLBY - many thanks!


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## Ramos84 (Feb 1, 2016)

Didn't work for me. I guess that means a trip to the shop 😧 yaay


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## SdSl (Oct 20, 2012)

^^ bad luck : (

Just wanted to post that a similar method exists for a lot of seiko chronograph modules. The chrono hands on all the 7a's and 7ts iv handled can be calibrated by pulling the crown to the first outer position and then pushing the various pushers once to advance their specific hands.


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## murokello (Aug 3, 2012)

Ramos84 said:


> Didn't work for me. I guess that means a trip to the shop 😧 yaay


It might be different ETA quartz. Try what kramer wrote at the first page.


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## Ramos84 (Feb 1, 2016)

murokello said:


> It might be different ETA quartz. Try what kramer wrote at the first page.


Yes mine calibrates in an easy way; simply pulling the crown pos 1 or 2 and using the other 2 buttons. But the hours subdial is the only one that didn't move.


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## armanh (May 22, 2017)

The method described in the OP works well with Frederique Constant watches. 

Thanks! 

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2019)

Yet another example. The Alpina big date pilots watch and diver use the Ronda 5050.B movement with 1/10 timer and big date at the 6 position.

The adjustment process:

pull stem all the way out (after unlocking!)
hold both chrono pushers until big sweep second hand goes around once
now you can adjust the position of the sweep second hand with the number 1 pusher (at position 2 on the dial)
instead, hold the pushers down again
now you can adjust the 30 minute accumulator hand (subdial at the 9 position)
instead, hold the pushers down again
now you can adjust the 10 hour and tenths hand (subdial at the 3 position).

OP's hint was great and not too hard to discover the variations.

I thought that maybe the misalignment was a battery status indicator, but that is nearly always the 2 seconds jump. Glad it was so easy to fix.


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