# Tissot PRC200>> Seconds Hand Is Not Aligned!



## WeylandYutani

I've recently bought a Tissot PRC200 (T0144101603700) with a silver non-chrono dial and brown leather strap.

However, I've noticed that the second hand does not line up with the seconds markers (it's worst on the left side than the right).

I've also noticed that when the seconds hand is going from 30-60 seconds the hand goes to the marker but comes back a little for every tick. Almost like there is some play or something. But it only happens from 30-60 second marker points.

I have another Tissot PRC200 Chrono and the Big Seconds hand lines up when chronograph is in use.

So is the problem acceptable to watch buyers or should I return it?


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## leewmeister

If it bothers _you _as the owner of the watch then it is not acceptable. Before returning it though, try zeroing all the chrono hands and see if that helps. Here's a how-to:

https://www.watchuseek.com/showpost.php?p=427797&postcount=3


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## WeylandYutani

leewmeister said:


> If it bothers _you _as the owner of the watch then it is not acceptable. Before returning it though, try zeroing all the chrono hands and see if that helps. Here's a how-to:
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/showpost.php?p=427797&postcount=3


Thanks, it's not a chrono watch.

I find it strange how the second hand is only off from 12-6 but not from 6-12. Is this perhaps an indication of something?

EDIT: I just played with the crown and set the time and it seems that the places it is now off is different.


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## leewmeister

Oops. I overlooked that part of your description. Could it be a weak battery?


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## WeylandYutani

leewmeister said:


> Oops. I overlooked that part of your description. Could it be a weak battery?


I really don't know.

It just came from the shop yesterday but I don't know how long it has been stocked\stored.

I really don't know if it a problem with the bezel markers, the bezel alignment, hand alignment, battery problem, or movement problem.

Here's a picture of the watch:


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## leewmeister

That's a sweet lookong one. I'm a sucker for silver dials! :-!


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## WeylandYutani

leewmeister said:


> That's a sweet lookong one. I'm a sucker for silver dials! :-!


It's MORE incredible in-hand. Believe me, you won't believe how beautiful this one is and how well it goes for almost ANY occassion.

Love the watch but I want to know what I should do.

SHould I live with the second hand offset as part of life or should I go through the hassle of return and wait for round 2.

Can people check their non-chrono prc200 and tell me if there second hand aligns with the bezel markings?

That could help me make a decision about what to do.

EDIT: The second hand does not align with the hour marks either It seems that the second hand needs alignment perhaps.


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## Beyond 'The Box'

WeylandYutani said:


> It's MORE incredible in-hand. Believe me, you won't believe how beautiful this one is and how well it goes for almost ANY occassion.
> 
> Love the watch but I want to know what I should do.
> 
> SHould I live with the second hand offset as part of life or should I go through the hassle of return and wait for round 2.
> 
> Can people check their non-chrono prc200 and tell me if there second hand aligns with the bezel markings?
> 
> That could help me make a decision about what to do.
> 
> EDIT: The second hand does not align with the hour marks either It seems that the second hand needs alignment perhaps.


I always thought this was just a something all quartz watches did. My Bulova Marine Star does this as well, every tick is off mark, but it doesn't bother me any more because I don't wear it anymore and only buy automatics now. ;D


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## Eeeb

Beyond 'The Box' said:


> I always thought this was just a something all quartz watches did. My Bulova Marine Star does this as well, every tick is off mark, but it doesn't bother me any more because I don't wear it anymore and only buy automatics now. ;D


Watches vary on how well they 'hit the mark'. Generally there are two reasons for missing - the second hand was initially misaligned (this is easy to fix for anyone who can remove a movement) or the gear train has idiosyncrasies which cause mis alignment at various (and constant) positions on the dial.

I have only one watch which I know will always be spot on, my Citizen Exceed... this is because it appears to have sensors that detect the position of the hands which the cpu then uses to make adjustments.

But almost all my Tissots look better than the Exceed... oh well.


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## Judester

I have this watch with black dial. It was bought for me as a Christmas present. My watch has the same issue where second hand is not aligned. I've been considering bringing it back to shop also - I would expect a watch maker like Tissot to get it right every time, especially at this price tag.

Did you bring your watch back?


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## twblalock

...


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## likewatches

WeylandYutani said:


> I've recently bought a Tissot PRC200 (T0144101603700) with a silver non-chrono dial and brown leather strap.
> 
> However, I've noticed that the second hand does not line up with the seconds markers (it's worst on the left side than the right).
> 
> I've also noticed that when the seconds hand is going from 30-60 seconds the hand goes to the marker but comes back a little for every tick. Almost like there is some play or something. But it only happens from 30-60 second marker points.
> 
> I have another Tissot PRC200 Chrono and the Big Seconds hand lines up when chronograph is in use.
> 
> So is the problem acceptable to watch buyers or should I return it?


Don't worry. I bought the brown dial with the stainless steel bracelet. And it does the same thing. I have a Bulova and two other Tissot watches that are chronographs. Neither of them are off. The only watches that own that are not off, are Guess watches.


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## WeylandYutani

likewatches said:


> Don't worry. I bought the brown dial with the stainless steel bracelet. And it does the same thing. I have a Bulova and two other Tissot watches that are chronographs. Neither of them are off. The only watches that own that are not off, are Guess watches.


Thanks for reply but I'm confused.

You say:



likewatches said:


> I have a Bulova and two other Tissot watches that are chronographs. *Neither of them are off*.


and



likewatches said:


> The *only *watches that own that are *not *off, are Guess watches


Are you saying that the new Brown Dial Tissot you have is the ONLY one you have that is off?

Cheers,


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## Bor

I just bought Tissot and it's off. It's not chronograph and quartz. I was expecting a better quality from Tissot but then I bought it real cheap from amazon so I just did the shoulders thing and rolled my eyes a little and thought atleast it's Sapphire though don't want to check


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## asadtiger

I have two tissots, a PR50 and a quickster...both seconds hands dont hit the mark, and wobble too at every movt and I am not bothered at all cuz they eventually keep excellent time and the crystals are scratchless after a decade of super abuse of my pr50 and good sports use of my quickster too...they are accurate as quartz is and reliable as anything...I dont think the seconds hands alignment is a 'fault' or anything..its just an alignment issue, which I think will go out anyway if you use it in sports and running, so why bother


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## Asteroid

My PRC200 doesn't hit the marks either. I figured it normal for a quartz.


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## glennjk

This issue has been bugging me no-end. I just bought a Stylis-T chrono (see below) and have the same issues as you have all described with both the second hand and the large chrono hand. I have just sent mine in as a warranty claim to get it repaired. I believe it is a design problem with Tissot watches, as other brands (even quartz) do not have this issue. Take a look at any Japanese brand (eg Seiko) and they are always spot-on, even the cheaper watches. I will be taking this as far as possible until I am satisfied the watch is precise. Otherwise I will be seeking a replacement through the Tissot warranty process.

If you take a close look when the second hand is moving, you will notice that gravity plays a part in the 'lagging' effect of the second hand. When the watch is positioned upright (6 pointing to ground), from 12 to 6 the second hand appears to be ok (not great), and when the hand tries to climb from 6 up to 12 there is an obvious lagging effect.

I had a similar problem with my last Tissot watch so I hope for Tissot's sake this is not a widespread design issue.












Asteroid said:


> My PRC200 doesn't hit the marks either. I figured it normal for a quartz.


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## esoteric

I notice on mine the large chrono hand doesnt exactly hit each tick mark either, would be good to hear the feedback of other prc200 owners


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## Davidkoh

esoteric said:


> I notice on mine the large chrono hand doesnt exactly hit each tick mark either, would be good to hear the feedback of other prc200 owners


I don't have a PRC200, but I got a V8 and it has the exact same thing. The large seconds hand is missing its mark, and also the seconds hand on the smaller dial. My GFs non chrono PRC200 has the same problem with the seconds hand. Keeps my OCD in check


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## sticky_rice

i am looking to buy a tissot but this post is stopping me from pulling the trigger.

if the seconds hand is not aligned it would drive me nuts


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## Davidkoh

sticky_rice said:


> i am looking to buy a tissot but this post is stopping me from pulling the trigger.
> 
> if the seconds hand is not aligned it would drive me nuts


It's not that bad actually, and I got OCD so stuff like that usually bugs me to hell


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## jtbndy

My second hands are not aligned on mine either, but its far from a deal breaker in my opinion.


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## passionate watchman

Judester said:


> I have this watch with black dial. It was bought for me as a Christmas present. My watch has the same issue where second hand is not aligned. I've been considering bringing it back to shop also - I would expect a watch maker like Tissot to get it right every time, especially at this price tag.
> 
> Did you bring your watch back?


I very agree with your saying.. |>


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## shtora

I have had several quartz watches, including a TISSOT PRC200 non-chrono and the second hand was not aligned on any of them. I accept that this is normal for quartz watches, especially at this price point.
If one finds this irritating, he should better consider a mechanical or a digital watch.
It has nothing to do with the TISSOT brand. They make nice, quality watches. The problem is not in the brand, but in the concept.


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## Eeeb

glennjk said:


> ... I believe it is a design problem with Tissot watches, as other brands (even quartz) do not have this issue. Take a look at any Japanese brand (eg Seiko) and they are always spot-on, even the cheaper watches. ...


I forgot to mention one other thing... this misalignment can, in part, be caused by design issues. The tighter you make the tolerances, the less 'play' you have in the gear train. The less play you have in the gear train, the more likely you can get better alignment.

But there is a cost to such designs... they are more expensive... they usually draw more power... and they do not last as long.

Swiss watches are made to be passed from generation to generation. Japanese watches are made to be thrown away after use. (OK... that's a gross generalization and I don't want to start a flame war, but you get the idea.)


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## Artistmike

Eeeb said:


> Swiss watches are made to be passed from generation to generation. Japanese watches are made to be thrown away after use. (OK... that's a gross generalization and I don't want to start a flame war, but you get the idea.)


For someone not wanting to start a flame war, that remark was a bit of a doozy! :-d

I would gently make the point that the G10, although an accurate little piece of work, is precisely that, a cheap throw away movement, not made to even be repaired, so perhaps doesn't exactly come in the expensive league, in fact they are dirt cheap even if found in some more expensive brands!

Seiko in fact however produced a watch of great note with the 7A28, a fully 15 jewelled metallic quartz movement that is still standing the test of time and will always be noted in terms of horology. ;-)

It's also arguable that in terms of "throw away" watches, Swatch virtually made their name with those and it was Nicolas Hayek himself who bemoaned the lack of Swiss innovation that has led Swiss quartz technology to be virtually stagnant for decades.

We are still looking for quartz to really make that leap to become valued like mechanical watches and I think it's more likely that technology will be Japanese, Seiko worked hard to produce combined technology like the Spring Drive and I believe watches like those are probably the future of quartz ...... and then hopefully they'll make ones that can hit the markers properly o| ....... :-d


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## Eeeb

Artistmike said:


> For someone not wanting to start a flame war, that remark was a bit of a doozy! :-d
> 
> I would gently make the point that the G10, although an accurate little piece of work, is precisely that, a cheap throw away movement, not made to even be repaired, so perhaps doesn't exactly come in the expensive league, in fact they are dirt cheap even if found in some more expensive brands!
> 
> Seiko in fact however produced a watch of great note with the 7A28, a fully 15 jewelled metallic quartz movement that is still standing the test of time and will always be noted in terms of horology. ;-)
> 
> It's also arguable that in terms of "throw away" watches, Swatch virtually made their name with those and it was Nicolas Hayek himself who bemoaned the lack of Swiss innovation that has led Swiss quartz technology to be virtually stagnant for decades.
> 
> We are still looking for quartz to really make that leap to become valued like mechanical watches and I think it's more likely that technology will be Japanese, Seiko worked hard to produce combined technology like the Spring Drive and I believe watches like those are probably the future of quartz ...... and then hopefully they'll make ones that can hit the markers properly o| ....... :-d


There are really only two Japanese watch companies, Citizen and Seiko. And they do produce a variety of watches, some of which are high end. And Tissot is Swatch's entry level brand so does use the cheaper movements. Granted. (But once you go to the module replacement model of repair, disposable movements are the natural result for much of the market.)

As a fan of quartz I point out Quartz already made the leap you speak of - when they were introduced Quartz watches were as expensive as the most expensive mechanicals. Seiko's first quartz watch cost what a car did at that time. Omega's quartz were among their most expensive watches.

Once the US semiconductor industry decided to move into quartz watches they became really cheap and widely available. (Then Silicon Valley discovered there was no where near the money to be made in watches as there were with computers and they sold it off the Japanese. History shows they made the right decision.)

I admit I had forgotten about fashion watches which Swatch pioneered. They are a bit out of the mainstream of horology but history does show they saved the Swiss watch industry...

HEQ has talked a lot about hitting the marker... what I have decided is it is an OCD thing... it ether doesn't bother you or you obsess on it (I cured myself by seeing how much trouble it was to take apart watches to reset the second hands. With well over a 100 watches to reset it doesn't bother me as much anymore... :-d)

Now, being more than a second a month off ... that's an OCD horror almost all of us in HEQ share!

I don't know if quartz is going to get repositioned in the future. Personally I think bio time tatoos are the next big thing :-d


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## CanisMajor

The second hand on my PRC 200 is aligned slightly to the left of the 12 o'clock mark. 

Canis


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## Alan_F

My PRC 200 (not a chrono) is only a hair off which is less noticeable at the larger 5 second markers while my old Citizen C023 (quartz VS quartz) on the other hand is dead perfect at each of the second markers. I have however not seen a nicer looking silver dial on any watch and certainly nothing even remotely close at the price point a quartz PRC 200 sits at.


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## Screamer67

WeylandYutani said:


> I've recently bought a Tissot PRC200 (T0144101603700) with a silver non-chrono dial and brown leather strap.
> 
> However, I've noticed that the second hand does not line up with the seconds markers (it's worst on the left side than the right).
> 
> I've also noticed that when the seconds hand is going from 30-60 seconds the hand goes to the marker but comes back a little for every tick. Almost like there is some play or something. But it only happens from 30-60 second marker points.
> 
> I have another Tissot PRC200 Chrono and the Big Seconds hand lines up when chronograph is in use.
> 
> So is the problem acceptable to watch buyers or should I return it?


If you bought it from an AD, i would say to return it, because tissot chrono, in their great majority, are flawless..

but if you bought it from internet, you might want to check for authenticity.


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## time-machine

Tissot should look into this serious issue (Watch hands are gravity lagging). 
A watch is meant to be a jewelery and flawless.
No point accepting the flaw reality where other Quartz makers (e.g Seiko) could make the hands spot-on-marker.


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## mleok

I have a similar issue (gravity lagging) with the second hands on my Hamilton Khaki III Quartz watch, and I certain haven't encountered that with my Seiko and Citizen quartz watches. I wonder if it is a design issue that is common to the entry level Swatch group quartz watches.


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## zava

Hi all. I just got a PRC 200 as a present, white dial, brown leather bracelet and I also noticed that the second hand is not exactly aligned with the second marks, but only from 45 to 60. I'm a bit disappointed of this. The large chronograph hand is also off the marks a bit if I set it to count the seconds. Here I found a note on this issue as this seems to be quite often encountered: The hands on my watch are not quite aligned Off topic, the lumen hour indicators are not showing in the dark. The main hand ones, show up fine. If anyone else has the same issue...Thanks.


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## Sodiac

It is very, very rare for the seconds hand on any quartz watch to consistently hit the marks. Search through some of the other WUS forums and you will see much information about this topic. Even the very expensive, silicone-filled Sinn UX watches don't always hit the mark and they also have some of the back movement when the seconds hand clicks. I don't know the exact causes but it has to do with the mechanical part of the quartz movement. 

Unless the watch is specially designed to account for this -- and very few are -- then what the OP is describing is probably normal.


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## The Naf

Unfortunately Sodiac is spot on. I had a V8 and had the same problem with both the chrono. as well as the regular timing second hands :-( whats more after a little bit of research I found out that the g10 movement in my watch was as cheap as $30 to come by... In my humble opinion the best value for money in that range are the Bulova precisionist series. Yes they're not quite as accurate as the claimed 10s/year but def. much more accurate than your average quartz. Plus with the sweeping second hand you never have to worry about second hand misalignment issues... the styling and finishing leaves a little to be desired though unfortunately...sigh...whilst quartz watches are supposed to be cheap, its hard to come accross a cheap quartz thats good these days...sigh...


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## AsAnAtheist

Some quartz watches I have or owned suffered from this. 6-12 was not aligned. 12-6 was. This probably has to do with the fact quartz watches have very little torque.


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## alacarte

Sodiac said:


> It is very, very rare for the seconds hand on any quartz watch to consistently hit the marks. Search through some of the other WUS forums and you will see much information about this topic. Even the very expensive, silicone-filled Sinn UX watches don't always hit the mark and they also have some of the back movement when the seconds hand clicks. I don't know the exact causes but it has to do with the mechanical part of the quartz movement.
> 
> Unless the watch is specially designed to account for this -- and very few are -- then what the OP is describing is probably normal.


Not really. I have Seiko Tuna and Kinetic, both which are quartz watches, and the seconds hand consistently hit the marker.


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## gagnello

Sodiac said:


> It is very, very rare for the seconds hand on any quartz watch to consistently hit the marks. Search through some of the other WUS forums and you will see much information about this topic. Even the very expensive, silicone-filled Sinn UX watches don't always hit the mark and they also have some of the back movement when the seconds hand clicks. I don't know the exact causes but it has to do with the mechanical part of the quartz movement.
> 
> Unless the watch is specially designed to account for this -- and very few are -- then what the OP is describing is probably normal.


While this is somewhat true, I think this has been a historical problem with Tissot and the PRC 200 in particular. I've had 2 swiss army quartz watches and neither are even remotely as poor in this regard as the PRC200 that I used to own. I actually think it is a pathetic endightment of Tissot's quality control. If they choose to market themselves as an entry level swiss luxury brand, it is unacceptable that I have seen as many posts on this subject as I have.


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## CrystalBall

Most quartz watch second hands do not consistently hit the markers. It is a characteristic of the movement and nothing to do with the price of the watch. If you look at Omega and Tag quartz watches in a jeweller's window, you will see that some of them also show this. I have Seiko and Citizen quartz watches which do hit the markers and some that don't, so Japanese watches too are not immune. My worst watch for this is a VSA Infantry, which has frequent "wobble jumps" as well as the "back wobble" and missing the markers. I'm told my an experienced watchmaker that this normal, and it doesn't spoil my enjoyment of the watch.


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## nadim0

I bought one off the internet.. First thing I did was go and check that its authentic.
You can solve the problem like this How To Center Alignment of the Second Hand Chronograph - YouTube


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## Legge

nadim0 said:


> I bought one off the internet.. First thing I did was go and check that its authentic.
> You can solve the problem like this How To Center Alignment of the Second Hand Chronograph - YouTube


That video has nothing to with the problem in this thread. We are talking about, how consistently the hand hits each marker while it's running. The video shows, how to align the second hand if it doesn't hit 12 o'clock after resetting the chronograph.


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## Vinetu

Found this thread *after *I got a PRC200 chrono - naturally with misaligned hands. In my case the most obvious was the big chrono seconds hand: from 0 to ~25sec. markers it would be awfully misaligned with the dial, for the rest of the dial it would align perfectly. The minute hand was also out of alignment in that section of the dial.

I am shocked to read comments on this forum of people justifying something so poor as "normal". I was at Walmart yesterday and looked at their cheap $20 watches - not one was misaligned (granted I didn't look at all of them...).

Needless to say, the watch was returned, Swiss quality my butt


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## Lelocle

I would ignore it if it is keeping time accurately.


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## Lelocle

Vinetu said:


> Found this thread *after *I got a PRC200 chrono - naturally with misaligned hands. In my case the most obvious was the big chrono seconds hand: from 0 to ~25sec. markers it would be awfully misaligned with the dial, for the rest of the dial it would align perfectly. The minute hand was also out of alignment in that section of the dial.
> 
> I am shocked to read comments on this forum of people justifying something so poor as "normal". I was at Walmart yesterday and looked at their cheap $20 watches - not one was misaligned (granted I didn't look at all of them...).
> 
> Needless to say, the watch was returned, Swiss quality my butt


Well of course. It makes sense that a cheap $20 Casio the hands will align perfectly. Those things come out 100 per minute out of a conveyer belt assembled by robots.

Read this. I think it explains the situation nicely. Like I said, if the watch is keeping time accurately then just ignore it.

Why Does The Seconds Hand On My Quartz Watch Not Line Up With The Markers? - Ask Watch Experts Questions About Watches | aBlogtoWatch



> *We used to wonder why even on high-end quartz watches many times the seconds hand did not stop precisely where it should on the markers*. Well, a few years ago, we learned why. It has to do with how most quartz watches are assembled. When the minute hands are placed on the dial, it is often without being properly aligned to any specific "stop" in the movement. Meaning, there is often no relation to the alignment of the hand and the perfection position on the dial for it to line up properly with markers. Sometimes the hands are even placed manually. Once the hands are set, they cannot really be removed and realigned. So, in many watches, if your seconds hand lines up with the markers you are lucky.
> 
> Having said that, some very inexpensive quartz movement in some watches from brands like Casio seem to consistently line up perfectly. We suspect that is because they've designed the movement production process to ensure proper alignment.


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