Seiko 5 automatic stopped overnight: how to wind and restart it

A Seiko 5 that stops after a day or two off the wrist is usually just out of power, not broken. A few turns of the crown get it going again.

If the crown screws down, unscrew it first. In its normal pushed-in position, turn the crown clockwise slowly about 20 times; the seconds hand should start moving. Then pull it out to set the time and date, avoiding date changes between 9 PM and 4 AM, and push or screw the crown back in.

• 1. Unlock a screw-down crown: If your model has a screw-down crown, turn it anticlockwise until it pops free. Seiko 5 models with a normal crown can skip this step.
• 2. Wind it with the crown: With the crown in its normal, pushed-in position, turn it clockwise slowly. Turning anticlockwise does nothing. About 20 turns is enough to get a fully stopped watch running. Extra turns will not damage the spring.
• 3. Or give it a gentle swing: You can also move the watch gently from side to side until the seconds hand starts. A watch that has stopped completely may take a moment, because the spring has little force at first.
• 4. Set the day and date: Pull the crown out to the first click. On the 4R36, turning one way changes the date and the other way changes the day. Set them to the day before today, so that the time step can roll them forward to the right day and AM/PM.
• 5. Set the time: Pull the crown to the second click so the hands move. Turn the hands forward until the date flips to today, then carry on to the correct time. Push the crown back in when the seconds hand is lined up.
• 6. Lock the crown again: For a screw-down crown, press it in gently and turn clockwise until it stops. Do not force it, as that can damage the thread.