How to Set the Time & Date on Your Armitron Watch

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Jewelry & watch expert Bill Green shares tips for setting a digital and analog Armitron watch

Co-authored by Bill Green and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: June 15, 2026 Fact Checked

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Digital Watch with RESET Button

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Armitron WR330 & Similar Models

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Analog Watches

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Q&A

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Tips

Armitron is a popular watch brand that offers a variety of analog and digital watches. While each model is slightly different, most of them follow similar instructions for setting the time and date. In this article, we partnered with a jewelry & watch expert to walk you through how to reset digital watches with or without a RESET button, plus how to set analog watches. Let’s get started!

How to Set an Armitron Watch

Jewelry & watch expert Bill Green says Armitron watches are not all that different from other timepieces when it comes to setting them. That said, it depends on the type of movement and display. Here’s how to set each type:

Most digital watches: Hold RESET until you hear a beep; press MODE to select the value you want to change. Make adjustments with ST/STP.
Watches with no RESET button: Press and hold MODE to enter the reset menu; cycle through the values with DATE and make adjustments with ALARM.
On an analog watch: Pull the crown out to the first click to set the date, and to the second click to adjust the time.
If the standard method doesn’t work or you think your watch is malfunctioning, search for your manual on Armitron’s website.

Section 1 of 3:

4-Button Digital Sports Watch with RESET Button

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1
Hold the RESET button until the watch beeps. Locate the RESET button on the top left side of your Armitron watch. Hold the button for about 3 seconds or until it beeps. You should notice numbers on your screen start flashing.^{[1]
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- Depending on your watch model, the button may say SET instead of RESET.
- This process will work for most models, but if yours doesn’t have a RESET button, try the instructions for the Armitron WR330 in the next section.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Bill Green is a jewelry & watch expert with over 40 years of industry knowledge. He’s also the founder and creative director of Jewelry & Timepiece Mechanix and the founder and designer of Amaroo Handmade Opal Jewelry.
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Press the MODE button to choose the hours, minutes, day, or date. The MODE button is usually on the bottom right side of your Armitron sports watch. Each time you press the MODE button, a different section of your screen display will start flashing. This allows you to easily switch between changing the hour, minutes, day, and date. Keep pressing MODE until you reach the value you want to change.^{[2]
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- Whatever is flashing on your watch is the value you're changing.
- You can cycle through the 7 days of the week when the small abbreviation for the day is blinking. People often skip over this part—it’s easy to miss on some models!
- Green says the pusher functions are usually printed right on the dial next to the buttons on most LCD displays.^{[3]
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Cycle through the times and dates by pressing the ST/STP button. Locate the ST/STP button; it’s usually on the top right side of the watch. After you’ve selected the value you want to change with the MODE button, press ST/STP until that value is set where you want it. If you go past the time or day, just keep pressing the button until it cycles through again.^{[4]
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- Check if you have the time set as AM or PM on your watch so all of the information is accurate.
- On some models, the ST/STP button may be labeled ADJ.
- Refer to your manual to find out how you swap between 12- and 24-hour time modes. Typically, you press the Mode button repeatedly until you see the screen where you switch between formats, then select ST/STP to set the format.
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Press the RESET button in the top left when you're finished. After you've set all of the information correctly, press the RESET button to lock in all of the information. Check your watch—if the time is correct, you’re all finished!^{[5]
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- The fourth button on your watch isn’t used to set the time or date. Usually, this button is labeled LIGHT, and pressing it illuminates the backlight.
- If you’re having trouble setting your watch and don’t have the manual, the easiest thing to do is to look up the model number (usually found on the case back or the dial), says Green. Then use a search engine to look up the instructions for the setting, he continues.^{[6]
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- Unless it’s an unusually complicated piece, which is unlikely, the process is generally pretty straightforward and only takes a few minutes, Green adds.^{[7]
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Section 2 of 3:

Setting an Armitron WR330 (40/8125) & Similar Models

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Press and hold MODE until the alarm numbers flash. MODE is the bottom left button when you’re looking at the watch face. Press and hold this button—you’ll see the small numbers of the alarm start flashing.^{[8]
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- To turn the alarm on and off, press C while the alarm numbers are flashing. An alarm clock icon will appear when the alarm is on.
- If you want to set your alarm, press the ALARM button (top left) to cycle through the numbers until it’s set at the time you want. Otherwise, go to the next step.
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Press MODE again so the seconds flash. Once you’re in reset mode, press the MODE button again to switch from the alarm to the clock time. You should see the seconds start flashing.^{[9]
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- If you want to change the seconds, press the ALARM button on the top left to cycle through the numbers.
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Press the DATE button to cycle through the minutes, hours, and date. Press the DATE button (top right) once to jump to the minutes. Cycle through the minutes with the ALARM button. Once that’s correct, press DATE again to go to the hours, and set those with ALARM.^{[10]
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- Pressing DATE again will advance you to the month, then the date.
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Exit the menu by pressing MODE again. Once the time is set the way you want it, press the MODE button again. You may need to press it more than once to get the numbers to stop flashing.
- This will lock in your changes.
From the main watch screen, press and hold the ALARM button. While you’re still holding it, press the MODE button once. This will toggle you between 12-hour and 24-hour time.^{[11]
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Section 3 of 3:

Analog Watches

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Pull out the crown on the side of the watch until it clicks once to set the date. Most analog displays are usually set with a crown, notes Green.^{[12]
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Bill Green
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Expert Interview} The crown is the small dial on the left or right side of the watch face. Pinch the crown between your fingers and pull it out until it clicks once. If you hear more than one click, push the crown back in and pull it out slowly.^{[13]
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- The crown on Armitron watches typically has two different positions. Pulling it one click adjusts the date, and pulling it two clicks adjusts the day of the week and time.
- If your watch doesn't display the date, then the crown will only click once to set the time.
- No matter how complicated it appears, the basic process is generally very similar from one model to another, adds Green.^{[14]
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Turn the crown until the correct date appears in the window. Rotate the crown clockwise or counterclockwise to move the date forward or back. Keep turning it until the correct date is in the window on your watch face. If you only needed to change the date, push the crown all the way in to set it.^{[15]
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- If possible, avoid adjusting the date on your watch between 11 PM and 5 AM—that's when it advances to the next day.
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Pull the crown until it clicks a second time to adjust the time. Turn the crown to advance the hour and minute hands. Get as close as you can to the right time so your watch is accurate within a minute or two.^{[16]
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- If your watch displays the day of the week, keep advancing the hour hand in 24-hour increments until the correct day is in the display, then set the hour and minute.
- If your clock has a military time dial, make sure it's correct compared to the current time.
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Push the crown all the way in to lock your time and settings. Once you've made all of your adjustments, press the crown all the way in so it starts again. This is important, since the hands won't start moving on their own until you press the crown back in. ^{[17]
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- Check the watch periodically throughout the day to make sure it maintains the correct time.
- If the watch keeps falling behind, you may need to replace the battery.

Community Q&A

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Question

I have an Armitron 45/7041, a sports watch with red around it. The alarm goes off every 3-ish minutes. How do I stop it?

Community Answer

Press mode until a1 a2 or a3 pops up then where it says CHRONO adj or set and fidget with it and it should work.

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Question

I have an Armitron Sports watch, black resin strap band with a silver plate ontop. The model says 45/7042. How do I change the hour format from 24 to 12?

Community Answer

Go to setting the time and then hours. Change the hour time until you get to the time you want. It will cycle through Military time, then AM, then PM.

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Question

I need to reset the day; it says Thursday, but it's Friday. How can I do that?

Community Answer

Press mode until it opens the time change, then press the right-side buttons. First minutes will be flashing; press again for hours, and then again to allow you to change day of the week.

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Tips

If you have a waterproof digital sports watch and you can no longer make adjustments or it stops working correctly, take it to a jeweler to have the battery, gasket, or O-ring replaced.^{[18]
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If you’re not sure which method will work for you, look up the manual for your Armitron watch by visiting Armitron's website and searching for the style number on the back of your watch.

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