[ShockMister]

In the late 70s when digital watches were first getting popular I can remember hearing people talk about how it was easy to accidentally reset the time by pressing the wrong button. Then they would need a toothpick to press the recessed at that point.

Does anyone remember anything like this?

Of course these were kids talking so I'm not sure how accurate the information was.

 

[Trhatf]

Late 70’s early 80’s Rush digital. Impossible to accidentally change time as in standard time mode, the top right button switches to date, which automatically switches back to time, the bottom right button does nothing and the bottom left button is the light. You indeed need something pointy in order to utilise the inset middle right button to adjust the time/date.

 

[Chascomm]

In the late 70s when digital watches were first getting popular I can remember hearing people talk about how it was easy to accidentally reset the time by pressing the wrong button. Then they would need a toothpick to press the recessed at that point.

Does anyone remember anything like this?

Of course these were kids talking so I'm not sure how accurate the information was.

On a watch with recessed setting buttons, it is impossible to reset the time with a random press i.e. all classic LEDs and the first two generations of LCD tech, however I can certainly believe that when the first watches with regular pushers only first hit the market (~1980?) there may have been many owners accidentally resetting their watches.

 

[Nazarene]

Seiko was the only watch company that didn’t have recessed buttons on their lcd watches back in the mid and late 1970’s and early 1980’s. All of their lcd watches had protruding buttons. Even the set buttons on all their watches were protruding. All the other watch companies that made lcd watches were far behind Seiko.

 

[ShockMister]

On a watch with recessed setting buttons, it is impossible to reset the time with a random press i.e. all classic LEDs and the first two generations of LCD tech, however I can certainly believe that when the first watches with regular pushers only first hit the market (~1980?) there may have been many owners accidentally resetting their watches.

No. What I meant was that if a certain regular button was pushed, then the recessed button would need to be used to correct it.

 

[Deity42]

No. What I meant was that if a certain regular button was pushed, then the recessed button would need to be used to correct it.

I think I have some where pushing a button will display a dual time zone, and it can be confusing to look at and may be mistaken for home time and thinking it needs a correction. (I mean, it's happened to me recently, lol.) So maybe as kids that was what you were seeing/thinking about.

 

[John MS]

No. What I meant was that if a certain regular button was pushed, then the recessed button would need to be used to correct it.

Typically the hidden button is used to first start then complete the adjustment process. And pressing either a hidden or exposed button involves a momentary delay as protection against erroneous operation. Yours would be an unusual arrangement. Possibly on a very early time only digital.

 

[Rocket1991]

On a watch with recessed setting buttons, it is impossible to reset the time with a random press i.e. all classic LEDs and the first two generations of LCD tech, however I can certainly believe that when the first watches with regular pushers only first hit the market (~1980?) there may have been many owners accidentally resetting their watches.

But they still had one of the pushers flush with the case. It possible to push it but you need to do it intentionally.

 

[Rocket1991]

In the late 70s when digital watches were first getting popular I can remember hearing people talk about how it was easy to accidentally reset the time by pressing the wrong button. Then they would need a toothpick to press the recessed at that point.

Does anyone remember anything like this?

Of course these were kids talking so I'm not sure how accurate the information was.

Nope. I am not that old but i seen these watches. I have 1976/81/83 Casio, 1978/79/81 Seiko. None you can reset with single push or change time accidentally.
I assume some cheaper one could of faced some troubles but i don't think it was intentional.
I do have Victorinox analog digital from 2000 and it can self reset on button been pushed out or simple knock on one of the buttons or analog part stem. But that just malfunction.

At some point i came into possession on 1980s Soviet Electronica watches (whish i kept them but some been dead so i disposed of them and some gave away as a special gift) and as far as i remember you can't do it there either. A least on 54 and 55 models which very much modern in terms of operation.
I do remember some odd configurations with several recessed buttons. May be there could of been some tricky set ups.
Like Casio G100 where one of the buttons moves analog hands and it not protected by anything.

Don't think it was too common. It is a bad design to start with.

This one had 5 buttons

While this one has 3 recessed pushers. Logic of operation of older watches was different from anything we have today.

 

[Badger18]

Yep I use a pin.

 

[ShockMister]

Nice. But that was before LCD digital.

 

[grenert]

Yep I use a pin.

You might want to use a toothpick or other softer implement. A lot of metal digital watches are chrome- or gold-plated, with some other metal underneath. You can scrape away the plating with metal tools.

 

[Deity42]

Probably the silliest watch tool I've ever spent money on:

 

[Nazarene]

What type of tool is that? What do they call it?

 

[pteranodon]

Probably the silliest watch tool I've ever spent money on:

Ha! I was this close to asking to that for Christmas!

It's the Bergeon 6892.

I am tempted to get the Horotec Bracelet Pin pusher set and then their Corrector tip. Then at least I will have something useful... but I'm not 100% sure it will do the job.

pics from HS Walsh in the UK

 

[Deity42]

Ha! I was this close to asking to that for Christmas!

It's the Bergeon 6892.

I am tempted to get the Horotec Bracelet Pin pusher set and then their Corrector tip. Then at least I will have something useful... but I'm not 100% sure it will do the job.

View attachment 17156412

View attachment 17156411

pics from HS Walsh in the UK

Wish I had known about that one, I didn't think there was a competitive market for these. 😂
Mostly because the "handle" looks bigger. I know the dimensions were online and everything, but I was still a little shocked at all how small this one was. I mean it's just tiny. Optimally it would have a little "meat" to it and some knurling for grip.

What type of tool is that? What do they call it?

It's a "Recessed Button Pusher" or "Date Corrector." The nylon tip nestles perfectly into the dent on most recessed buttons.

They are mostly marketed to owners of mechanical perpetual/complete calendars (many high end watchmakers include a tool like this with the watch when it has those complications). But I've collected so many Casiotrons where setting them is a pain, and I was making an Esslinger order [and having a few drinks] so I decided to throw this on.

 

[Subafan]

In the late 70s when digital watches were first getting popular I can remember hearing people talk about how it was easy to accidentally reset the time by pressing the wrong button. Then they would need a toothpick to press the recessed at that point.

Does anyone remember anything like this?

Of course these were kids talking so I'm not sure how accurate the information was.

Yes, it was true at least in some Seiko lcd models, like this:

This is my A159-5019 from 1978. The left bottom button is the mode button; by pressing it you access, with the first touch to the chronograph screen, with the second to the alarm screen and with the third to the set screen. When accessing to the set screen, the seconds begin to flash so, there you can reset them by pressing the right bottom button. So, it was very easy to inadvertently change the time. Something nearly impossible with a recessed button or a specially dedicated adjust button.

 

[Chascomm]

Yes, it was true at least in some Seiko lcd models, like this:
View attachment 17197476
This is my A159-5019 from 1978. The left bottom button is the mode button; by pressing it you access, with the first touch to the chronograph screen, with the second to the alarm screen and with the third to the set screen. When accessing to the set screen, the seconds begin to flash so, there you can reset them by pressing the right bottom button. So, it was very easy to inadvertently change the time. Something nearly impossible with a recessed button or a specially dedicated adjust button.

That sounds like identical operation to many modern Casio 4-button module, most Technochas and pretty much all generics that I have encountered. Easy to mess up the time and easy to fix.

By contrast, the older modules with recessed pushers were harder to mess up but harder to set due to the need to use a pen or toothpick.

But for the scenario of an accidental push of a protruding pusher messing up the time needing a reset with recessed pusher; I can only see that happening due to shock or shorting causing a module failure.