How to set up the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional with calibre 1861
Short answer: Wind it in crown position 1, then pull to position 2 and turn to set the hours and minutes. The 1861 has no stop-seconds. To match a clock, hold light backward pressure on the crown so the seconds hand pauses, and let go on the beat.
Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (pre-2021, Hesalite) at a glance
| Calibre | 1861, hand-wound |
|---|---|
| Crown | Two positions: 1 = winding, 2 = time setting. No stop-seconds. |
| Pushers | Top: start and stop. Bottom: reset, only when stopped. |
| Chronograph | Reads to 1/6 second, up to 12 hours |
| References | Hesalite 311.30.42.30.01.005. The sapphire-sandwich 311.30.42.30.01.006 has the related calibre 1863. |
| Also on this guide | First Omega in Space (311.32.40.30.01.001) and Apollo anniversary editions with calibre 1861 |
What do you need to set on the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (pre-2021, Hesalite)?
Reset chronograph hands on the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (pre-2021, Hesalite)
- 1
Check: is the chrono stopped?
Top pusher starts and stops. Bottom resets, but only when stopped.
- 2
Still not at zero? Service
On this mechanical movement the hands are reset by internal cams. There's no user re-alignment, so an authorised service centre needs to fix it.
Pressing pushers in other crown positions won't help, and can cause damage.
Set the time on the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (pre-2021, Hesalite)
- 1
Pull to position 2
Turn either way to set hours and minutes.
- 2
No stop-seconds: hold it gently
To sync the seconds, turn the crown gently backwards and keep light pressure so the seconds hand pauses. Release on the beat, push to 1.
Based on Omega's published manual: this calibre has no stop-seconds function.
Start a stopped watch on the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (pre-2021, Hesalite)
- 1
Wind it
Crown in (1). Turn forwards until it stops. Never force it.
- 2
Set the time
Crown to 2, turn, push back to 1.
What owners run into
- "The seconds hand won't stop when I pull the crown." That is normal on the 1861. Use the gentle backward-pressure trick, or simply set to the nearest minute.
- Turning the crown hard while it is in position 2 to stop the seconds can strain the setting parts. Light pressure is enough.
- As on any mechanical Speedmaster, a chrono hand that stops off zero is fixed by a watchmaker, not with the pushers.
How the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional (pre-2021, Hesalite) differs from similar watches
The 1861 was the Moonwatch movement before the calibre 3861. Same two crown positions and pushers, but no stop-seconds. Calibre 1863 is the version fitted to the sapphire-back model, and Omega gives the same instructions for it. The vintage-design calibre 321 also lacks stop-seconds but has its own page.
Models covered by this guide
Quick answers
Does the Speedmaster 1861 have hacking seconds?
No. The seconds hand keeps running when you pull the crown. Omega's manual lists the 1861 among calibres without stop-seconds.
How do I set my 1861 Moonwatch to the exact second?
Pull the crown to 2, set the minute hand, then keep light backward pressure on the crown until the seconds hand pauses. Push in on the beat.
Is the 1863 set up differently from the 1861?
No. Omega gives the same crown and pusher instructions for both.