If you are unsure how to set the time and calendar functions of your specific Rolex watch, below you will find detailed explanations on how to do just that. While Rolex is famous for making some of the most user-friendly luxury watches in the market, there are still a few details that vary across different references and models. 

But First, Some Key Terms 

Screw-down winding crown: To ensure the watch’s water resistance, all Rolex watches come with a winding crown that must be first unscrewed before it can be used.

Perpetual: If a Rolex watch includes the label “Perpetual” on the dial, it runs on an automatic movement.

Hacking: The seconds hand comes to a complete stop when the winding crown is pulled out for more precise time setting. Introduced in 1971. 

Non-Quickset: On older Rolex watches with date windows, the date is not independent of the timekeeping hands. Therefore, to set the date, the hands must be continuously turned around the dial to change the number in the date window. 

Quickset: On Rolex watches with date windows, the date is set independently from the timekeeping hands.

Single Quickset: On a Rolex Day-Date, only the date is set independently from the timekeeping hands.

Double Quickset: On a Rolex Day-Date, the date and the day are set independently from the timekeeping hands.

Winding A Rolex: Manual vs. Automatic

While hand-wound watches need regular manual winding of the crown to run, automatic watches are self-winding thanks to the movement’s rotor. However, you should always manually wind an automatic watch to full power reserve before setting it and wearing it—once the watch is “fully charged,” you can let the rotor take over. 

How to wind a Rolex

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch
  3. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

How to Set a No-Date Rolex Watch

This includes Oyster Perpetual, Air-King (no date), Explorer, Milgauss, Submariner (no-date), Daytona (automatic) and Yacht-Master II models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 2 
  4. Turn the winding crown clockwise or counterclockwise to set the correct time
  5. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  6. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

How to Set a Rolex With a Date Window

This includes Date, Datejust, Air-King Date, Submariner Date, Sea-Dweller, Yacht-Master, and Explorer II (ref. 1655 only) models

Non-Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 2 
  4. Turn the winding crown counterclockwise to keep the timekeeping hands moving until the correct number shows up in the date window
  5. Turn the winding crown to set the correct time
  6. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  7. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1 
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the next notch. This is Position 2
  4. Turn the winding crown counterclockwise (for a men’s model) or clockwise (for a women’s model) to set the correct date 
  5. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 3 
  1. Turn the winding crown clockwise or counterclockwise to set the correct time. 
  2. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  3. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

How to Set a Rolex Day-Date

This includes Day-Date 36, Day-Date Masterpiece, Day-Date II, and Day-Date 40 models

Non-Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1 
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 2 
  4. Turn the winding crown counterclockwise to keep the timekeeping hands moving until you get the correct day in the window at 12 o’clock
  5. Once you have the correct day, turn the winding crown clockwise to turn the hand back to 9 pm then counterclockwise forward past midnight again. This will advance the date in the window at 3 o’clock. Continue to do this until the correct date is in the window
  6. Turn the winding crown to set the correct time
  7. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  8. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

Single-Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1 
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the next notch. This is Position 2 
  4. Turn the winding crown counterclockwise to set the correct date
  5. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 3 
  6. Turn the winding crown to keep the timekeeping hands moving until you get the correct day in the window at 12 o’clock
  7. Turn the winding crown to set the correct time
  8. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  9. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the next notch. This is Position 2 
  4. Turn the winding crown clockwise to set the correct date. Turn the winding crown counterclockwise to set the correct day
  5. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 3 
  6. Turn the winding crown clockwise or counterclockwise to set the correct time 
  7. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  8. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

How to Set a Rolex GMT-Master

Non-Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1 
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 2
  4. Turn the winding crown counterclockwise to keep the timekeeping hands moving until the correct number shows up in the date window
  5. Turn the winding crown to set the correct time (the arrow-tipped 24-hour hand will move in sync with the local hour hand)
  6. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  7. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads
  8. Turn the bezel until the correct number on the bezel aligns with the arrow-tipped 24-hand to indicate the second time zone

Quickset Models

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the next notch. This is Position 2 
  4. Turn the winding crown clockwise to set the correct date
  5. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 3
  6. Turn the winding crown to set the correct time (the arrow-tipped 24-hour hand will move in sync with the local hour hand)
  7. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  8. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads
  9. Turn the bezel until the correct number on the bezel aligns with the arrow-tipped 24-hand to indicate the second time zone

How to Set a Rolex GMT-Master II

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1 
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 3
  4. Turn the winding crown clockwise and the minute and arrow-tipped 24-hour hand will move. Move the 24-hour hand until it aligns to the correct number on the bezel to indicate the second time zone. Move the minute hand to the correct position
  5. Push the winding crown one notch. This is Position 2 
  6. Turn the winding crown clockwise and the hour hand will move; turn until the correct date shows up in the date window. Move the hour hand to the correct position. 
  7. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  8. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

How to Set a Rolex Explorer II

This includes all Explorer II models except for Explorer II ref. 1655. 

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the last notch. This is Position 3
  4. Turn the winding crown clockwise and the minute and arrow-tipped 24-hour hand will move. Move the 24-hour hand until it aligns to the correct number on the bezel to indicate the second time zone. Move the minute hand to the correct position. 
  5. Push the winding crown one notch. This is Position 2 
  6. Turn the winding crown clockwise and the hour hand will move; turn until the correct date shows up in the date window. Move the hour hand to the correct position. 
  7. Push the winding crown back to Position 1
  8. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads

How to Set a Rolex Sky-Dweller

  1. Unscrew the winding crown by turning it counterclockwise until it dislodges from the screw threads. This is Position 1
  2. Turn the winding crown clockwise around 30 times to wind the movement of the watch.
  3. Pull the winding crown out to the next notch. This is Position 2
  4. Rotate the bezel all the way counterclockwise (3 clicks)
  5. Turning the winding crown rotates the 24-hour disk; turn until the correct number aligns with the inverted triangle to display the second time zone. Move the minute hand to the correct position
  6. Rotate the bezel clockwise 1 click
  7. Turn the winding crown to move the local hour hand to the correct position 
  8. Rotate the bezel clockwise 1 click
  9. Turning the winding crown counterclockwise will advance the date at 3 o’clock and if you pass 30/31, the month display (small boxes adjacent to the hour markers) will advance to the next. Keep turning until the correct month and date are displayed 
  10. Rotate the bezel clockwise 1 click
  11. Push the winding crown back to Position 1 
  12. Screw the winding crown back into the case by pressing it down and turning it clockwise until it is screwed back into the threads