My Marine star has a fast setting mode when you turn the stem quickly, the hands just take off like a motor is driving it. You can reverse this by turning the stem the other way. Is this normal?

best to go to a bulova dealer to get the original fitted as its most likely the stem is sheered of inside the old crown if however it has just unscrewed from the stem any good watchmaker should be able to refit it and reseal it

pull the stem out only one click. this will put the watch in the mode to adjust the date. and if you spin the stem in reverse it should set the week day. not sure about military time on the bottom. If you pull the stem out 2 clicks, it will set the set the time. i have this watch.

This watch should have a "quick set" date function that lets you advance the dates by turning the setting crown. To get the watch in this mode, pull the set stem out half-way. At that point, turning the setting crown will advance the date on the watch without turning the hands. One some watches, finding the right position for the set stem can be a bit tricky--either it's not out far enough or it's out just a bit too far and the time hands turn. You may have to try pulling the stem in and out a few times to get it just right.

A word of advice: watches are generally designed to advance the date, not to turn it back. It's suggested that if you need turn the date back, you actually advance the date wheel up to 30 days to get to the date you want. Some watches do permit you to turn dates backwards, but I prefer not to risk the chance of hanging up the little springs and mechanism that are designed to advance the date indicator.

One final note: I have serviced several Timex mid-size (ladies or kids size) Expedition watches that lack a quick-set date. Many Timex watches in that size do have a quickset date like I've just described to you, so I have no idea whether these watches happen to have a cheaper movement or if they have some internal damage (it's been the same model each time). At any rate, for those watches, I have had to use the incredibly slow and painful process of advancing the time 24 hours to advance the date. With those watches, if the date is too far advanced by a day or two, it may be easier to stop the watch for 24-48 hours until the date is correct, rather than spend a huge amount of time spinning the crown to advance the time. Hopefully, your watch will have the more sophisticated movement, though.

If you haven't got the user instructions you can get them via the following link:-http://www.bulova.com/watches/bulova/marine-star/98b105/

You should see "download user manual" at the bottom of the page.

I have the exact same issue with the minute hand resting at the 1 minute mark and now I have condensation under the glass. The watch is only 2 months old so I think I will return it.

Pull out the winding stem (crown) when second hand reaches 12 o'clock, set main time by ajusting stem, next press and hold A button "near 9 o'clock" hands will move quickly, when close to matching main time, release A button and press in and out quickly until it matches main time. Next push winding stem in, this will start the main and the sub-hands together for normal time. To set alarm press and hold A button until set time is reached, select B button alarm mode "2 o'clock" for beep or vibra, to turn alarm on/off press C button "4 o'clock" for 1 or 2 seconds, the sub hands will move rapidly until it reaches normal time and alarm will sound 3 times indicating it is set, finally when alarm goes off early in the morning for example you can press any button to stop. To reset alarm press C and it will go back to the original alarm setting.

I have a spare set of instructions if required.

mcdevito75 here, If your Timex is digital (has buttons) press the MODE button once, see the screen flashing, then press set as you set each function press MODE to move to the next function, when done press MODE again for steady screen. If your Timex has a stem (winder) slip your fingernail just under the stem and lift it to it"s first notch or position, this will allow you to change the date without haveing to turn the hands so many times.

1st: make sure the watch is set to "tme" , the botton dail display, press bottom right stem
2nd: pull out the bottom right stem ,
3rd: press the left top stem for increase time . i.e. 2:40 pm to... 2: 45pm
4th, or press the left bottom stem for decrease time: i.e. 2:40pm to .. 2:30 pm
5th: once time is good, then press in the right bottom stem,

For some reason you cannot find the manuals on the Bulova web site any longer. But don't worry....
I have the manual for the Bulova Marine Star 96C30 Watch. This is easily fixable.
Below, I have typed the instruction on how to fix this issue as well as reset the time and calendar and a few extra tips in case you forgot....

Here is what it says to do if the hands don't match up with the display time (usually happens after you change the battery).
First, you must locate the buttons on the watch.
The "A" button is at the 2 o'clock position (upper right). The "B" button is at the 10 o'clock position (upper left) The "C" button is at the 8 o'clock position (lower left) The "M" (mode) button is at the 4 o'clock position (lower right), and is the only button you can pull out to set the times, calendar and programming.
To RESET the watch and do the ZERO POSITIONING after changing a battery or having a display error, do the following.
RESET 1. Pull the "M" button out to the setting position. 2. hold down the "A", "B", and "C" buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds, then release them. All digit segments will turn on and display completely.
ZERO POSITIONING 1. Press the "B" button and all the segments in the digital time will reset to zero, with "UTC" showing in the main digital window. 2. Zero the "UTC" minute and hour hand (located in 12 o'clock sub-dial) to the 24 o'clock maker (straight up). Button "A" will move the hands clockwise, and button "C" will move the hands counter clockwise. 3. Press button "B" - "HR" shows in the main digital window. Adjust the main (large) hour hand to the 12 o'clock (midnight) position using "A" and "C" buttons. At the same time, observe the synchronized 24 hour hand (small dial to the left of the main dial), to insure that it also moves to point to "24". 4. Press button "B". "MIN" shows in the display window. Adjust the large minute hand to also point to the 12 using the "A" and "C" buttons. 5. Push the "M" (mode) button back in to its normal position. The watch beeps and at the same time the hands jump slightly. ALL RESET and ZERO POSITIONING are now complete. 6. Reset the time, calendar and other modes.
To set the time. Note that changing the time in any of the cities will automatically update the time for all the cities. 1. Press the "M" button to move the mode hand to (TME) 2. Press either the "A" or "C" button to move to the desired city. 3. Pull the "M" button out to the setting position. 4. Press the "A" button. SECONDS will blink. Set them with "C". 5. Press the "A" button again, and MINUTES will blink. Set them with the "C" button. 6. Press the "A" button again, and HOURS will blink. Set with the "C" button. 7. Press the "A" button again, and 12 or 24 hours tim format will appear. 8. Push in the "M" button to its normal position.
To set the calender 1. push the "M" button to move the mode hand to (CAL) 2. Set the city using the "A" or "C" buttons. 3. Pull out the "M" button to the "setting" position. The numbers of the "month" starts to blink. this is an "american" date system with the month first, day second, and year third. Use "C" button to adjust the month. 4. Push the "A" button. The date (day) will flash. Adjust with the "C" button. 5. Push the "A" button. The YEAR flashes. Adjust with the "C" button. 6. Push the "M" button back in. The calender is simultaneously adjusted for all cities.
Couple of other "tips".
Switching the time on the digital display with the time shown on the hands: 1. Press the "M" button until the mode hand is in (TME) or (CAL) mode. 2. Pressing the "A" and "C" button together. The time will switch the between the main hands (analog) and the digital display.
Temporary Hand Retraction Pressing and holding the "B" button will move the hands out of the way of the display. Repressing the "B" button will put the hands back at the correct time.
hope this helps.

Solution #3 (Posted by Guest on 5 Mar 08) is spot on. Quick and easy method to reset the chrono hands (it was not in my Seiko manual).
Interestingly, this can also be used to set the chrono ahead (or behind--with a little math) for offset timing measurements.