Resetting watch after battery replacement.

This same problem (watch resetting to 1/1/205) has happened to me 2x now, about 2 months or so apart.

I have had this watch for ~10+ years now, and works perfectly.

I have replaced the battery 2x.

Again, the watch works great.

I just realized that in the .pdf manual, there is no indication for a "low-battery" condition.

I am guessing that the "low-battery" is what is causing the watch to reset the date/time to 1/1/2005.

Any others having this same problem if this watch resetting to 1/1/2005 after the watch has run just great (auto time syncing, etc.)?

This watch Keeps great time!

Buster Brown

I had the exact same problem with my watch, it wouldn't stop beeping or flashing and the reset would not work. I fixed the problem an hour ago by replacing the battery in the watch.
hope this helps!!

There is a reset procedure for most LCD watches to reset the LCD after installing the battery. It is different for every watch brand and movement (inner works). I recommend visiting your local Certified Master Horologist for proper battery and resetting procedure.

Improperly resetting any digital watch by shorting the wrong connection can essentially short out the movement, and the movement / watch must then be replaced, whichever is least expensive.

You do not give a model number for your Wittnauer Montserrat. It does sound like it needs a reset - generally this is making an electrical connection for a few seconds between the positive terminal of the battery and a reset contact point on the watch movement - a pair of fine point tweezers is ideal for this.
HOWEVER - without knowledge of the movement used in this watch, this is just speculation.

No reason to panic. First - replace the battery for another one, as the one you fitted can be on low. After replacing set the time manually. Within few days watch will start to receive signals and will reset itself to correct time.
Rate me plz.

This watch will have what is called and "AC" or All clear to reset it. There should be a white sticker with very small print on the back lid that will walk you through doing this procedure. It typically involves pressing down a tiny lever onto a small metal pad that will reset the watch.

Remove the four screws that hold the battery cover on the back of the watch. Remove the 3 very small screws that hold the battery in place. Remove the battery from the battery holder. The piece that the 3 small screws were removed from seperates from the 3 volt 2016 energizer battery. Replace the battery with a new one. Re-install the battery holder to the watch. There is a small tab on the lower left part of the battery holder that needs to be depressed to activate the watch. Depress it and look at the face of the watch to make sure it is activated. The watch will need to have the time, date etc reset but you should now be able to see that the battery is working. Replace the battery cover and reset the time and date as needed.

If your watch has any kind of illuminated dial or dial light, you may have found the battery for that instead of the one powering the watch itself. I have one similar and did that same thing only to find that the watch still wouldn't run.  The battery that powers the illumination is larger and in my watch, the battery for the watch portion is half the size and located below and to the side of the other cell.

I have the exact same problem. The watch was working fine up until I had the battery replaced. I went to another watch repair shop (couldn't go to the same one as I had moved to another town) and the chap there explained that with Diesel watches, when the batteries are replaced a small button inside the mechanism must be pressed to reset the settings, if this isn't done then the annoying problem, inflicting our watches, will occur.
My watch worked fine after, for a few days, then it began to reset again; casting doubt on the watch repair man's explanation. I'll go back to see the chap when I have the time, prob next week and keep you chaps posted on anything new.

Upper black button is the stopwatch function, lower one stops/resets it. Middle/crown is for adjustments, including the date.