Cro WatchesWhy does my Seiko say 水? Seiko day wheels in kanji, Arabic and Spanish
Seiko sold its day-date watches all over the world, so the day wheel came in many languages. Most are bilingual: English plus a second language that you can switch to.
Japanese kanji
The classic for watches sold in Japan and much of Asia. Each day is one character:
| Kanji | 日 | 月 | 火 | 水 | 木 | 金 | 土 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| Meaning | sun | moon | fire | water | wood | gold | earth |
Spanish
DOM, LUN, MAR, MIE, JUE, VIE, SAB: Sunday to Saturday. Common on watches sold in Spain and Latin America.
Arabic
Watches for the Middle East often have an Arabic day wheel, and some dials use Eastern Arabic numerals (٠ ١ ٢ ٣ ٤ ٥ ٦ ٧ ٨ ٩) for the hours. These dials have become popular in Europe for their look.
How to switch the language
On most bilingual Seiko day wheels you advance the day once more and the other language appears. On older models you move the hands past midnight; on many later ones you pull the crown or press the pusher. Check the method for your movement before forcing anything.