[Avisitor]

Greetings,

I got Festina 6725/A watch, which suddenly stopped working a month ago. I didn't drop it or subjected it to any shock. Naturally I thought it was just a battery, which I promptly replaced. The chronograph worked, but the time and minute hands don't move. Thinking that there could be something wrong with the replacement battery, I got another one, but still no go. I can use the chronograph second hand, which measures seconds. The minute chronograph dial also works fine if I let the chronometer run over 60 seconds. I can stop, restart and advance the chronograph second hand. I can advance it both slowly or rapidly, if I keep holding the upper button. I can even get the chronograph second hand out of zero default starting position and then reset it properly. But the minute and the hour hands don't move. It was not an expensive watch. I only payed about $250 for it in France in 2011. Given the cost it would probably be cheaper to buy a replacement than repair it. Unless there is a way to reset it that I am not aware of. Any suggestions from the pros? Much appreciated!

Here is the link to the watch
http://katsidonis.gr/katsidonis/img/p/44-46-thickbox.jpg

 

[Priapism]

Some quartz movements need to be "jump started" by shorting some contacts on the movement after a battery change.

I don't know if this is the case with your watch but it might be a starting point for some more investigation.

 

[tinknocker]

Open the back up again and see what movement is in it. I know they use to use Citizen quarts movements. If it is, go on Citizens site and track down the manual for that movement.

You can start here, if it is a Citizen

http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-us/support/setting-instructions/

 

[crotchhasteeth]

Heres my 2 cents worth.
I have worked on many watches, some quartz, most mechanical. If the hands do not move, it can be 1 of 3 things I can think of right off the bat.
The most likely is an obstruction, usually under the dial due to debris or a broken piece of something. If this is the case, its very likely the time keeping part of your movement has died due to the motor burning out with the obstruction working against the motor.
It MAY be that the step motor in the time keeping portion of your watch has died on its own, I figure what ever movement you have in it has a separate motor for time keeping, and another for the chronograph only.
The 3rd thing is it maybe that the hour and minute hand wheels have disconnected from the cannon pinion. This CAN happen, though I doubt its that issue either.
Reseting or "shorting out" movement will not help the issue at all. In electronic watches, some require this be done during the battery change process, but if you observe most chronographs after a battery is installed, they tend to work right away anyhow. The reset just eliminates faults or the 2 second skip beat some watches get with low batteries.
Take it to a decent watch repair shop somewhere and have them check it out, and I would bet its an obstruction, and the watch has died.
The movement is replaceable, though its NOT repairable. Most quartz movements made today are considered throw away, with no repairable parts.