In a world where every detail matters, we sometimes miss the importance of what is right in front of us. Most watch enthusiasts will recognise that the case, the dial, and the hands will play a leading role in defining the presence of a watch. But we don’t always give enough credit to less obvious parts like the crown. Most importantly, the crown is the direct link to the heart of your watch. Traditionally, it allows you to wind the mainspring and set the time and date. The crown also operates the different additional complications your watch might come equipped with. It’s a feature that plays an increasingly important role in today’s world of horology.
But its importance reaches far beyond its functional properties. Its size, shape, finish, placement, and style are pivotal in a watch’s overall composition. A watch’s design speaks not only to function – winding, setting, sealing – but also to how a brand chooses to communicate aesthetics, ergonomics, and legacy. So, let’s dive into the world of watch crowns and discover why they play such a crucial role.
To understand crowns, we must first understand the two main crown mechanisms. The first is the classic push/pull crown. It’s the most common and straightforward crown mechanism. It’s designed to be pulled out to one or more positions to adjust the time and the date, and pushed back in to secure the setting. You will traditionally find this type on many dress watches and casual pieces. Push/pull crowns are easy to use and perfect for casual everyday wear.
The second crown mechanism is the screw-down crown, which is designed to screw into the case tube, creating a tighter seal. It is the preferred option if you want enhanced durability, water resistance, and worry-free daily use. You will typically find these on all tool watches. While screw-down crowns provide an extra layer of protection against moisture and dust, they require more careful handling. To operate it, you must unscrew the crown before pulling it out to set the time, operate the complications, or wind the watch.
Additionally, you will often find crown guards on tool watches to protect the crown from damage during wear. The opposite of a crown with crown guards is a recessed crown. Traditionally, semi- and fully recessed crowns were used for self-winding watches, as you would not need to hand-wind the watch if you wore it daily. You would likely only operate the crown to adjust the time or date. Additionally, a recessed crown is better protected against potential accidents and offers sleeker lines to the overall design. That said, the crown is one of the standout elements on most of today’s watches, so a fully recessed crown can appear as though something is missing.
As crowns have become such defining elements in the aesthetics of a watch, let’s take a closer look at some of the most important crown styles we know today. While the styles are often rooted in practicality, they have become part of the overall aesthetic of modern watches.
Ridged Crown
A ridged crown is the most common crown. The ridges obviously provide grip but also define a watch’s design. Rolex famously experimented with the size of its ridged crowns for its Submariner. It resulted in the famous Submariner ‘Big Crown’ models that stand out immediately. They are the perfect example of a practical solution that defines a watch’s overall aesthetic. The refinement and style of the ridges also play a big part in the overall presence of a watch.
Knurled Crown
A knurled crown is another common crown style. While the pattern of straight, angled, or crossed lines was created to provide grip, it looks completely different from ridged crowns. The style is often more refined and modern, but it’s not a style you see nearly as often as ridged crowns.
Faceted Crown
A faceted crown is defined by its angular shape, which provides grip. A great example is the hexagonal crown of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Faceted crowns often do not have a machined pattern for grip, but because of their shape, they are easy to operate.
Conical Crown
A conical crown is defined by its pointed or rounded cone shape. While they are often elegantly shaped, they also need ridges to provide grip. The conical shape can be used in two ways. The first is sloping outwards, as often seen on classic watches like several Cartier models. There are also conical crowns that slope inwards like the crown on the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch.
Onion Crown
Another traditional crown shape is the onion crown. It originated in the development of classic pilot’s watches. The oversized onion-shaped crowns would be easier for pilots to operate with their gloves on. As such, you will often see them used today for vintage-inspired pilot’s watches. However, some brands have made it part of their brand identity, like Chronoswiss.
Cabochon Crown
The cabochon crown is not defined by its crown shape but rather by the polishing technique used to create the gemstone integrated into the crown. This is done by polishing a gemstone to a smooth, convex surface so it becomes an integral part of the crown’s shape. The brand famous for using cabochon crowns is Cartier. The French brand uses the gemstone to indicate what material is used for the case, which is a clever way of giving the crown even more significance.
Parmentier Crown
The Parmentier crown consists of a small cap that screws down over a special, smaller crown. This smaller crown usually acts like a traditional crown. However, some examples have been known to use the cap to operate the crown. The Parmentier crown was designed to add extra waterproof protection to a dive watch. As the screw-down crown was far more practical, you will only see Parmentier crowns on vintage watches or reissues of classic dive watches.
A number of watch brands have developed crown protective devices over the years, but perhaps the most well-known is Panerai’s lever crown protector for the Luminor and Submersible collections.
Crown Protecting Devices
The Parmentier crown leads us to crown-protecting devices. On most modern watches, the crown is protected by crown guards that are an integral part of the case design. But over the decades, several brands have created special protective add-ons to shield the crown during wear, especially during deep-sea diving. Panerai’s typical lever crown protector for its Luminor and Submersible collections is the most well-known. Another great example is the large screw-down lock that Omega uses for its famous Ploprof dive watches. Those are just two examples of the many protective devices that watch brands have developed over time.
Another remarkable crown construction comes courtesy of Graham Watches. For the brand’s Chronofighter Vintage, the brand has created a thumb-operated trigger positioned on the left flank of the case that facilitates quick operation of the chronograph functions. This remarkable engineering feature was inspired by military pilot’s watches from the 1940s.
As you can see, crowns offer a great variety in functionality and design. This perfectly shows how they have become so much more than practical devices to operate a watch. The functional purpose is still in development, as Audemars Piguet shows with the introduction of its new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. Thanks to smart concepts and clever engineering, the crown operates a series of functions if the crown is pulled out. Pushing the crown back in activates an additional set of functions that allow you to fully operate the perpetual calendar without additional corrective buttons.
Crowns have become an important part of a watch’s overall design. If designed well and proportioned perfectly, the crown is distinctive in a watch’s presence. The opposite is true if a crown is too small or too big or doesn’t fit the overall design. The crown can elevate a watch’s design despite its often humble dimensions. As such, the crown is a small part with a big role.
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