Caring for your watch crown
Your watch's crown, or winder as most people tend to call it, is the little knurled or ribbed knob, usually found on the right hand side of the watch at the 3 o'clock, and sometimes the 4 o'clock, position - just like the one in the image above.
The most expensive watches tend to have a screw-down crown, but this is a feature now filtering down into the more affordable watches, especially amongst the microbrands with brands such as Aragon, Boldr, Baltic and Christopher Ward amongst many brands now producing watches with screw-down crowns.
The reason for using a screw-down crown as opposed to a push-in-pull-out type is for increased water resistance and as such, these were primarily seen on dive watches. However, as it's classed as a premium feature the big name brands tend to include them on most of their watch ranges.
I want to emphasise the importance of using the crown correctly to avoid potential damage to your watch.
The important thing is to treat the crown of your watch with the utmost care. They are easily damaged, comprising of a very thin shaft which might be under 2mm thick, and on some watches they are hollow too. Because this shaft is unseen it's usually forgotten. But not treating it carefully may mean snapping this shaft, and without it you lose your waterproofing, your ability to change the time and date, and of course you have no way of securing it's cap, which is the crown itself.
Stick to these basic rules and you will avoid potential serious problems.
1. NEVER OVERTIGHTEN THE CROWN. Wind it in until it stops, then stop right there. Never try to force it to be a little tighter, not even a little bit. Watches use a seal to prevent water ingress so it's not necessary. There is nothing to gain by trying to tighten it more than it needs to be tightened, at the least you could crush or break that seal and the strain you place on it might just snap the shaft. It will happen in an instant, there is no going back, and you will in validate the warranty. On the more affordable pieces that might just land you with a repair bill that costs more than the watch itself.
2. TAKE YOUR WATCH OFF. You will find it a lot easier to adjust it when it's not on your wrist, and because you are not pulling or pushing the crown at an awkward angle you are far less likely to place any undue strain on it. Any additional strain will weaken it every time you use it.
3. DO NOT USE IT unless you have to use it. The more you use something, the more wear and tear you place in it, and a watch crown and shaft is no different.
There is no point winding a watch if you're not going to wear it and it will just stop again after a while so you will have to reset the time and, on some watches, other complications such as the date.
We would also advise against pulling the crown in and out unnecessarily to clean it. You're as likely to get dust and dampness into it as remove it.
4. BEST WAY TO USE YOUR WATCH CROWN: For screw-in crowns, push in the crown and turn it clockwise until you feel it grip the thread, then turn it until it stops. To undo it follow the same procedure in reverse.
The same care rules apply for push-pull crowns, but as the name suggests you simply push these in to close them and pull them out to open them to adjust the time and date. You generally find they will still turn when closed, but again, don't do it, you're just introducing more wear and tear for absolutely no gain.
Obviously most of this is just common sense, but a moment's lapse could render your watch useless or leave you with a large repair bill and no warranty cover. No manufacturer will cover damage to watch crowns or shafts for exactly this reason, so it is worth bearing in mind.