{"id":13610,"date":"2025-04-21T11:56:50","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T06:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kapoorwatch.com\/blogs\/?p=13610"},"modified":"2025-04-30T12:40:56","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T07:10:56","slug":"watch-crowns-haven-been-all-over-the-place-but-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kapoorwatch.com\/blogs\/watch-crowns-haven-been-all-over-the-place-but-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch Crowns Haven Been All Over the Place \u2013 But Why?"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n

The humble little crown \u2014 circular, ribbed, and full of purpose, yet surprisingly, one of the watchmaking\u2019s least interesting parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s almost routine: each timepiece has one, they\u2019re docked at three o\u2019clock and wind the timepiece\u2019s movement. Sure, some watch crowns differ in form and function, but their inherent function has remained fairly unchanged for nearly two centuries. However, since the \u201860s, watches and watchmakers have served new lifestyles, use-cases, and mechanical missions \u2014 repositioning the crown in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, What\u2019s a Crown?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pocket<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Until the 19th century, pocket watches<\/a> were wound and set using a separate key. While being inconvenient to carry around, the risk of losing the key or damaging the movement quickly demanded a solution. This came with the invention of a \u2018winding crown\u2019 by English watchmaker John Arnold in 1820 and perfected by Antoine-Louis Breguet, circa 1830.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crowns to watches are control panels to engines. They\u2019re tiny, circular knobs that harness the mechanical brilliance of the watch movement to ensure efficient timekeeping. Placed on the outer sides of the case, they allow the wearer to adjust the time, day, date, moon phase, GMT second hands, or any respective complication on board. Their function may be diverse or complex, depending on the movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being directly connected to the intricate and delicate systems of the movement, the crown is traditionally considered part of the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How\u2019d We Get to Three O\u2019clock?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the watch-world\u2019s interest departed from pocket watches to compact ergonomic wristwatches, the crown\u2019s position was displaced. The world\u2019s first-ever wristwatch \u2014 Breguet No. 2639, commissioned by Queen Caroline Murat of Naples, was oval-shaped, enriched with a diamond-set bezel, and boasted oversized Arabic indexes for its off-centred dial. While the dial was positioned on the lower half of the case, the crown resided at four o\u2019clock. To ensure the watch crown was ergonomically positioned for winding and adjusting time, it was positioned on the right side of the case \u2014 accessible by the right hand\u2019s thumb and index finger. The Breguet Reine De Naples is the maison\u2019s modern-day reincarnation of the original 1810 creation\u2019s elegance and flair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly a century later, Louis Cartier created the iconic Cartier Santos<\/a>-Dumont \u2014 a special wristwatch for his aviation-obsessed friend, Alberto Santos-Dumont. Considering Cartier\u2019s penchant for elegant geometrics and symmetry, the crown was relocated to the perfect centre of the square case\u2019s right side at three o\u2019clock. Sure, the repositioning from four o\u2019clock did cost a slight compromise in ergonomics, but it created a much simpler, more even geometric canvas to design watch movements and cases. This went on to become the eternal blueprint for watch case and movement design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southpaw Special \u2013 Destro Watches<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\"Destro<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, \u2018Destro\u2019 watches are for 10% of timepiece enthusiasts who are left-handed. Traditionally, timepieces are designed to be worn on one\u2019s lesser dominant hand while the tool for adjusting time (the crown) faces the dominant hand. For them, the arrangement of wearing a watch on the dominant left hand, with a crown protruding out the right side of the case, simply defied every rule of wristwatch ergonomics. Hence, Destro watches<\/a> are designed with a crown on the left side of the case at nine o\u2019clock (opposite of three o\u2019clock), allowing them to be accessible for lefties. If you\u2019re looking to invest in one, here\u2019s our buying guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the Way Round the Clock<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\"Watch<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So far, the crown has navigated through the traditional three, four, and nine o\u2019clock spots, but well, there\u2019s plenty more to your surprise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n