Located at the end of the winding shaft, on the side of the watch, the crown comes in different shapes, sizes, materials and characteristics depending on the type of watch. The crown has well-known functions, such as winding the spring that supplies energy to the watch, setting the time and correcting the date. Its placement is generally at 3 o'clock, but we can often find it at 4, 2 or 12 o'clock, sometimes even on the case back (this placement is due to the type of movement, but can also be determined by the design of the watch). The technical characteristics of the crown are very important. They range from the screw-locked crown, used to protect the water-resistance of diver's models, to the less sophisticated water-resistant crown (pressure-tight, with seals), to the simple dustproof crown. The winding crown is often engraved with the brand name or set with precious or synthetic stones, usually in the form of cabochons. On single-pusher chronographs, coaxial to the crown is the start/stop and reset button for the chronograph functions. A variety of materials are used to make the crowns: steel, gold, ceramic, even rubber-coated. Today, more than ever before, the crown is the subject of variations and inventions from a design point of view, starting with its shape - truncated cone, bulbous - and ending with accessories such as levers and covers placed to protect it, as on Cartier's Pasha, Panerai's Luminor or Graham's Chronofighter. The practicality of the crown is very important: good knurling, a proportionate size, and a shape that is not too odd facilitate its use for both winding and adjustment. The use and controls of this accessory are important: do not overlook the possibility of damage to the watch movement due to malfunctioning of the crown. Water resistance is another matter. The crown keeps the watch watertight only as long as you remember to change the gaskets periodically (once a year if you use the watch in water) and, above all, to close it after use. One example above all concerns the screw-down one: if it is not tightened properly, it will let in its greatest enemy, water, irreparably ruining the movement. Finally, always take the utmost care when handling the watch: a knock on the crown, even a slight one, could break the winding shaft or damage the organs connected to it, creating in time serious anomalies in the watch's operation.
