The Breitling Watch Source Forums

So what is so bad about leaving your watch crown down? anything other than cosmetic damage to the crown??

Resting it crown side down tends to affect the accuracy of automatic watches. Crown side up is always preferable for that reason.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Why is that?

I don't understand what you mean with crown down?

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Crown down as in laying on it's side resting on the crown rather than resting on the other side of the case with the crown stuck up in the air.

I wasn't aware that it had a 'worse' affect on accuracy than crown up - I need to think about that until Driver8 answers. Certainly laying it on its side causes it to run slower than layin it flat on its back as the escapement is vertical rather than horizontal. I was always told not to put the crown down because of undue pressure on the crown stem from the weight of the watch.

The crown down thing was just something I read on the net - I'll try and find the link again and post it up. Basically it was saying that crown down tends to slow an automatic movement too much. It also said that generally a watch would gain too much on it's back, with "crown up" being optimal.............. but thinking about it, whether any of those positions are good or bad will be very much dependent on the individual watch and how it is running - i.e. fast, slow, or spot on....

Hmmmmmmm, maybe it was a duff article........... which maybe means I've given duff info too! (Not the first time, eh?! )

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I spoke to my local retailer/AD last week. He told me that if you put your watch crown side down,
this would give the movement more resistant (than crown side up) and it would slower your watch.

This might be an idea if your watch run fast, and you want to try to adjust it .... My watch goes 2 sek fast per day, so I'll give it a try this month.

Best regards,
tigergutt

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Officine Panerai Luminor 1950 Marina 3 Days Automatic (PAM 00312/00328)
Breitling Aeromarine Super Avenger

I think it's because the stem.
I find that it looses no matter crown up or down.

Would definitely be interested in that article. I can't immediately see how down vs. up makes a huge difference to the regulation as either will put the escapement in a vertical position. I guess that the position of the escapement relative to the running train makes a difference, I need to think about it more.

This might help chaps, I got it when I got my cockpit, following it has made my watch spot on time everyday!


I thought it was myth but I can seen a marked difference overnight when I am not wearing my watch!

the diagram to the far left shows the crown positions and the numbers to the right show how much in those positions the movement advances or retards!

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All the best.
Ian

I was actually thinking about this when I couldn't sleep last night - I am that sad!

I need to do some more research, but it is starting to make sense with the relative position of the escapement to the running train, but I don't fully understand the logic yet so am not going to make myself look like an even bigger idiot until I can get it straight.

I cant imagine pressure on the stem is much of an issue for screw locked crowns, its quite a big thread so even the smallest amount of torque doing it up will cause a large clamp load, much higher than the weight of the watch.
It would be disappointing if crown down meant poorest accuracy, most people wear a watch on there left hand, with your arm down by your side (most of the day for me) the crown is naturally pointing down!

The crown stem issue dates back to the pre-screw down crown era.