The crown is the "winding knob" used to set the time and date on any watch with a normal dial and hands. Most St. Moritz and Momentum® watches feature screw-down, locking crowns. Better than a simple push/pull crown, this type of crown is designed for more extreme conditions and makes your watch more reliably water-resistant.

Essentially, the screw-down crown screws into your watch, like the hatch on a submarine. Screwing it firmly in against the case squeezes a rubber o-ring between the metal crown and the watch casing, thereby giving a positive water-resistant seal.

To adjust the time or date on your watch, you will need to grasp the crown and turn it a number of turns in a counter-clockwise direction, to unscrew it from the case, before you can pull out the crown to set the watch. Once the watch is set, you will need to screw the crown back in, by pressing it firmly against the case (it is spring-loaded!) and simultaneously turning it in a clockwise direction. Then, taking care not to force or cross-thread the crown, turn it until it is snug against the case and finger-tight. (No need for pliers!)

It is absolutely essential that the screw down crown is fully closed before using your watch on or in the water and we recommend that this is checked each time prior to contact with water. Any warranty whatsoever will be invalidated if this vital procedure is not adhered to, any watches returned under warranty that have suffered from water penetration will be pressure tested to check the effectiveness of the screw down crown. The most common problem with any water-resistant watch is moisture leaks or damage, typically caused by failure to screw the crown in correctly.