Insight Vintage watches: The most attractive winding crowns
Fine WatchesCollector's InsightThere are many details to observe and admire with vintage watches. One of the most important details is one that few collectors pay attention to.
It is the winding crown.
The winding crown has several important functions to my knowledge.
1) the obvious function is that it sets the time of your watch 2) the second main function is that it winds the watch 3) it also at times (think Rolex day date) serves to set the day and date of the watch 4) with certain watches the winding crown also activates the chronograph function (single button chronographs) and activates the split seconds function (see Movado winding crown below). 5) the winding crown also serves to protect the watch from water and ensure water resistance – as with the screw down oyster crown (invented by Perregaux but patented by Rolex in 1926)*. Perversely it is also the winding crown that is responsible for water or moisture often entering the watch (but we leave that paradox for another blog post).
Besides the obvious practical and technical functions above, the winding crown also serves another function which is aesthetic in nature and leads to the main point of this post:
6) the winding crown is also a design and style function – a winding crown is part of the watch and completes the design of timepiece. For example some crowns are so beautiful and a piece of art in themselves like Cartier which choose to make the winding crown partially out of sapphire. Or the Double PP of Patek or ‘qp’ which is a masterpiece in design.
Last but not least 7) the winding crown serves as a sensory experience in terms of sound and feel – each watch will give the owner a different feedback when winding the watch in terms of sound but also in terms of feel.
With some of my watches – it is a pure pleasure to wind them up on a daily basis. Other watches give me no pleasure at all. In fact with one watch – the winding experience was so bad and difficult that I ended up selling the watch (the watch was a Blancpain Aqualung from 1954).
Indeed there are also some watches where the winding crown is so unattractive that I cannot buy the watch (even though the rest of the watch might be very attractive). So yes, it is true, I do pay close attention to winding crowns. For me they are an essential part of the watch!
I have picked six of the most beautiful winding crowns that exist in vintage watches. There might be others that I have left out and this list might need revising or to be expanded one day. Without further due – here are my 6 favorite winding crowns of all time (in no particular order).
(Main picture Credit: John Goldberger showing a Cartier Tank Platinum circa 1950s).
*For more on the Screw down crown and oyster case by Rolex see blog external article here.
Number 1: The reversed Double PP or ‘qp’ winding crown found on some Patek including 2526, 2551, 2552, 3428, 3435, 3446, and 3448.
It is perhaps my favorite winding crown in the world.
This is truly a piece of art. Not only are the two PP’s or ‘qp’ playfully positioned (one is reversed) but the crown itself seems to be the shape of the four leaf clover. The ‘qp’ winding crown was made at a time when Patek was making some of the most elegant wristwatches in the world including, the famous references 2526 and 2552 that have becomes icons in their own right. The qp winding crown looks superb on any case it sits on.
For example it looks good when you see the entire crown sitting on top of the case like with the 2526. See picture below (Credit: Christies watches).
Another view of the ‘qp’ crown on a 2526 Patek – this time on a Platinum diamonds version (credit: Christies).
But it looks equally good when it is integrated into part of the case that Gerlach designed like with the 3448 or the 3435.
In fact I think it might even show the beauty of this winding crown even more – like in the picture below. (Credit below: Sotheby’s).
Another great view of the PP or ‘qp‘ winding crown this time in a 2552, also known as the Disco Volante – this watch in platinum and diamonds – the most majestic version of the 2552. (Credit: The luxury watch blog -Japan).
The last view of the PP or ‘qp’ crown comes from ref 3415 a rare reference of Patek that only was made for two years. This case is pink gold.
(Picture credit: Christies).
Number 2: The Rolex Super Oyster winding crown found on the 6062 Rolex Oyster.
I might be biased here because I do own a Rolex 6062 pyramid dial – but the winding crowns found on the 6062 oyster models are just extremely attractive.
The winding crown is superb for several reasons.
1) First the shape of the outer crown with its edged surface makes for very easy winding. 2) I love the graphics of the wording on the dial along with the Swiss cross as well as the Rolex crown. I think it is a piece of art. 3) Many 6062’s don’t have the correct winding crown anymore which makes it even more special when they do appear on 6062. For example many winding crowns found on the 6062 are taken from the Killy which shows a winding crown but without the swiss cross and just Super Rolex Oyster (which is not correct).
I also think, relative to the case, the winding crown is just perfect in size not too big but just proportionate. (Picture credit Paul Boutros Phillips watches).
Number 3: The Big crown BREVET 8mm found on early submariners from Rolex and Tudor.
I will admit this very openly: Ever since I first laid my eyes on a big crown from Rolex – I have been completely fascinated by that big BREVET winding crown.
Unlike many other Rolex diving watches, only very few models (6200, 6538, 5510, Tudor 7924) have this big winding crown. I think the BREVET winding crown has a huge presence, it eludes power and appears to be almost majestic. I don’t own a big crown so I am completely objective here – I think the winding crown is a piece of art!
I would buy a big crown watch not only for the case but rather also just to own this 8mm big BREVET winding crown. The lettering on the crown BREVET is mythical and the large size at 8mm gives it a strong presence. Powerful, cool and majestic – the BREVET winding crown gets my vote for one of the most attractive of all time.
(Picture credit: Nicolas B – Christies watches).
Another nice picture of the BREVET winding crown.
Number 4: The single button split seconds crown by early Movado circa 1930’s
It is not only Movado which uses this type of crown, I have seen it in other watches like also Patek from the period. But it is absolutely stunning.
I think the crown is indeed a piece of art – notice how the pusher is built within the crown to activate the split seconds chronograph. A split seconds watch is a piece of horological art in itself and one of the most difficult complications to master but this split seconds is not just any split seconds – but a single button split seconds chronograph – making it even more special. (Credit: J Singer).
Number 5: Longines Big Onion winding crown
Even though it might not be everybody’s taste – there is no arguing that the Longines onion winding crown is spectacular.
While the onion crown is found on many models, like this early Wittnauer*, they are especially imposing on oversized 47-49mm Longines aviator models. Like on the 1950’s model made for Swissair below, but also on a large Longines aviator single button chronograph from the 1930’s (last picture). Presumably the large winding crown was made so pilots could use and set their watch with their gloves still on.
(Picture credit: John Goldberger Longines Watches book P39).
Another fine oversize large Longines Aviator watch but now single button Chronograph.
(*Picture credit: J Singer /**Picture credit: John Goldberger Longines Watches book P65).
Number 6: Cartier winding crown with sapphire jewel found on early tanks, cintrees, & tonneau watches.
Cartier is universally known as the king of jewelers and jewelers of kings.
While this slogan is a superb marketing phrase and describes the position of Cartier very well (after all they supplied so many jewels and watches to royal houses all over the world) – you realize just how true this is when studying the winding crown of Cartier. I never paid much attention to it until a collector friend of mine (Mr. A) told me that I should look at Cartier winding crowns in more detail.
(Picture credit: Goldberger)
The picture above shows a Cartier platinum tank squared made for Paris circa 1950 in platinum.
What is most interesting to realize is that not all Cartier watches had winding crowns. Just look at the Cartier Duoplan below for example. The winding crown is cleverly positioned in the back of the watch- notice the absence of any winding crown in the front (circa 1930s).
(Picture credit: Invaluable).
Another picture of the a Cartier Duoplan watch without winding crown made in Palladium circa 1950.
(Picture credit: Goldberger).
Here another picture of a Cartier Duoplan watch without winding crown.
(Credit: Goldberger)
The winding crown is cleverly positioned in the back of the watch- see picture below. (Credit: Goldberger).
But for the watches that did have a winding crown – Cartier made perhaps the most attractive winding crowns of all.
Rather than make it out of pure metal (like most other brands had done) Cartier choose to decorate the winding crown with a jewel – a sapphire.
The result is simply breathtakingly beautiful – a sapphire set crown. I cannot think of a more elegant winding crown in watches. Cartier thus stayed true to their origins of being a known jeweller house that also made watches. Adorning the winding crown with a sapphire* thus came naturally to Cartier.
(Picture credit: Goldberger).
Cartier made some supremely elegant watches in the 1920s, 30s and 1940s.
Just look at the elongated Cartier centre 1950 made for London in white gold (below). The winding crown suits this watch perfectly. I cannot imagine a Cartier winding crown that is not adorned with a sapphire – can you?
In my books the Cartier winding crown gets my vote as one of the most attractive crowns ever made and today the blue sapphire is part of Cartiers DNA like no other brand.
(Picture credit: Goldberger).
NB: I would especially like to thank Aurel Bacs who helped me with the history of winding crowns and John Goldberger who supplied some superb pictures for this post.
*Cartier did not only make winding crowns out of saphire. They also made them out of emeralds and rubys – although both are exceptionally rare and most of the time unique pieces. Cartier even made some winding crowns – out of diamonds. Hard to believe but true!
Below a unique emerald winding crown on a platinum jump hour. Watch is from 1932 (Credit: Alfredo Paramico).
