Watches without a crown? No problem!
Of course, every wristwatch has at least one crown, which is used to set the hands and, if applicable, the date, and to wind a manual-winding movement. This is as practical as it is—annoying.
Even the most symmetrical design is compromised by the crown, regardless of whether it is positioned on the right or left side of the case. No matter where it is located, it is vulnerable; it can get caught, or shocks to this exposed area can be transmitted to the movement, causing damage there.
But you don’t need a crown, as these three examples show.
Minerva: For the airplane
Throughout its long history, Minerva has been using rotating bezels long before the introduction of typical diver’s watches: specifically on timepieces from the 1920s, on which pilots could mark their positions for navigation; the heavily fluted bezel could be operated even while wearing thick gloves.
The manufacturer had already applied this principle in 2023 to a far more complex project: a chronograph controlled via the bezel. Now, with “The Crownless Unveiled,” a three-hand watch has been released that does not require a crown. Time setting and winding are performed via the bezel; a small lever on the case back switches between the functions.
Visually, the “Crownless” also evokes a bygone era, drawing inspiration primarily from models of the 1940s and 1950s. The bezel, a central design element, is crafted from gold, and its hue is echoed by the hands and dial elements.
The case is made of stainless steel and features a see-through back that offers a view of the M15.08 in-house movement. (MSRP €39,000)
Frederique Constant: For the Evening
The concept behind cuff watches is that they are, above all, pieces of jewelry—with a built-in timepiece. A crown would therefore be out of place. That’s why the small, quartz-powered “Classic Manchette” models from Frederique Constant are adjusted on the underside of the wide stainless steel cuff.
Even the first models featuring the distinctive Clou de Paris pattern were a huge success. Now the brand is taking it a step further with an eye-catching gold-plated version featuring a turquoise leaf and a more understated version with a light green leaf (MSRP €1,295 and €1,995, respectively).
IWC Schaffhausen: For the Spaceship
A watch that seems to come from galaxies no human has ever seen before. However, the reason IWC Schaffhausen chose not to equip its first watch designed for space travel with a traditional crown is not to achieve an otherworldly aesthetic, but rather to follow a concept similar to that of early pilot’s watches: the “Pilot Venture Vertical Drive” is designed to be operable even by astronauts in spacesuits—via the bezel.
This feature serves a dual purpose here as well: it allows for time setting as well as manual winding, which is intended to supplement the energy generated automatically. This is because the rotor does not wind the watch as effectively in space as it does on Earth. A toggle switch on the left side of the case switches between the two functions.
The Caliber 32722, developed for the “Vertical Drive,” displays the time in a 24-hour format suitable for space travel, but can also be easily set to a specific time zone. (MSRP €28,600)
