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Thread: Overtightening the screw-down crown?

  1. #1
    Journeyman
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    Question Overtightening the screw-down crown?

    Hey all

    For all my watches, I often tighten the screw-down crown until it stops (finger tight)

    In the manual for my new PRS-25 Expedition, it says "The crown should only be screwed down until you feel the crown gasket engage with the tube. It is not necessary to screw it down hard until the crown touches the case." On the next page, it says ""If your watch is fitted with a screw-down crown, ensure it is fully tightened before exposing it to moisture"

    So, any advice? Video tutorials? I thought I had this one, but here I am, confused :(

  2. #2
    Grand Master
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    Finger tight will be the gasket touching.

  3. #3
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by seadog1408 View Post
    Finger tight will be the gasket touching.
    +1

    The term "finger tight" should not have been used.
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  4. #4
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    Question Confused...

    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    +1

    The term "finger tight" should not have been used.
    If I pull out the crown (hacking seconds), the watch stops.

    If I push it in, it runs, but it's not screwed @ all.

    If I press a bit, I can get the crown to start to thread and then screw maybe 3 half turns until it stops.

    So, 2 half turns? I still see threads, but that's "the way it should be"?

    Sorry, but all this is new -- All my other screw down crowns, I screw in all the way :-\

    NB: Went swimming yesterday, no leakage or moisture. I just need some simple, reliable advice and I am stuck between Scylla (damage the crown) and Sharybdis (leakage). How do I know when the crown gasket engages with the tube?
    Last edited by davidzet; 6th October 2020 at 15:37. Reason: more info

  5. #5
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    What I do on my watches with screw down crowns (Damasko, Rolex, CWC, various Timefactors) is to push the crown lightly on to the threads, rotate it slowly anti clockwise until the threads click, then screw down lightly clockwise until the crown meets resistance, then a tiny little extra pressure to seat it well.
    F.T.F.A.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by magirus View Post
    What I do on my watches with screw down crowns (Damasko, Rolex, CWC, various Timefactors) is to push the crown lightly on to the threads, rotate it slowly anti clockwise until the threads click, then screw down lightly clockwise until the crown meets resistance, then a tiny little extra pressure to seat it well.
    Thanks!

    (Tricky on the PRS25, since it only turns a few times before seating...)

  7. #7
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by davidzet View Post
    Thanks!

    (Tricky on the PRS25, since it only turns a few times before seating...)
    It should only turn a few times before seating. You might be overthinking this.

    The main concern with a screw down crown is to not cross-thread it, so using the 'slight pressure, anti-clockwise' method to start it off is a good idea. Then just screw down gently until it stops.

    I suspect Eddie was simply trying to stop users mullering the crown and threads by aggressively over-tightening, which could be a problem on most watches.
    Last edited by Onelasttime; 7th October 2020 at 16:59.

  8. #8
    Apprentice Nastadon's Avatar
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    Overtightening the screw-down crown?

    Quote Originally Posted by magirus View Post
    What I do on my watches with screw down crowns (Damasko, Rolex, CWC, various Timefactors) is to push the crown lightly on to the threads, rotate it slowly anti clockwise until the threads click, then screw down lightly clockwise until the crown meets resistance, then a tiny little extra pressure to seat it well.
    Exactly this, I do the push and anti-clockwise rotation before going clockwise, reduces the risk of cross threading as well I always thought?


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  9. #9
    Master Harry Tuttle's Avatar
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    I understand the pain and anxiety of the OP. I am afflicted with fists of ham and fingers of sausage. In a kind of horological Murphy’s law, if a thread is there to be crossed there is a good chance I will cross thread it.

    Bearing the above in mind, the advice given to push down and rotate counterclockwise to engage is sound but ergonomically difficult for people with my affliction. It doesn’t really help me. The problem is the spring, I’m trying to push and rotate simultaneously and I don’t find it easy or reassuring. The only threaded crown system I’m comfortable with is that used on Russian watches where the crown and stem dangle. That’s brilliant. Now I don’t have to push against a spring I can counter rotate and find the thread with ease.

    So my question is this: why are stems and crowns sprung? What’s the point?

    Whilst I’m at it, what’s the point of a screwed crown any way? I don’t think I will operate a simple three handed field watch at the depth of 30m. Furthermore, a screwed crown adds another point of failure to the watch. To what end?

    The solution of course is simple: if a watch has a screwed crown, unless it’s Russian or Quartz I’m afraid it’s not for me. It’s my version of other people’s aversion to date windows.


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  10. #10
    Master colin t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by davidzet View Post
    For all my watches, I often tighten the screw-down crown until it stops (finger tight)
    Please adopt the same approach for your PRS-25.

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