Apple Watch reverse crown

[douglasf13]

After mentioning it in another thread, it hit me that I haven't read much lately about crown position.

I recently switched to the reverse crown position, and, despite it being a little odd to look at, initially, I think it has some functional advantages:

- the speaker and mic are pointed outward, which is good for long sleeves.
- it's easier to hear the speaker when bringing the watch up to chest level.
- I'm more likely to bash the hand-side of the watch on things when reaching, so having the buttons and crown safely on the other side makes sense.
- I like working the crown with my thumb while simultaneously working the touchscreen with my index finger.
- Those who wear the watch close to the wrist won't inadvertently press the buttons when flexing the wrist backwards.

What about you? How do you wear your crown, and why?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I'd do that only if I were left handed and wear the AW on my right wrist. I think the crown being on the bottom looks funny.

 

[douglasf13]

I'd do that only if I were left handed and wear the AW on my right wrist. I think the crown being on the bottom looks funny.

Yeah, it's a little off to look at at first, but it's a bit Braun BN10'ish. Funtionally, though, I think it's better in just about every way.

William Gibson has a pretty awesome custom Sub he had made with the crown on the left, too, because it's more comfortable.

 

[Enygmatic]

No. Just... just no.

I'll give you the sub-optimal mic/speaker placement for traditional left wrist wearing, but that's about it.

 

[kmj2318]

I tired it before. I liked how pressing the buttons was much more natural, but scrolling was worse

 

[douglasf13]

No. Just... just no.

I'll give you the sub-optimal mic/speaker placement for traditional left wrist wearing, but that's about it.

Here's a good article about it. It's not as if this is a traditional wristwatch, and our left handed friends already have to deal with it looking like this. It's definitely worth trying for a few days.
http://furbo.org/2015/05/22/apple-watch-ergonomics/

 

[aberrero]

I tried it and it was pretty awful. The whole point of the Digital Crown is that your hand shouldnt cover the display when you scroll.

 

[douglasf13]

I tried it and it was pretty awful. The whole point of the Digital Crown is that your hand shouldnt cover the display when you scroll.

How is your hand covering the display? The watch sits right in between my thumb and index finger, like the link above mentions. Were you not scrolling with your thumb?

 

[aberrero]

How is your hand covering the display? The watch sits right in between my thumb and index finger, like the link above mentions. Were you not scrolling with your thumb?

You have to contort your right wrist to scroll with your thumb. I sometimes scrolled with my index finger coming down from the top to avoid covering the display, but I quickly switched back to the normal orientation.

 

[douglasf13]

You have to contort your right wrist to scroll with your thumb. I sometimes scrolled with my index finger coming down from the top to avoid covering the display, but I quickly switched back to the normal orientation.

Interesting. My hand position is almost the same when scrolling with my thumb. I think it's fast to scroll with the thumb and use the index on the touchscreen. My wife likes it, too.

 

[BarracksSi]

I'll take a pic and add it to this post later…
[edit -- pics added at the end]

I switched to having the crown on the left after a couple days, and I've stayed with it since then. It feels easier to push the buttons (well, maybe "more normal", because it's like pressing my iPhone's Home button), and it's just as easy to scroll with the thumb.

My right wrist doesn't feel contorted at all, either. I wonder what some of you are doing to make it so uncomfortable.

I don't see what the big hangup is about keeping the crown on the right. Plenty of watches have their crowns on the left, and digital watches have buttons everywhere. Besides, the only time I use the crown on my regular watches is to set the time; their crowns don't get used once they're on my wrist.

Wide shot so you can see my right hand. It's not uncomfortable at all:

Scrolling with the thumb:

 

[aberrero]

Your thumb is partially covering the screen. That is what would bother me, and to move it to the side so it doesn't would hurt my right hand.

 

[Enygmatic]

Here's a good article about it. It's not as if this is a traditional wristwatch, and our left handed friends already have to deal with it looking like this. It's definitely worth trying for a few days.
http://furbo.org/2015/05/22/apple-watch-ergonomics/

I'll take a pic and add it to this post later…
[edit -- pics added at the end]

I switched to having the crown on the left after a couple days, and I've stayed with it since then. It feels easier to push the buttons (well, maybe "more normal", because it's like pressing my iPhone's Home button), and it's just as easy to scroll with the thumb.

My right wrist doesn't feel contorted at all, either. I wonder what some of you are doing to make it so uncomfortable.

I don't see what the big hangup is about keeping the crown on the right. Plenty of watches have their crowns on the left, and digital watches have buttons everywhere. Besides, the only time I use the crown on my regular watches is to set the time; their crowns don't get used once they're on my wrist.

Wide shot so you can see my right hand. It's not uncomfortable at all:
View attachment 591610

Scrolling with the thumb:
View attachment 591611
View attachment 591612

...we are now enemies.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Apple give us choice so what ever you want to do. There is not right or wrong.

 

[douglasf13]

Your thumb is partially covering the screen. That is what would bother me, and to move it to the side so it doesn't would hurt my right hand.

My thumb doesn't cover the screen like in those pics. My hand placement is identical, regardless of which side the crown is located.

 

[mrwilly25]

Definitely use mines this way. Speaker directing out when wearing a long sleeve shirt, otherwise you wouldn't hear it. It also feels more natural using the thumb.

 

[parrot5]

I find my wrist is contorted more if the crown is on the RIGHT side, as my thumb needs to be on the upper part of the left side to counter the force when pressing the crown.
No such problem if crown is on the LEFT side, as it would be on the lower part of the watch.

 

[Mr.C]

I'd do that only if I were left handed and wear the AW on my right wrist. I think the crown being on the bottom looks funny.

I am left handed and as it's my dominant hand I wear my watch on my right wrist to minimise bumping or hitting art on anything but I have the crown and button outwards towards my hand opposite the way you're saying. If they were inwards towards my elbow I would have a lot of difficulty operating them with my left hand. What you say doesn't make sense in my opinion.

 

[douglasf13]

In terms of aesthetics, what made me originally consider this was seeing the Watch on someone's right wrist with the crown towards the hand. The crown on the bottom left looks more balanced, to me, and it's really only the history of seeing crowns on the right side of the watch that may make it look weird, to some.

As has already been mentioned, a lot of divers and digital watches already have crowns and/or buttons on the left side of the watch.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I am left handed and as it's my dominant hand I wear my watch on my right wrist to minimise bumping or hitting art on anything but I have the crown and button outwards towards my hand opposite the way you're saying. If they were inwards towards my elbow I would have a lot of difficulty operating them with my left hand. What you say doesn't make sense in my opinion.

All I'm saying is I'd consider wearing the crown on the reverse side only if I were to wear it on my right wrist, as I personally think the crown being on the bottom looks funny.

 

[Mr.C]

All I'm saying is I'd consider wearing the crown on the reverse side only if I were to wear it on my right wrist, as I personally think the crown being on the bottom looks funny.

Fair enough. I must admit it does take some getting use to although not as much as having to wear the watch on my right wrist in the first place when I've previously worn watch on my left wrist all my life but it's not comfortable when wearing it on the right wrist in having the button and crown facing inwards towards the elbow in terms of operation. I really I would rather wear my watch on my left wrist with the button and crown facing outwards. In wards would mean covering the display whilst trying to use the button and crown.

 

[douglasf13]

Fair enough. I must admit it does take some getting use to although not as much as having to wear the watch on my right wrist in the first place when I've previously worn watch on my left wrist all my life but it's not comfortable when wearing it on the right wrist in having the button and crown facing inwards towards the elbow in terms of operation. I really I would rather wear my watch on my left wrist with the button and crown facing outwards. In wards would mean covering the display whilst trying to use the button and crown.

I think you guys are saying the same thing.

 

[Phil A.]

I can see some benefit as you've described in doing it that way round, but personally I just can't get over how "wrong" the watch looks with the crown at the bottom.

I know it goes that way round if you have it on your right hand with the crown facing the hand but I wouldn't do that either (I'm left handed and wear the watch on my left hand simply because I don't like the crown at the bottom!)

It might be a small thing but it would drive me crazy

 

[douglasf13]

I can see some benefit as you've described in doing it that way round, but personally I just can't get over how "wrong" the watch looks with the crown at the bottom.

I know it goes that way round if you have it on your right hand with the crown facing the hand but I wouldn't do that either (I'm left handed and wear the watch on my left hand simply because I don't like the crown at the bottom!)

It might be a small thing but it would drive me crazy

Yeah, I think it is odd to see the crown on the left on an analog watch, because we're so used to the opposite, although there are plenty of divers watches built that way purposefully. That being said, the Apple Watch looks nothing like an analog watch, and the crown doesn't look much like an analog watch crown, so it doesn't bother me.

Outside of our usual perception of watch proportions, I think the Watch is actually more balanced with the crown at the lower left, instead of high on on the right. If the crown was low on the right, that would probably look best, but that would have been an ergonomic problem, I'd imagine.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Yeah, I think it is odd to see the crown on the left on an analog watch, because we're so used to the opposite, although there are plenty of divers watches built that way purposefully.

But those diver watches also has an equivalent-sized button at the top, which balances out the crown/button at the bottom. Watches with crowns on the left side such as the Rolex you posted (for lefties) are centered so it doesn't look off.