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Smurphy Gherkin

macrumors 6502
Apr 13, 2015
266
109
Melbourne, Australia
I have owned a 42" SS for nearly two months. Works great except that the sticky crown issue keeps occurring. I do the rinse which clears it up for a few days, then it returns. I've done the rinse about 10 times now. Has anyone else experienced this? It's getting irritating.

I wear the watch all day every day. I don't expose it to any particularly harsh environments, though it may get damp when I wash my hands.

I have had mine since launch day, looked after it very well, and had intermittent sticky crown. I did the rinse and press/rotate trick, and out popped the O-ring!

So it might need disassembly and looking at.
 
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redman042

macrumors 68040
Jun 13, 2008
3,063
1,657
I have had mine since launch day, looked after it very well, and had intermittent sticky crown. I did the rinse and press/rotate trick, and out popped the O-ring!

So it might need disassembly and looking at.

That definitely needs to be swapped for a new watch at the Apple Store.
 

redman042

macrumors 68040
Jun 13, 2008
3,063
1,657
Why not just wash it everyday like when you wash your hands and never give it another thought?

I'm willing to if outside contaminants (ie. sweat) are the reason. I'm not willing to if my o-ring is defective. That's why I posted this thread to see how many others are having to repeatedly wash (rather than just once or twice). I am paying more attention now to how "sweaty days" accelerate the return to a sticky crown.
 

sean000

macrumors 68000
Jul 16, 2015
1,628
2,346
Bellingham, WA
I encountered this problem for the first time last night on an AW Sport I bought six days ago. It happened in the grocery store as I was using he crown to scroll through my grocery list. By the time I left, the issue was gone. The only thing that came to mind for me was that the store is the only air conditioned location I have been in all week. We don't have A/C at home, and at work it is barely on. So I've been wearing the watch (and sweating in it as I commute by bicycle) in mostly 70 to 78 degree weather and indoors with no A/C. Then again it cools off around here at night to grocery store temperatures and below, so maybe that's not it.

I did have another minor crown issue. It wouldn't push in as far as it usually does. It still worked, but felt odd and mushy instead of the more positive feedback I usually get from it. It went away after a few pushes.
 
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friedmud

macrumors 65816
Jul 11, 2008
1,415
1,265
I encountered this problem for the first time last night on an AW Sport I bought six days ago. It happened in the grocery store as I was using he crown to scroll through my grocery list. By the time I left, the issue was gone. The only thing that came to mind for me was that the store is the only air conditioned location I have been in all week. We don't have A/C at home, and at work it is barely on. So I've been wearing the watch (and sweating in it as I commute by bicycle) in mostly 70 to 78 degree weather and indoors with no A/C. Then again it cools off around here at night to grocery store temperatures and below, so maybe that's not it.

I did have another minor crown issue. It wouldn't push in as far as it usually does. It still worked, but felt odd and mushy instead of the more positive feedback I usually get from it. It went away after a few pushes.


The "mushiness" doesn't sound right. Mine has been sticky due to sweat, but it's never felt different when pushed. I would keep an eye on it and possibly take it in for an exchange since it's so new.
 

sean000

macrumors 68000
Jul 16, 2015
1,628
2,346
Bellingham, WA
I encountered this problem for the first time last night on an AW Sport I bought six days ago. It happened in the grocery store as I was using he crown to scroll through my grocery list. By the time I left, the issue was gone. The only thing that came to mind for me was that the store is the only air conditioned location I have been in all week. We don't have A/C at home, and at work it is barely on. So I've been wearing the watch (and sweating in it as I commute by bicycle) in mostly 70 to 78 degree weather and indoors with no A/C. Then again it cools off around here at night to grocery store temperatures and below, so maybe that's not it.

I did have another minor crown issue. It wouldn't push in as far as it usually does. It still worked, but felt odd and mushy instead of the more positive feedback I usually get from it. It went away after a few pushes.

Weird..I encountered the sticky crown issue a second time a few days ago when I was again in the same grocery store. Could it be the sudden drop in temperature and increase in humidity because I start my grocery shopping off in the produce section? It wasn't as bad this time... I could still use the crown to scroll through my list, but I noticed it right away. It was fine about ten minutes later when I checked my watch again to make sure I had all the groceries (short trip to the store).

I have not encountered the mushy crown button issue again. Maybe one of my arm hairs got wound around it! :)

Anyway...I have AppleCare so I'm not going to worry about it unless it begins to happen so regularly that it becomes an issue for me and that I'm confident Apple Repair will be able to reproduce it in the shop.

Sean
 

AJT-au

macrumors member
Jul 26, 2014
53
3
Adelaide, Australia
I had the same problem and went to a genius bar appointment where they confirmed that there was a problem. They said they had no replacement stock and told me to call AppleCare for a replacement. Since receiving the replacement, no problems at all
 

friedmud

macrumors 65816
Jul 11, 2008
1,415
1,265
I had the same problem and went to a genius bar appointment where they confirmed that there was a problem. They said they had no replacement stock and told me to call AppleCare for a replacement. Since receiving the replacement, no problems at all

Interesting. Let us know how it goes. I suspect it will come back after a few good workouts.

For now, washing mine after working out is keeping it nice and smooth.
 

NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,023
1,272
I just started to have this issue on my latest watch. It came about very suddenly (just happened in one day), and now it is consistent.

No harsh environments. Never get the watch wet. Never get it dirty. No sweat. I baby the watch and it doesn't have a scratch on it.

It feels like the o-ring (or something in the turning mechanism, but it feels like rubber) is getting caught in something when I initially move the crown. After I pass a certain point, it is smooth again, and it does not come back unless I leave the crown unturned for a few hours. After a few hours, the problem comes back. And goes away after I pass that first turn on the crown (it takes about a 1/3 to 1/2 rotation for the initial stick to go away).

Is this how your problem behaves? Or do you have a consistently sticky feeling all the time?

I doubt it is a problem with dust or debris. If this were the case, you would feel the debris/stick sporadically while you turned the crown. It wouldn't only happen on initial turn, and then spin smoothly until several hours later.
 
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plexdk

macrumors 6502a
Oct 18, 2007
503
638
Just clean it in hot water for 30secs.. Worked for me. I've only tried it once in 1.5month
 

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,837
5,437
Atlanta
...Never get the watch wet.....
And there is your problem. Wash it every day and you will NEVER have the problem again.

Had mine since launch day and workout/sweat 'like a dog' 5 times a week. Do extreme trail runs (mud/dirt/sand) and shower with it almost every day (since launch). I have never had NEVER had the slightest hint of sticky crown.

EDIT: Just to add here is what you get if you do a Google search of "Apple Support Sticky Crown": https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204639
 
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Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
No harsh environments. Never get the watch wet. Never get it dirty. No sweat. I baby the watch and it doesn't have a scratch on it.

I am afraid that is your problem. Like it or not you are going to have to rinse your watch under a faucet with warm water while articulating the crown. Anything worn on a human gets nasty and will need washing.
 

NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,023
1,272
lol. So you guys are under the impression that in order to have a normally functioning crown, I MUST wash it under water?

I've been threw a few watches, all returned for various defects (scratches out of the box, etc.) but this is the only one with this problem. All used the same way. Never had a sticky crown, and never washed any of them.

If any of you bothered to read my original post, I didn't ask for what the recommended solution is. I already know that the recommended solution by Apple is to wash it under water.

What I want to know is how the sticky crown actually behaves, to better understand what the problem actually is. I do not believe it is dust/debris based on the way it sticks, and releases after a 1/3 to 1/2 rotation consistently. dust/debris would be sporadic, and would recur when you keep turning the crown.
 
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Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,837
5,437
Atlanta
lol. So you guys are under the impression that in order to have a normally functioning crown, I MUST wash it under water?

I've been threw a few watches, all returned for various defects (scratches out of the box, etc.) but this is the only one with this problem. All used the same way. Never had a sticky crown, and never washed any of them.
It is not an impression, it is a fact (did you read the Apple Support link I posted?). Also in traditional watches the crown pulls out to set. This breaks the bound of the organic compounds that cause the stick. The :apple:Watch crown doesn't pull out.

READ what Apple says: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204639
 

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
lol. So you guys are under the impression that in order to have a normally functioning crown, I MUST wash it under water?

I've been threw a few watches, all returned for various defects (scratches out of the box, etc.) but this is the only one with this problem. All used the same way. Never had a sticky crown, and never washed any of them.

If any of you bothered to read my original post, I didn't ask for what the recommended solution is. I already know that the recommended solution by Apple is to wash it under water.

What I want to know is how the sticky crown actually behaves, to better understand what the problem actually is. I do not believe it is dust/debris based on the way it sticks, and releases after a 1/3 to 1/2 rotation consistently. dust/debris would be sporadic, and would recur when you keep turning the crown.

LOL! If you do not want to wash it, live with the sticky crown or return it like you have several times in the past. We are trying to tell you how to stop the crown from sticking while you seem to be after something else. How it feels would vary for each watch and what gunk you got in it. I would predict that if you do not wash it out that sooner or later it will damage the seal.

Best of luck.
 
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NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,023
1,272
I am afraid that is your problem. Like it or not you are going to have to rinse your watch under a faucet with warm water while articulating the crown. Anything worn on a human gets nasty and will need washing.

Nope. I've owned several other watches that I have sweated in and treated much more harshly than my current one, and none had the sticky crown problem.

Again, the point of this thread was to identify the problem by examining the root cause. I don't believe it to be caused by dust, debris, or sweat based on the behavior of the problem. Recommending washing once a week does nothing to solve the root problem if it happens to be with a defective o-ring (we have already seen other members here who have had o-rings pop out).

IIRC, you have gone around in several different threads recommending washing the watch, talking about how you wash your leather loop as well and how it's ok to swim and shower with the watch on. Not sure why you are so enthusiastic about exposing the watch to water, but just because it is water resistant does not mean we should be doing it on a consistent basis.
 

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
Nope. I've owned several other watches that I have sweated in and treated much more harshly than my current one, and none had the sticky crown problem.

Again, the point of this thread was to identify the problem by examining the root cause. I don't believe it to be caused by dust, debris, or sweat based on the behavior of the problem. Recommending washing once a week does nothing to solve the root problem if it happens to be with a defective o-ring (we have already seen other members here who have had o-rings pop out).

IIRC, you have gone around in several different threads recommending washing the watch, talking about how you wash your leather loop as well and how it's ok to swim and shower with the watch on. Not sure why you are so enthusiastic about exposing the watch to water, but just because it is water resistant does not mean we should be doing it on a consistent basis.


Like I said before, enjoy!:p
 

NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,023
1,272
To make it more clear, I have heard your message loud and clear. You think I should wash my watch every now and then to solve this problem.

That's cool. That's Apple's recommended solution too.

Apple also recommends repairing your watch to your phone if your weather/sunrise/sunset stops updating. Does it work? Sure, it works. Is it identifying the root cause or a better solution? Nope.

Verizon recommends I go through this whole ridiculous troubleshooting process of rebooting my modem everytime I have a problem with the internet too. Doesn't mean that is actually fixing the real problem.
 

NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,023
1,272
Post back when you have some facts to change your belief to know. Until then follow Appel's recommendations and NEVER have sticky crown or don't and suffer with it.

lol. If you don't want to be of any help, why don't you find your entertainment elsewhere besides proselytizing Apple's patch to a problem?

I asked a simple question, yet you and Newtons Apple have just gone on rants about washing my watch. Again: message heard. I already know about it, and it is not what I was asking. You've posted the same thing SEVERAL times already without answering the original question.

This is the same company that told you to buy a bumper for your phone because of a design defect in the antenna. They are also currently recommending that people that have problems with sunrise/sunset unpair, and repair their watches (which is a hassle and completely unnecessary).

Of course they are going to guess and tell you to wash your watch. That's a free solution for them, as opposed to issuing a recall or re-designing the crown to prevent the problem in the first place. Washing the watch is this year's bumper. Only this time, it's free for Apple.
 

Recognition

macrumors 6502a
Jun 27, 2013
596
673
Nope. I've owned several other watches that I have sweated in and treated much more harshly than my current one, and none had the sticky crown problem.

Again, the point of this thread was to identify the problem by examining the root cause. I don't believe it to be caused by dust, debris, or sweat based on the behavior of the problem. Recommending washing once a week does nothing to solve the root problem if it happens to be with a defective o-ring (we have already seen other members here who have had o-rings pop out).

IIRC, you have gone around in several different threads recommending washing the watch, talking about how you wash your leather loop as well and how it's ok to swim and shower with the watch on. Not sure why you are so enthusiastic about exposing the watch to water, but just because it is water resistant does not mean we should be doing it on a consistent basis.
Do all you other watches have exactly the same sized components and construction of the Apple Watch crown?
Also if you believe that it's not dirt or debris causing the stickiness and washing it will not improve it, then prove it and rule it out by washing it, per Apples advice, once a day for week. If the issue remains then you KNOW it's not debris and will most likely be the o-ring.
Good luck!
 
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NovemberWhiskey

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2009
3,023
1,272
Do all you other watches have exactly the same sized components and construction of the Apple Watch crown?
Also if you believe that it's not dirt or debris causing the stickiness and washing it will not improve it, then prove it and rule it out by washing it, per Apples advice, once a day for week. If the issue remains then you KNOW it's not debris and will most likely be the o-ring.
Good luck!

Uh, yeah. They were all Apple Watches as I have said. Same model. If dust/debris/sweat were the problem, EVERY Apple Watch will eventually suffer from the sticky crown. Not just every watch I have owned, but virtually ALL Apple Watches sold. But that is not the case.

Washing it out will not prove or disprove anything. Turning my crown a few times fixes the problem temporarily. That doesn't mean turning the crown is a fix. You are mistaking correlation for a cause. Many people that have the problem have observed empirically that washing does not fix their problem, or does so temporarily.
 
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