A destro is a watch with its crown on the left of the case rather than the usual right. It is made to be worn on the right wrist, usually by someone left-handed. The layout grew out of practical needs among military users and divers, and a left-side crown does not press into the wrist.
Where it comes from
The name comes from the Italian word for right, even though the crown sits on the left. The word became widely used because Panerai applied it to military models issued to Italian Navy divers. Some Italian navy commandos preferred to wear their watch on the right wrist, so Panerai made a version with the winding crown on the left. In the 1960s Panerai supplied its reference 6152/1 to Italian Navy frogmen. With the crown moved to the other side, they could set their timing before a mission without taking the watch off.
Why put the crown on the left?
Most watches have the crown on the right. A left-side crown can be more comfortable, because it does not press into the wrist or catch on things. Divers were one reason the layout spread. Omega gave the Seamaster Ploprof 1200M a left-side crown from the start, so the crown would not dig into divers’ wrists.
Do the chronograph pushers move too?
Not always. On some left-crown chronographs, the pushers stay on the right. The TAG Heuer Monaco reissue is one example. Like the original, it has its crown on the left and its pushers on the right. So a left crown does not always mean every control sits on the left. Anyone choosing a left-crown chronograph should look at the pushers as well as the crown.
Who makes destro watches today?
Panerai’s left-crown watches are closely tied to its history as a supplier to the military. The brand still makes destro models. One current example is the 44mm Luminor Destro PAM01732. On these the crown sits on the left of the case, for wear on the right wrist. Other makers have used a left-side crown too, among them Omega and TAG Heuer.
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