Watch sizes
As watch brands are actually listening to us consumers, sizes have come down in size and actually fit the average sized wrists. IWC have reduced the size of their big pilot from 46mm to 43mm. Hamilton Murph have released a smaller 38mm recently. ALS have reduced the size of their saxonia to 37mm etc.
Just wanted to ask the community if you have changed the pattern of your purchases due to the case sizes?
Also, would you rather buy a watch that is too small for your wrist or a watch which is too big? Obviously, you prefer to purchase the right size but sometimes as collectors we buy what we like rather than what fits. It will be interesting to know.
You can't buy time, but you can buy how you want to read it. Before you make a purchase, remember that the watch is rarer than money. Happy collecting
There’s a size that kinda works on the too small or too large spectrum. Once you go beyond that edge, either way is unwearable.
The mistakes I have made tend to be linked to the size of the watch. I have bought a few that as simple too big so don’t get worn much, I then loose interest and sell them. For me 37-39 is the sweet spot however I am rotating between 4 at the moment and 2 are 33mm (one vintage) but the more I wear them the more I like them. As I am office based I have a bias towards dress or horological focused pieces. I think this is why Grand Seiko are successful at the moment, perhaps also why the Rolex OP with some colourful dials are doing so well as they fit in the office world so well.
The mistakes I have made tend to be linked to the size of the watch. I have bought a few that as simple too big so don’t get worn much, I then loose interest and sell them. For me 37-39 is the sweet spot however I am rotating between 4 at the moment and 2 are 33mm (one vintage) but the more I wear them the more I like them. As I am office based I have a bias towards dress or horological focused pieces. I think this is why Grand Seiko are successful at the moment, perhaps also why the Rolex OP with some colourful dials are doing so well as they fit in the office world so well.
I have made a few mistakes with haute horology dress time pieces in the past. Ouch. Yes, you are absolutely right, a watch too big however much you originally like it, you learn to hate it and eventually sell it as it doesn't fit
big wrist but 33mm favorite here
Yes indeed I did. I made friends with another collector near me and he introduced me to vintage watches and generally smaller watches. Half a year ago I would’ve never even considered a watch smaller than 39mm. While writing this I wear a 36mm watch and am even considering buying a 34mm watch that I found online today.
I have watches that range all over the spectrum. That said, I do like smaller case sizes. The giant wrist burgers of bling just don't appeal to me
Big wrists and hands here so minimum size for me is 42mm.
Although I have a fairly large wrist size, I find myself attracted to 38-39mm watches. Anything above 41 is not for me
I will have to admit that when I started getting into this hobby at the start of the year, I was still in the big watch mode. I had a 43mm watch to start until I learned more and saw more watches. I have an average wrist at 7.25 but now my 3 main watches are 36,39, 40mm. Also noticed looking online and here, that even people with large wrists are pulling off smaller watches again.
As an avid vintage wearer, sub 34mm doesn’t phase me on my chunky wrists. It’s a classic look. I can do 28mm - 34mm without any worries or existential crisis.
Although I started with a Benrus diver today, I picked up my latest find from the collection point and just threw on a spare NATO whilst I grab a new strap. It’s an Enicar ATP from the 1940s. This is a watch that saw active service in WWII, it’s 30mm with a 16mm strap size and fixed bars. If that sort of thing emasculates me to others, well, fuck it. And yes… that is radium burn on the dial, I am hardcore.
The thing you need to consider is that the Big Pilot probably took its cues from the pilots watches designed to be worn over a flight suit, the same way that Panerai’s were designed to be worn over a wet suit. It doesn’t necessarily translate well to civilian life, but at the same time, if it fits then knock yourself out.
big wrist but 33mm favorite here
I love vintage watches as ypu cam see on my profile and daily wrist, so I am acustom to a smaller watch case although my wrist is 7 inches
Yes indeed I did. I made friends with another collector near me and he introduced me to vintage watches and generally smaller watches. Half a year ago I would’ve never even considered a watch smaller than 39mm. While writing this I wear a 36mm watch and am even considering buying a 34mm watch that I found online today.
I have always brought modern pieces and my minimum was 39mm. However, I love vintage watches and have watches that I wear that are 34mm. And they fit fine on my 7 inch wrist.
Yup.. as my taste evolve, I actually flipped my 38.5mm sinn556i to get a 36mm lorier falcon 3 for my daily auto.. It feels much more versatile and elegant on my 6.25 inch wrist..
On my small 6.5in (even small when the wife grabs it) wrist, I prefer not to go over 40mm.
On my small 6.5in (even small when the wife grabs it) wrist, I prefer not to go over 40mm.
I’m the same. I have a 6.7” wrist. my biggest watch is 40.5mm except for my 5600 series Gshock.
To me, you can wear something small if you believe you can and can see the time on it. On the small side, watch size is just fashion. Men used to wear 34mm watches all the time, but the fashion changed. On the other hand, a large watch can be measurably too big. If it physically overhangs your wrist or is constantly getting hung up on things, then it just doesn't work.
What I've found is that case size only gives a starting point for wearability, and there are still so many factors to consider.
For example, my 39mm Seiko 5 flieger wears great, but the Rolex OP/DJ/Explorer 36 all wear slightly big. And while the 40mm Rolex Air King and Submariner feel too thick and enormous, the Longines Legend Diver 42mm somehow manages to look and feel slim (albeit at the threshold of wearability for me).
Clothing and occasion both matter as well. If I feel like I have to be conscious of banging a watch on the desk or my laptop, I would very rarely wear it to work. But if I'm just casually going out, a big watch can look just fine with a T-shirt.
For me, small and mid-size watches are the most versatile, and I would prefer to have more such watches in my collection.
I have some small but mostly large watches for my large paws and wrists.
10 years ago dinner plates were in style. Now the trend is moving on the other direction. The smaller watch trend will continue until folks begin carrying around loupes in order to read the time on their microscopic timepieces.
I have a very small wrist but I tend to like bigger watches. 40-43mm but I do have watches starting from 36mm. i just like them all and don’t care what people think. 🤷♂️
I tend to prefer smaller watches and would go rather too small than too big. A watch that looks too big is a total no go for me. A smallish watch might just look "dainty" on me...which is totally ok for me
‘smaller’ watches tend to fit me better but I would favour proportionality over size. Huge lugs on a smaller watch, a tiny crown on a larger watch or re-using the same hand set when downsizing from a bigger watch would turn me off a watch. I don’t need/want to own/wear every watch I like. I’d like to think I can appreciate a watch for what it is
I was just thinking about the Fricker case period of 15 years ago. Plenty of 45+ width watches and 55+ lug to lug. I wasn’t a fan and I wanted more 36-40mm range. These smaller cases seem plentiful now, which makes me happy.
I generally like the 35-39mm range (smallish wrists and like the look of undersized watches), but sometimes its nice to slap on a 42mm chonker and wear it a smidge loose! As long as the lugs don't overdo it too far, alls well if youre having fun.
It depends on one's age. The older you become the smaller you prefer your watch. With the young ones, it's the opposite. I for one, am getting older. I used to like my 42mm, now I got a new 41mm. With the ladies though, they seem to be wearing bigger watches these days regardless of age.
It took me a bit to realize wow what a goof ball I was buying these good looking watches and finding out wow they were a bit big. I overcame and learn got rid some so I'm more 38-42mm. I'm small wrist size I maybe wear a 43mm and 44mm thats the limit. And if I had a larger wrist size I know I have me more watches.