Watch size Vs Wrist diameter, hot topic?

It's lug that matters. I don't wear anything that overhangs (except one joke watch). Generally 40 is right for me, today's 42 with lug 51½ works fine. I prefer smaller though, 35s work nicely for dress. I think the recent fashion is about wrist jewellery, and unfortunately that spilled over to general wear. It looks like smaller versions are starting to be offered though.

I think being watch nerds, we all overthink it. It’s simple, wear what ever size watch you think looks good and feels good, to you.

Plus, specs only tell half the story. You always need try it on. For example, the internet told me and I thought I was sized out of a Rolex Deepsea Seadweller James Cameron with a 6.5inch wrist. But it felt amazing on the wrist and to my eyes, looks great.

P

Great choice of watch,looks great

Big watches rule just ask my wife who's borrowed my sea dweller as hers is getting regulated

That’s an awesome watch. Good luck getting that back from your wife! 😂

Disagree that lug to lug is all that matters as I hate the width too. Yes, a big wide band can help alleviate the ailment a bit, but it does nothing for the weight. All this translates to discomfort as much as looking wrong IME.

I find it amusing that they show a W10 as the opening image. One was my first mechanical watch in the mid 90's and I felt it was a hefty hunk of metal compared to the department store quartz watches to which I was accustomed. But now it's a poster boy for petiteness. Crazy times.

Anyway, the article is quite good. He makes many good points about comfort, style, and refinement that apply regardless of how beefy the wearer may be.

I like smaller watches, but people who enjoy wearing bigger watches don't seem crazy to me. It's just another person's style.

It is axiomatic that larger wrists accommodate larger watches. There are practical and aesthetic limits in either direction. I have more thoughts over at TheEscapementRoom.

I'm an equal opportunity wearer of watches. Even though it's not "proper" to wear a large diameter watch, it's fun, and practical. More so since I have yet to find a proper ABC (alti/baron/compass) digital under 42, much less under 40.

But I also enjoy smaller sizes too. They fit perfect, are practical and you don't have to worry as much about crown/bezel bite when moving your wrist during activities.

Life's too short, wear a watch.

Larger watches have their place as do smaller ones. This whole "watches used to be smaller " assertion doesn't really work for me. Most things used to be smaller than they are today, doesn't mean it was right or shouldn't evolve. Wear what you want, there's no right or wrong.

Prefer bigger watches myself, I'm over 50 so legibility is all important!

Big watches for who? A big watch on my wrist is 48mm, yet I can wear 38 with a 47 lug to lug as the smallest that's comfortable on my wrist. Less then that won't get a second glance.

I'm not fussed, if it feels good I'll wear it, what other people think about my watch size is not important, what is important is what I think/feel about that piece

*groan* size again…

we really need to fix the algorithm, or people just need to search before posting.

The article is contrived as hell:

Vintage watches have made "vintage sizing" cool again

*double groan*

It toes the line between sounding like smaller watches just began to exist, but have also been around forever (they have). It’s convoluted in tone, and I want that 10mins back…

You’re never getting it back. Say goodbye to that watch 🤣

I've got a half dozen 49 - 50mm watches and I'm thinking of dumping them.

I've got a 40mm with no bezel that seems just perfect. Its all dial no bezel.

My lunar pilot seems to have a similar sized dial but its a 45. I'm starting to hate big klunky bezels. My current desire is running towards small svelte "wind tunnel tested" bezels. Its that ratio between dial face and watch size that I'm starting to be obsessed with.

I've got a Sugess 38mm in the mail. I'm obsessed with a Strela Officer, and a Proxima 1697. All of them seem to be trending more towards 40mm.

I'm a 7.5".

Watch dimensions and wrist size proportions have everything to do with our thought process on what’s acceptable. We look at what’s around us socially to see what size fits us I think.🧐

I’m not going out and buying a 36mm watch with a 6.75” wrist and big banana hands.

You have to be the one that’s comfortable with your next purchase…👍

Bingo.

If I have to squint or take the watch off & view it from across the room, its too damn small.

At 6.75, 38-42 is my sweet spot, although I love my chunky Casio's

I'd say yes, for most of the time. Some watches like Fliegers looks strange it small format

I start with L2L and then the case size before considering, but I prefer to try it on as all wrists are not created equal…

The article Is pretty straight forward, any overthinking matter Is on any particularly mind. Cheers.

I’m not overthinking anything. Small-sized watches are relative, and not a new thing, and just because whoever now releases a 36mm does not mean that all of sudden (a) everyone buys small now, and (b) smaller watches are the second coming of Jesus. The article was clickbait, it offered nothing of value, and is just puff.

In the 80s, Tag unofficially called the 38mm versions of their models “jumbo”, with the standard size still considered around 34-36mm for men. Go back further, you can find gents watches anything between 28-36mm. We went to war on 28-33mm; the ATP watches for WWII infantry range from 28mm for a Cyma, 30mm for an Enicar, and mainly sit at 31/32mm. Fliegers, early divers, and the like were large because they were designed to be legible, but would also be worn over a specialist suit. If anything, larger watches were the exception, and not the norm, but please… let’s just rewrite history to fit a bs narrative, why break tradition? The era of the >40mm men’s watch started in the 90s, and in the grand scheme of things represents a small period of the watch-purchasing history of the world. The fact that everyone keeps buying large watches, that are not practical for wear on a naked wrist, is more a testament at the resilience of the ignorant rather than the desire for a satisfactory watch-wearing experience, but that’s the hot take here, not sub 36mm for men.

Problems with watch size are psychosomatic, it’s been covered extensively on here, even in the last 48 hours. The algorithm is broken, but the search function is not.

You said many valid and interesting things bere, but I don't understand why the article doesn't give any value. It has a clear posture about the topic, yes, but it is also fair. The article touches many interesting topics and a valid point of view. At the end, as many people already said gere, everyone wear what they want and feel comfortable with and I think the same. The aim of this post Is Just to gear diffferent thoughts and opinions without any judgement. Thanks for sharing.

I agree that a watch should not overhang the wrist. My wrist is about 52mm across and so my max lug length is <47mm. The diameter of the watch head is important for proportion, but not the most critical factor.

My Smallest watch is my second favourite my favourite is 39mm , and my next watch will be a 37mm BB54 or the bigger 41mm Opaline dial GMT depending on which one I like better on my wrist when I am ready financially to go try both on , wear what feels right for you . 6” Wrist so over 41mm for me would be a stretch depending on the case size such as an SPB183 Willard which is fine on my skinny wrist due to the lug to lug being short enough to fit me :)

Cheers ,I'll get it back when she goes the gym

She takes it off to go the gym so I'll sneak in to her dressing room and retrieve it

I go by the same advice- wear what you like. Personally, while i wear larhe watches (40-44), i sometimes find them too heavy, or unwieldy, or thick depending on the watch and the occasion. 36-38 mm doesn't feel as bulky and aren't really that small at all, so i prefer these in more cases than not.

I'm considering a Mondaine that is a 35 mm watch for my 7 in wrist. I do have a vintage Timex Marlin that is smaller.