Having owned a wide variety of watches over the years and continuously flipped, I have decided to cut my collection down to 3 (keepers!). I don't have puny wrists (7.75") and can carry off a Panerai 243 with plenty of wrist flesh either side but for me I have just completely gone off over sized watches.
I'm not sure why, maybe it's the proportions of watch to wrist that bugs me and makes me think they look too comical! Is it just me or have other members been down the same road and reached the same conclusions?
I've concluded that for me 40-42mm is the perfect ratio and as much as I like the Rolex DSSD, Omega Ploprof and Panerai's of this world for me now it just isn't happening!!
“Don’t look back, you’re not heading that way.”
I was thinking the same. Having had some 45mm ones I thought my perfect size was 42mm with 40mm being OK. Having bought a vintage Oris earlier this year at 34mm which was the size of watch I (and most people) used to wear years ago I am coming to the conclusion that smaller watches are good and my favourites at the moment are a couple of 38mm. I thought it was just me as I am not used to being in the vanguard of anything :D. Maybe there is a swing back to reasonable size watches.
My wrist is flat enough to "take" a bigger watch than its overall circumference would suggest (is this how to choose a watch? The biggest you can "take"?) but when I look down at a 44-45mm watch, even if its lugs are well within the borders of the flesh, I can't help thinking I'm wearing my daddy's watch. For those with smaller wrists wearing 46-52mm watches, I can't imagine what they're thinking. But that's because I'm not them :)Originally Posted by Chinnock
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Don't worry, you'll get over it. Big is beautiful and you'll be back.
Even though I have an 8 inch wrist I've never been into those huge clown watches.
Be glad to see the back of them and a return to more stylish sizes personally.
Cheers,
Neil.
I still hav a few biggish lads but generally 40mm is plenty.
There's nothing wrong with admitting you're not man enough to handle the larger watches, Jason :lol: :lol:
I think it's a sign of the next step in WIS life. The big beasts are fun and all, but you just can't take a man seriously when he looks like Flava Flav's mate.
Anything over 42mm and you're getting toward comedyville. I too have just stepped down to a 38/39mm Fortis and the more I look at it, the classier I think it looks with these dimensions.
I've never looked at someone's watch and thought "that's too small, he looks daft" but have plenty of times had opportunity to say "that's too big, he looks daft" (though I don't - as it's only my opinion, which matters not a jot to anyone else :D )
Fossil has a great line of big watches
Fads come & go, but 42mm is big enough for me, prefer 40mm
Do own a 47mm do not wear it much.....
Lately I have the exact same thoughts. Used to wear a Moscow Classic Aeronavigator chrono 47mm a couple of years ago and loved back then. Now even 44mm size watches seem too big for my taste. Now 42mm is the biggest watch case size I'm wearing. I love wearing my 38mm strela and I'm looking forward in buying a 36mm Rolex oyster perpetual, when my economics improve a little bit. I haven't tried the 34mm air king Rolex cases, so I don't know if they look good for my taste, probably not. I have a more than 7 inches wrist, so 34mm watch case should look very small.
Don't know why this is happening. Probably because the watch cases sizes dramatically increase the previous years from 40-42mm to 47-50mm, especially in fashion and boutique watch brands that many people are wearing, so this destroyed the big watches image to me.
Case size isn't the only factor though is it! Depending on the overall design, a bigger watch doesn't necessarily look it. IMO tall watches are more ungainly and compromised than simply 'big' watches.
I wont personally be abandoning my large cased items any time soon, as they don't look big or wrong on my wrist. If they were 20/25mm tall maybe i would, but then i wouldn't have likely bought them in the first place :wink:
I only just got this Orsa this morning, it must be the biggest watch I own.
I am going to be using it for diving so almost an excuse, but it initially almost looks comedic. I like it though :P
Well, I have a tiny wrist (around 16 centimeters) and I do not buy watches with a diameter bigger than 40mm by principles.
The real problem is that almost all the new models are 41, 42.....44 mm.
Not all the "aficionados" are people with a weight of 100 kilos (or more), a height of 2 meters and practice the weightlifting. żWhat are the brands thinking?
Regards.
I've gone the other way :wink: Vintage of course. Gradually been running down the dress size watches of late, the more dials/hands/colour/buttons the better :) Even find the Top Time a bit of a tiddler....hint.
You know what they say Richard;
"The bigger the watch, the smaller the ......!"
“Don’t look back, you’re not heading that way.”
:lol:
It seems to be only girls wearing big watches these days:
Although the young gay man behind the counter at my local gym had this huge DNKY thing, so fair play, I guess it's not only women.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
:lol: :lol:You know what they say Richard;
"The bigger the watch, the smaller the ......!"
I'm assuming "they" = people who wear small watches? :D
Seriously though, I think what's important is that you are happy with the watch you wear, regardless of size, design, complication etc. :thumbup:
Very true indeed!:lol: :lol:You know what they say Richard;
"The bigger the watch, the smaller the ......!"
I'm assuming "they" = people who wear small watches? :D
Seriously though, I think what's important is that you are happy with the watch you wear, regardless of size, design, complication etc. :thumbup:
“Don’t look back, you’re not heading that way.”
There is definitely a place for big watches; they are the horological equivalent of comedy clown feet, and there are times to kick back and release your inner clown. I have a quartz PVD orange thing for just that purpose, and it works well.
In all seriousness, I am drawn to smaller sizes now. I pulled an old 36mm swatch (from the "big" Irony collection) from the drawer this week, and although it felt too small next to my Sub, and the aforementioned monster, once on the wrist it was very good indeed. For a suit certainly, 36mm is a great size.
Anything less than 42mm feels and looks like a childs/ladies watch on me.
Love them both - it depends on the watch :roll:
A date just as big as my m1 would be ridiculous, and vice versa, but they both look superb :wink:
That dress and those glasses are straight out of the 1970s. Not that that's a criticism -- they look great on her.
Wow thats a clock not a watch :shock:I only just got this Orsa this morning, it must be the biggest watch I own.
I am going to be using it for diving so almost an excuse, but it initially almost looks comedic. I like it though :P
As much as I try to get on with big watches for their style and clarity. My most obvious culprit being the PRS-20. My second had the crown realigned to the 9 o'clock position but it still got worn infrequently due to it's size.
The most comfortable watch I have owned (twice) was the 36mm Rolex Explorer. My fourth 37mm PRS-10 arrived on Saturday. My reacquired 39mm BC-F1, the smallest of Bremont's range is a very comfortable. Omega's Seamaster and Speedmaster could be great if they learned to put some micro-adjustment in their bracelet design.
I love that Rolex has finally upgraded their bracelets. I have yet to handle the "new" Explorer but the short hands have initially put me off.
Dave
Well, they say that it's not the size that matters but what you do with it that counts!
I found the Fortis B42 Pilot Pro GMT Chrono a bit top heavy, though the best looking watch I've ever owned. OTOH, the Fortis B-42 Cosmonaut LE Chrono (with Lemania 5100) gets an awful lot of wearing. The Ti case means that it wears smaller than its 44mm (incl bezel) and it've very, very legible - a great watch.
My latest purchase, to be unwrapped and worn on Christmas Day, is a Seiko SBCM023 - the DRSB - it's 39mm, very close in size to a Rolex SD (DRSD would be nice) and perhaps a dry run for a Rolex SD, as a smaller dialled dive watch. Size does matter, once you start getting active with it. A low profile then becomes useful...
That dress and those glasses are straight out of the 1970s. Not that that's a criticism -- they look great on her.
As does that tan Hermes Birkin, which I am reliably informed is a 'grail' handbag :wink:
I have watches up to about 44mm I think, but the most comfortable to wear is a 36mm Tag, but that is more to do with case and strap being a very organic shape that just fits perfectly. Although I find it strange to wear such a small watch nowadays as the Tag.
I prefer 40mm, I don't have small wrists and the size seems the best compromise on looks and comfort.
My modest collection contains these two, the Omega is the smallest, the Stowa the largest. They'll probably get equal wrist time. The Stowa is probably as big as I'll go though, but wouldn't be adverse to going a little smaller than the Omega.
I have gone off oversized watches too. The old school SD feels just right at present. 3-4 years back, I'd have thought it puny.
Personally, I think it's a age-related thing. Not sure if there's a correlation with hormone levels.
I think having nearly hit 42 I've now gone into reverse mid life crisis which means more sensibly sized watches! :lol:
“Don’t look back, you’re not heading that way.”
I never really liked the oversized watches tbh just plain ugly to me,butI guess it can depend on the size of your wrist.
I'm beginning to like larger watches.
This is not the first time I have followed fashion from more than a safe distance.
I actually wore my GS yesterday, for the first time in about a week. It's the smallest of my watches by far (even the Union Glashutte has 40mm case) but it felt SO comfortable on the wrist I almost forgot I was wearing it.
When I took it off I immediately put on the MM300, which is to all intents and purposes my daily wearer. My god - what a difference.
I still like big watches, but I like smaller ones more and always have, they get the most wrist time as they are the most comfortable. :D
I have commented on this subject in the past, but I do feel very strongly that many high-quality, desirable and interesting pieces are often dismissed out of hand because they aren't 40mm +
I think it is high-time a little elegance re-entered the WISworld as well, and I look forward to a long overdue resurgence of interest in dress watches and non-sports type models.
Don't get me wrong, I do like sports models, but many brands have become increasingly hideous over the past few years - I mean consider some of the so-called "tool" watches and then have a look at a classic Omega Constellation, or a simple elegant vintage IWC.
I have 7.5" wrists, and frankly 42mm really is the max for me, and I tend to now steer toward 40mm or under. It just looks plain daft to try and wear a 46mm+ watch (and I have tried).
So clever my foot fell off.
I've gone the same way, i love big watches like Panerai and the others, but i know that after a couple of hours of wearing them they aren't comfortable, whereas a 37-40mm watch will be comfortable.
It's a pain to not be able to really wear bigger watches, as i like the style and look of a lot of them, but after getting another PAM 177 a few months back and just not being able to wear it for longer than 30 minutes i just made a conscious decision to only buy 40mm or under, even then some 40mm just don't fit well, like a Sea-Dweller.
I prefer this subtle change to Toshi's earlier comment:
There's nothing wrong with admitting you're man enough to wear a smaller watch.
Merry Christmas everyone :bigsmurf:
I think that big watches can be fine, the trouble can be when they are also too tall, this leads to a feeling of unbalance with the watch that can be uncomfortable to the wearer.
I do have an elegant 34mm Alpina, but I prefer 40mm plus, reason being I can see the ruddy time w/out glasses on, so practical and good looking. (Im not going to say it)
Exactly, 36mm-42mm fit just fine on my 7" wrist. Lowish profile is important aswell. Anything over 13mm starts to feel bulky and awkward very quickly. Its a shame in a way because theres some nice chrono watches I'd love to be able to pull off. Just not happening though.
I also feel that many people who think they are pulling off big watches,....i.e. 45mm plus, are actually deluding themselves. 45mm plus can look ok on 240lb plus guys but most of the time it looks like they have a small carriage clock strapped to their wrist!
If for example I was to go out to a restaurant or a pub where I am not a regular and people's eyes were drawn to my wrist because of the sheer size of the brute hanging off it then I would feel a bit of a prat ! A fine watch should be admired due to it's presence and character .. not it's size.
Big watches in certain circles have become fashionable .. and watchmakers certainly are not going to mind as people buy the same watch again in bigger sizes. I defy anyone to say that any watch with it's lugs hanging off the sides of your arm is in any way classic in the traditional sense of the word. By all means wear a big watch for a fun day out .. but don't kid yourself that it looks cool! :mrgreen:
But ... each to their own of course ... as long as we enjoy our watches that is what matters ... But for me ..... ... 42mm absolute MAX .. :D :blackeye:
Merry Xmas all ..
Brian
I have also taken the bait of big watches on occasion and find myself returning more and more often to the classic sizes. The PRS 53 springs to mind and seems to fit me to a tee. Watch size and my opinion of it seems to fluctuate with my mood. This may or may not support the "clowns feet" arguement obove.
I too have gone off of the bigger Watches. I still have a Panerai that I wear some of the time, but I am now tending to smaller, and for that matter thinner Watches. My daily beater has been a Mido Commander for a while now.
I've got small wrists and prefer to wear watches around or smaller than 40mm. I actually find it a bit problematic, that almost all the new watches that come out, almost regardless of the brand, are just too big for me. I hope for the trend to change. ;)
One thing I find amusing though... I've read few of those export statistics for the Swiss watch industry, and it seems that the largest percentage of the watches goes to Far East. I travel there every year on business, and I just wonder how do those people wear the huge watches?-) I'm the average sized guy there. Are the brands missing their market?
Must admit I have never been a fan of the big watches, my speedy pro is the biggest i own and when I see some of the brutes around these days I do wonder if they will become v v v quickly dated. Classics like the diving watches are fair enough but, some of the more fashionable brands like Graham and U boat seem to concentrate on these oversized watches and i hope they don't suffer when fashion changes again.
I have gone wow look at those about a couple of over sized watches but once I have tried them on the wow factor has for me unfortunately died down.
D
You should add that at this weight they should also be above 5' 7" :D
im 6ft 4 and nineteen stone. bodybuilder so big arms and forearms. even a deepsea
looks average size so although i love the style of rolex im forced by my own body and personal taste to wear big watches. hey ho plenty to choose from tho so horses and courses.
Yep, but you have the size to carry it off, the thing that turned me off big watches was seeing stuff on the US sites, guys buying Panerai, AP ROO's, DSSD's, etc and having smaller wrists than me, you can see a mile off it fits badly, because the case length is longer than their wrist, there's huge air gaps at the strap/bracelet to case because of this and the case is spread over the wrist, onto the hand. The reason this turned me off is because i could see i was in a similar position, 6.5" wrist and 44mm watches rarely go for wearing watches for long spells.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
