The Perfect Size - FOR YOU?

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StrapMeister
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The Perfect Size - FOR YOU?

Post by StrapMeister »

Prompted by my response on this thread viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56722&start=405
StrapMeister wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 8:50 pm As mentioned previously my sweet spot is 42mm - to be exact 42mm diameter and an L2L of 50mm for my 19.5mm wrist size.
Also I said that had nothing under 40mm diameter which isn't strictly speaking true.
My Rolex Explorer 214270 is actually 39mm BUT it has a L2L of @48mm which makes it wear larger.
I then decided to have a look at what else I have...
My smallest watches are my Newmark NP and Field 52 which are both 38-41mm diameter depending upon where you measure and whether you include the crown.
I'd actually say that they are 39.5mm diameter without the crown.
They wear larger than expected, more like 41mm due to the curvature of the case protecting the crown.
However, they turn out to have the smallest L2L of all my collection @46mm.
I have visually enhanced the size of the Newmark Field 52 by putting it on a bund and the Newmark NP on a white flyboard strap.
Therefore, I would imagine that the C63 Sealander GMT, as much as I like it, would not suit me at 39mm diameter and only a 45.8mm L2L.
However, may be it's one of those watches that you need to try on before buying.
I was wondering whether people have a "perfect" size watch for their wrist?
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by 5oclockhero »

The majority of watches seem to fall within the 34-44mm range. So i guess that 39mm is going to statistically be the most accessible size.... I bet there's a wall chart showing that in CW towers !!
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by StrapMeister »

5oclockhero wrote: Fri May 14, 2021 12:16 pm The majority of watches seem to fall within the 34-44mm range. So i guess that 39mm is going to statistically be the most accessible size.... I bet there's a wall chart showing that in CW towers !!
So what's your perfect size then?
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by EcosseOz »

[/quote]
So what's your perfect size then?
[/quote]

A paradoxical question indeed. The post from 5oclockhero responded to your 'open' question with a relevant reply.
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by JAFO »

i am happy to wear all my watches. I have a vintage watch at 34/35mm but other than that I probably only have one or two under 40mm.

I just checked todays watch, a Montblanc Timewalker. It's stated as 43mm, but I just checked, and the bezel is actually a smidge wider than the case at 44mm. L2L is 50mm. looks great on my 7.5inch/ 19cm wrist.

My speedy is 42mm, but the bezel itself is only 40mm and if anything it looks slightly small to me. I think 40mm divers look small as well.

Even with a no bezel watch I prefer at least 40mm.
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by 0uatiOW »

I always checked an imaginary box when I see a watch at 40mm. It suits me, but only if the watch wears true.

Paradoxically, I’ve noticed that most of my watches do not, in fact, have a 40mm diameter.

Many of mine are 42-44mm, as I find these tend to wear a little smaller if they have dive bezels - as a general guide, my experience is that the bezel will reduce the apparent size by 1 or 2mm.

For the same reason, I have at least one 40mm dive watch which wears too small for my liking.

Now I tend to favour 42mm for sports watches or those with an obvious bezel, and 40mm for a field or dress-style watch.
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StrapMeister
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by StrapMeister »

EcosseOz wrote: Fri May 14, 2021 12:59 pm
So what's your perfect size then?
A paradoxical question indeed. The post from 5oclockhero responded to your 'open' question with a relevant reply.
Actually the question was:
I was wondering whether people have a "perfect" size watch for their wrist?
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Re: The Perfect Size - FOR YOU?

Post by strapline »

Oh dear, this has left me wondering whether my own choice where size is concerned is...er...wrong. First off I thought I had a 7" wrist; after careful measuring I'd say it's closer to 6.75 (17cm). My two biggest watches, both tool, are 43mm diameter and 52mm L2L. The top of my wrist measures 56mm wide. I really like the way these two watches wear, but maybe I'm just a heathen. I think tool/dive watches should be bigger; dressier watches smaller with a bit more finesse. I guess it's what works for the individual. :D

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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by ajax87 »

6” wrist here. Maybe even a little under 6. The top side of my wrist is a scant 46mm, and slopes to the back making watches wear larger in general and slide to the back. I’m definitely an outlier!

That being said, I’ve happily worn anything from 36-45mm. The one 45mm I owned was 53mm l2l and 15mm deep. Certainly looked huge, but it’s a style choice. I sold it, but the straw in the camels back for that one was that it looked too similar to my speedy, not necessarily the size.

The watch I like wearing most is my Speedy mk40, which is 39mm, 45mm l2l, about 13mm deep. That might be the perfect size for me. Although I like how my 42mm C60 abyss looks on the wrist almost as much, and that is almost 50mm l2l. I enjoy wearing my 40mm sapphire more than my 38mm C60, but really have no complaints either way.

I can be accused of flip flopping on the subject of size, but I really do think anyone can wear anything. It’s all in the mind. I don’t get those who say they will wear 40mm but definitely not 39mm. Such a minute difference to box yourself out of a watch that could be perfect. But hey, to each their own!
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Re: The Perfect Size - FOR YOU?

Post by Caller »

42/43mm.

My smallest watch is 40mm and the largest is a bronze beastie at 47mm

L2L, 55mm is my absolute max and I have one watch that is that size (case size 45mm). I prefer smaller the better for L2L. Anything above 53mm I need to try on before buying.
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by jkbarnes »

ajax87 wrote: Fri May 14, 2021 2:44 pm …but I really do think anyone can wear anything. It’s all in the mind. I don’t get those who say they will wear 40mm but definitely not 39mm. Such a minute difference to box yourself out of a watch that could be perfect. But hey, to each their own!
This!!! I think that is the perfect summation of this topic. I was going to say ideal might be a better word than perfect because perfect implies a limit - there is one and only one size that works best.

But even ideal is too limiting, as it’s a constantly shifting target tied to a number of factors.

Wear what you like, that’s my mantra.
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

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ajax87 wrote: Fri May 14, 2021 2:44 pm
I can be accused of flip flopping on the subject of size, but I really do think anyone can wear anything. It’s all in the mind. I don’t get those who say they will wear 40mm but definitely not 39mm. Such a minute difference to box yourself out of a watch that could be perfect. But hey, to each their own!
Yes precisely, each to their own and of course it's all in the mind. But don't imply that is some sort of disability. It's choice. I am 64 years old and I think I know by now what I feel good in and what I don't. The one 40mm I have only does it for me on a bracelet. When I put it on a matching strap instead, it looked way too small on my wrist. For me, a perfect watch doesn't exist at 39mm.
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Re: The Perfect Size - FOR YOU?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

I do find it hard to be too prescriptive here, Nigel. There are so many things to take into account as far as I’m concerned. Here are some of the things I’m fairly confident about, and all my favourite watches (vintage excepted) fall pretty much into the parameters below.
  • Case diameter: all my round modern watches are between 38 mm and 42 mm. I regard the latter as pretty much my limit but I have worn smaller cases as well. Sometimes a watch feels larger or smaller than it ought to be. For example my Meistersinger is 38 mm but feels like 40 mm (“wears big”). My Speedmaster is 42 mm but again feels more like 40 mm (“wears small”).
  • Dial to bezel ratio: I have a distinct dislike for watches of any size with tiny dials and huge bezels. Cuts out a lot of divers, of course. No problem, most of them are pretty fugly anyway, especially Seikos!
  • Lug to lug: 48 mm seems about perfect. I don’t have anything over 50 mm. I can’t stand seeing photographs of people wearing watches where the lugs overhang the wrist at both ends – silly!
  • Height: I like slimmer watches, probably under around 12 mm, but sometimes you have to compromise. Provided that the profile of the watch is good and it sits comfortably on the wrist without feeling like a small can of tuna, I’m probably fine. Again my Speedmaster is around 14 mm but because of the convex back and the domed hésalite crystal it “rides low” if you get my meaning.
  • Weight: my three bracelet watches all come in between 140 g and 150 g on the bracelet. The strap watches are all lighter, of course.
Sometimes a watch responds to some or all of those parameters but still doesn’t look or feel right. And at the end of the day, I would make a slight adjustment for a watch I really liked, and I’ve seen plenty of watches I didn’t like that would have fitted all the parameters.

The watch that had to go eventually because it was outside too many parameters was the rather lovely C60 Mk2 GMT. Just a bit too big, a lot too heavy and felt slightly awkward on the wrist.
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Re: The Perfect Size - FOR YOU?

Post by Bident »

I wear whatever I like as long as it's comfortable on wrist. I do prefer legible dials that I can read without my reading glasses, so smaller watches/dials with difficult to read date windows are harder for me, although the color/contrast plays a role there as well.
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Re: The Perfect Size!?

Post by ajax87 »

Caller wrote: Fri May 14, 2021 5:14 pm
ajax87 wrote: Fri May 14, 2021 2:44 pm
I can be accused of flip flopping on the subject of size, but I really do think anyone can wear anything. It’s all in the mind. I don’t get those who say they will wear 40mm but definitely not 39mm. Such a minute difference to box yourself out of a watch that could be perfect. But hey, to each their own!
Yes precisely, each to their own and of course it's all in the mind. But don't imply that is some sort of disability. It's choice. I am 64 years old and I think I know by now what I feel good in and what I don't. The one 40mm I have only does it for me on a bracelet. When I put it on a matching strap instead, it looked way too small on my wrist. For me, a perfect watch doesn't exist at 39mm.
Sorry, didn’t mean to imply anything like that! Definitely all about personal preference and choice. I will maintain that some people do have subconscious mental blocks, maybe based on what society tells them to wear, that could be removed to find a better perfect. That was me at one point. On the other hand, you (probably- I don’t know your full story) and many others have years of experience of trial and error to consciously make that choice, rather than subconsciously.
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