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Finding out which watch will fit your wrist is not easy at all. And to make things even more complicated, some online tipsters talk about small, medium, or large watches (or even wrists) — sizes you can't verify. Let alone advise you on what to look out for when choosing. Therefore, in the article we will focus on practical tips on how to find the right watch size so that you don't have to stress when buying a watch in the e-shop.
Maybe you're hesitant to buy a watch online because you don't exactly have a ready-to-wear wrist size. Maybe you've had the experience of a great-looking watch in pictures that ended up not fitting your wrist. Or did they look ridiculously small?
The first piece of advice is: don't fall for the trend of "oversized" watches, of which there are unfortunately many on the market. For a watch to look good, it needs to be the right size for your wrist.
We can personally recommend a size where the size of the watch case is equal to 60% to 75% of the surface length of your wrist. Don't worry, it's nothing complicated, we have a good trick for this too. To get at least an approximate estimate of this mysterious dimension, measure the circumference of your wrist in millimeters and divide the result by three.
Here is a watch size chart that should help you choose the right watch size for your wrist:
| Wrist circumference | Matching case size | Lug to lug length |
| 14,0 cm | 27,9 až 34,9 mm | 34,9 až 43,7 mm |
| 14,6 cm | 29,2 až 36,5 mm | 36,5 až 45,6 mm |
| 15,2 cm | 30,5 až 38,1 mm | 38,1 až 47,6 mm |
| 15,9 cm | 31,8 až 39,7 mm | 39,7 až 49,6 mm |
| 16,5 cm | 33,0 až 41,3 mm | 41,3 až 51,6 mm |
| 17,1 cm | 34,3 až 42,9 mm | 42,9 až 53,6 mm |
| 17,8 cm | 35,6 až 44,5 mm | 44,5 až 55,6 mm |
| 18,4 cm | 36,8 až 46,0 mm | 46 až 57,5 mm |
| 19,1 cm | 38,1 až 47,6 mm | 47,6 až 59,5 mm |
| 19,7 cm | 39,4 až 49,2 mm | 49,2 až 61,5 mm |
| 20,3 cm | 40,6 až 50,8 mm | 50,8 až 63,5 mm |
| 21,0 cm | 41,9 až 52,4 mm | 52,4 až 65,5 mm |
We will go through it practically. For example, for a person with a wrist circumference of 15.2 cm, a watch with a case of 38 mm and smaller would be suitable. For some models, 40 to 42 mm would be fine - it depends on the size of the bezel or dial (see below). But if you want to be sure, opt for a watch with a case no larger than 38 mm in diameter.
On the contrary, the ideal watch for a person with a wrist circumference of 17.8 mm will be a watch with a poudre from 36.5 to 44.5 mm. In some cases, he will be able to choose up to a 46mm case, but no longer.
If you have a wrist that is fairly close in size to a normal male wrist, you will have an easier time choosing a watch as manufacturers try to release models that will fit a larger portion of the population.
The distance between the end of one leg and the end of the opposite one - the so-called lug to lug dimension - also plays a significant role. A watch can be said to be just right if the lug to lug length takes up 75-95% of the width of your wrist. If the lug-to-lug dimension of the watch is larger than the width of your wrist, the watch will hang on your hand, which doesn't look good.
Again, we note that this is still a rough estimate. Some people have flat wrists, some people have rounder ones. Some prefer small or vintage watches, others massive or more sporty. However, the dimensions will help you easily find out how your choice will fit you.
In any case, the fundamental limit for choosing a watch remains the dimension of the lug to lug watch, which must not exceed the width of your wrist.
The quickest way is to use a digital caliper (caliper) to measure the case from one side to the other avoiding the crown.
Most watches have a crown at the 3rd position, so you will be measuring from the 10th to the 8th position in most cases. If you don't have a caliper, you can roughly measure the housing with a transparent ruler. The result will not be as accurate, but a rough estimate will also serve you well.
Thanks to the helveti.eu eshop, you can skip this step, because we have measured the size of the case for each watch. You can also find it with an illustration in the product description.
Again, we stress that case size isn't everything. The watch selection guides you find on the internet are too simplistic in this regard. They will tell you not to buy a watch over 40mm, that 38mm is the optimal size. But is it really so?
Conversely, it works the same: the Seiko Prospex SNE569P1 look perfect on a 15cm wrist, but the MeisterSinger Vintago VT901 already seem too big (but still cool). It's all about how it looks on your wrist. 38mm by itself means nothing.
For example, 38.5mm divers, such as the Seiko Prospex SNE569P1, would look quite small on a 19cm wrist. Whereas the 38mm MeisterSinger Vintago VT902 would look much better.
Even though a 38mm case is a safe choice in most cases, it's far from the be-all and end-all of making your watch fit. You can have a 42mm watch that will look good on you, while some 40mm models will feel huge. You will find out why this is so later in the article.
Of course, you also have to take into account your taste. If you're into modern watches, you'll know that most models tend to be larger, and 40mm is often the smallest you can get (unless you're going for the more luxurious brands). In that case, you will simply have to accept the fact that some types of watches will look big on you.
But you can avoid this if you consider the following points (more in the article below):
If, on the other hand, you prefer a vintage watch with a small wrist, rejoice! You will find a lot of models between 30 mm (and less) to 38 mm. Just don't go overboard and buy a 30mm watch for your 18mm hand - it can look really small on you. Then you end up with something called a "boy's watch".
Try to stay within your size range - so follow the chart (or calculation; see above), your taste and wrist width (lug to lug size issue below).
Important: the size of the case is only one part of the whole that determines the size of your watch. There are plenty of other factors that will affect your subjective perception of the watch's overall size.
In order for the watch to fit well on the wrist, the lug to lug length must be at least slightly less than the width of your wrist. In the borderline case, try to keep this dimension at least within the width of your wrist. The reason is simple: you don't want the case sticking out and the watch hanging. It doesn't look good and it's not comfortable either.
Some of those with small wrists may not be so bad. If you are the owner of a narrow but flat wrist, you are in luck. Most of the circumference of your wrist is then a flat area where the watch will lie, giving you more room to choose lug to lug length.
Interestingly, lug to lug length is not always directly proportional to watch size. Some 41mm watches have outrageously long lugs, extending them up to 50mm lug to lug. Some are the complete opposite, such as some Citizen Promaster models that have short legs.
So always try to find out (or measure) the lug to lug length before making a binding decision to buy a particular watch. And remember: a small watch does not necessarily have a short lug to lug length. And it's good that it also works the other way around. At Helveti, we are always happy to check the dimensions for you - just write to us at info@helveti.eu
Another thing to watch for on the legs: some are flat and some are curved.
If you have a smaller wrist, you should look for a watch with curved legs so that the watch hugs your wrist better and doesn't stick out to the sides. And if you like a watch model with flat feet, make sure that the lug to lug length does not exceed the width of your wrist.
For example, the Bulova Curv range compensates for the 44mm case with a very low case – just 10.1mm, and fantastically shaped legs and even the case.
The dial can also make the watch look bigger or smaller. You will quickly learn to recognize this effect just by looking. The dimension of the dial is measured between the outer edges of the opposing hour indices. You can see examples in the picture.
Different subjective size of dials for 42mm (43mm) bezel and bezel-less watches.
As you can see in the picture, the Casio EFR-526L-1AVUEF (middle) appears to have a much smaller dial than the Iron Annie G38 5342-3 (left) due to the bezel. In reality, the deviation is only minimal. On the other hand, the Luminox XS.3003.EVO (right) has a slightly larger case, but a wide bezel with a small dial, so it feels much more subtle than the previous two.
From the moment you start noticing this parameter on the watch - whether in real life or in photos, it becomes easier to judge whether the watch will suit you (although case size and lug to lug length are also good for this).
Bezel watches tend to have smaller dials, so they look smaller. A 41.5mm watch with a bezel will always look smaller than a 41.7mm watch without a bezel.
Why? The Orient and Seiko watches in the picture have comparable case sizes, but the Orient Ray II FAA02004B will always feel smaller on the hand than the Seiko Presage SRPD41J1 without the bezel due to the rotating bezel and smaller dial. Compare this with the dial in yellow.
If you are more into sports watches and have a smaller wrist, it will be easier for you to find a watch that fits, as sports watches often have a bezel. You will most often find a bezel on divers or chronograph watches.
There are other bezels, but they will all reduce the size of the dial, so choose the one you like best. Even some dress watches have a bezel, but it won't be as wide and visually striking as a sports watch.
Sometimes the rotating bezel is not outside, but inside. Then it's the inner bezel.
And you know what? The inner bezel also affects how you perceive the size of the watch. It will help you in the same way as the outer bezel, but in a slightly different way - you will have a much larger lens.
Just remember that a watch with a larger glass will always look bigger than a watch with a small one. But once you know that, it depends on what you like more.
Many watches have internal bezels, even those with external bezels. Some are taller, some are bigger. Some can be turned, some can't.
But it doesn't matter, they still have the same effect: they move the hour markers away from the edge of the case. So, subjectively, the size of a watch with an inner bezel will be smaller.
If you take two exactly the same watches that differ only in the color of the dial, the one with the dark one will look smaller. This is due to the way our brain perceives light reflecting off objects.
Of course, you don't have to buy a black watch just to make it look smaller. However, if you have smaller wrists and like bright dials, you should get a watch with a slightly smaller case size than normal to compensate for this impression.
Thinner watches are top! We even have some of the slimmest watches in the Edox collections for you – the Les Bémonts Ultra Slim and Slim Line, whose case heights are an incredible 6mm, 9mm and 9.2mm even with a 42mm case.
One last thing about the case itself. A watch will always look smaller when it is thinner. This effect is not more pronounced than a small case, a short lug to lug size, or a small dial, but it definitely helps the overall impression. Again, especially if you have smaller wrists.
Thinner watches are easier to find among dress watches - either quartz or mechanical. Quartz watches generally have thinner cases.
A nice bonus of a watch with a thinner case is that it fits easily under the sleeve, is light and comfortable. Taller watches, i.e. 12 mm and more, tend to be heavy, especially when worn on the move. Then they can also be rotated on the wrist and will always be optically larger.
We hope this guide helps you find the perfect watch for your wrist.
When choosing, do not forget to take into account all the parameters that affect how the watch will fit you and how it will look on your wrist:
Do you have any proven tips of your own that should be featured here as well? Leave it to us in the comments. We will be very happy for your tip!
You can find the mentioned watches at www.helveti.eu
If you prefer to come and see the watch and get advice, our specialists will attend to you at the Helveti brick-and-mortar store (we are also here on Saturdays).
Adapted in part from the blog https://theslenderwrist.com
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