There’s been much written about the “sweet spot” for watch sizes. Ten years ago, tastes skewed larger and the conventional median ranged between 40mm and 42mm. Today, things have widened a bit to include watches down to around 38mm. Why the drop in millimeters?
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Casio F91W-1 Read More -
Bertucci A-1R Field Comfort Watch 10501 Read More
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Seiko 5 SNK Read More
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Timex Marlin Mechanical Hand-Wound Read More
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CWC G10 Read More
Reasons to Wear a Smaller Watch
Comfort
I’d argue it’s largely about comfort. You see, the way a watch sits on the wrist is hugely affected by its diameter, which is mostly what we mean when we refer to a watch’s size. But there’s more going on here: the way a watch wears has just as much to do with its thickness, also measured in millimeters; and its lug-to-lug length, literally measuring from the tip of one set of lugs to the other, has much to do with whether you want to take it off at the end of the day or sleep in it. And generally, a watch with a smaller diameter will also be slimmer and have a shorter lug-to-lug length.
There are exceptions, of course. But they don’t sway me, personally. I have what you’d call average-sized wrists, and I wear a 35.5mm vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf every day. It’s great. The crown doesn’t dig into my hand, and when I camp, I wear it to sleep with no problem.
More options, changing trends
Here’s the other side of things, the one I think a lot of guys think about but don’t mention when they talk abstractly about small watches: They probably haven't seen said watch, taken it into their hands, and said, “But it’s so small!” Men wore them this small throughout the middle of the 20th century, and I’m not buying that we’ve “moved on” from that size. Fashion is cyclical, after all, and part of the swing back toward more moderate sizes might be, in part, fatigue with watches that are just too big — ergonomically or visually.
“We have seen smaller watches come back into vogue," says CEO of online pre-owned watch retailer SwissWatchExpo, Eugene Tutunikov, "especially with a trend of vintage pieces being paired with streetwear. Vintage watches of course tend to be on the smaller side. So, we are seeing men look at watches more often that are 38mm and under.”
The truth, I believe, is that any size between 35mm and 38mm offers plenty of legibility and simply looks good, even on a larger wrist. But don’t take my word for it. Try on any of these "small" watches, which we're defining as 38mm in diameter and under, and you’ll see that a small watch might just be the best watch watch for you.
Casio F91W-1
- Case Size: 30mm x 30mm
- Thickness: 8mm
- Movement: Casio quartz
Nerds Rule! The classic dweeb watch has become cool, proving that having thin wrists and being good at math can be perfectly sexy. Oh, and it costs less than twenty bucks. Eat your heart out, Bill Gates.
Bertucci A-1R Field Comfort Watch 10501
- Case Size: 36mm
- Thickness: 12.2mm
- Movement: Japanese quartz
Field watches are traditionally small and unobtrusive, and Bertucci keeps it real. The oft-overlooked tough watch brand makes many durable watches for outdoorsmen. The new A1R Field Comfort might be slightly thicker than many other watches on this list, but its polycarbonate 36mm case is incredibly light at just 1.3 ounces.
Seiko 5 SNK
- Case Size: 37mm (varies)
- Thickness: 12mm (varies)
- Movement: Seiko automatic 7S36 (varies)
The Seiko 5 is as ubiquitous as it gets: it comes in all sizes, shapes, and colors. This means you can find many of its iterations in case sizes below — and sometimes well below — 38mm. Some are meant for sport, some for diving, and some are more formal, but all deliver incredible value, such as this classic SNK field watch in blue. Also check out the new 36mm Seiko 5 Sports Midfield watches that carry on the torch.
Timex Marlin Mechanical Hand-Wound
- Case Size: 34mm
- Thickness: 10mm
- Movement: Hand-wound mechanical
Timex’s Marlin is a hell of a great watch to have around: it’s mid-century on a budget, available in a number of great colors (the silver dial is our favorite, especially on mesh), and, particularly for those with smaller wrists, it’s a great dressy watch to match with all sorts of looks.
CWC G10
- Case size: 38mm (with crown; 36mm without)
- Thickness: 10mm
- Movement: ETA quartz 955.102
Here’s another military watch with some serious chops but just the right level of wrist presence: the Cabot Watch Company has made mechanical and quartz watches for the British military since the 197-s. The G10 is a modern execution of a model from the 1980s, with a solid quartz movement and a slight cushion-shaped case.
Marathon General Purpose Mechanical
- Case Size: 34mm
- Thickness: 11mm
- Movement: Seiko NH35 automatic
Speaking of military chops. Marathon’s MGP is built to military spec, with a thick sapphire crystal, tritium tubes for legibility in the dark, and an ultra-light, 34mm case made of ultra-light high-impact fiber. (You can get it in a quartz version, too, if you so choose.) It comes in different sizes, but 34mm might be ideal.
Shinola Vinton
- Case Size: 38mm
- Thickness: 10.8mm
- Movement: Argonite 715 quartz
The Runwell is synonymous with Shinola. But collections like the Vinton carry a similar attraction with a throwback style and 38mm size. The brand's Detroit-assembled quartz movement helps keep it thin, too, at 9.02mm thick.
Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical
- Case Size: 33mm
- Thickness: 9.95mm
- Movement: Hamitlon H50 hand-winding
Based on the historic W10 Hamilton made for the British military in the 1970s, the Khaki Pilot Pioneer is one of the best examples of how small-sounding dimensions can be deceiving. At 33mm it might sound downright dainty, but on the wrist we can fully confirm that it just clicks and is an absolute pleasure to wear. Like other small watches, its presence is appropriately boosted a bit by the bulk of a NATO strap.
AnOrdain Model 1
- Case Size: 38mm
- Thickness: 11mm
- Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic
This Scottish company turned a lot of heads in 2018 with their enamel-dialed Model 1. Those dials got our attention, but they wouldn't have held it if they were oversized and unwearable. It also comes in special fumé variants. (Batches sometimes sell out but are expected to be replenished shortly.)
Oris Divers Sixty-Five 36mm
- Case Size: 36mm
- Thickness: 13mm
- Movement: Sellita 200-1
The original Oris Divers Sixty-Five is a darling of the watch nerd community: the look, the price, the brand, are all near perfect. In 2018 they released a 36mm size, which is candy for smaller-wristed dive watch fans. And they’ve got it in several different configurations.
Tudor Black Bay 36
- Case Size: 36mm
- Thickness: 10.5mm
- Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic
The Tudor Black Bay dive watch, while sharp, clocks in at a chunky 41mm and almost 15mm of thickness (though the Tudor Black Bay 58 is smaller). Which is why Tudor (and Rolex) fans rejoiced in 2016, when Tudor released the Black Bay 36mm, which recalls vintage Tudor and Rolex models from the '50s, '60s and '70s.
Nomos Club Campus
- Case Size: 36mm
- Thickness: 8.2mm
- Movement: Nomos Alpha hand-w0und
Nomos is one brand that offers a lot for thin wrists or fans of smaller watches. Its Club Campus offers some of the brand's entry-level prices but still the German brand's chic sense and in-house movements. The Club Campus is a great example: at 36mm and just 8.2mm thick, it’s got maximum comfort and an ultra-clean design.
Breitling Navitimer Automatic 38
- Case Size: 38mm
- Thickness: 9.9mm
- Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic
Historically, Breitling has made some pretty big, complex-looking watches, but lately, the brand seems to want to offer some toned-down options. One example is the time-only Navitimer 1, which has the same basic look of the classic Navitimer chronograph, but in a smaller, simpler package.
Grand Seiko Elegance GMT SBGM221
- Case Size: 37.5mm
- Thickness: 11.7mm
- Movement: Grand Seiko Caliber 9S64 hand-wound
Had a tough time finding a smaller, more elegant everyday watch? Well, look no further: This one's got a perfectly sized 37.5mm case, a gorgeous dial, and the manually wound Grand Seiko Caliber 9S64 with 72 hours of power reserve.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 34
- Case Size: 34mm
- Thickness: 11.7mm
- Movement: Rolex 3130 automatic
Folks in the know view vintage Oyster Precision and Oyster Perpetual models from the 1950s — and their 34mm diameter — as the ultimate value play. So why would you ignore the modern equivalent? That’s not the 36mm version of the Oyster Perpetual — it’s the 34mm.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36
- Case Size: 36mm
- Thickness: 10.7mm
- Movement: Sellita SW300-1 automatic
As Jason Heaton noted back in 2016, the launch of the Pilot’s Automatic 36mm was the most genuine pilot’s watch from IWC in a while — for the first time, the dimensions of the watch were not blown up to a modern-sized 40mm. Instead, they stayed closer to the original. The result is a watch that your grandpa really would’ve worn.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface
- Case Size: 35.78mm
- Thickness: 7.4mm
- Movement: JLC calibre 846/1
Yes, it was invented because wealthy British colonialists needed a way to protect their watches while playing polo…but we say it’ll survive because it comes in a small size that’s just right. That, and because it’s damn cool.
Panerai Luminor Due 38mm
- Case Size: 38mm
- Thickness: 10.8mm
- Movement: Panerai P9000 automatic
If you dig the Panerai aesthetic but not the idea of have a hulking 44mm or 37mm behemoth on your wrist, then this is the Italian naval-inspired watch for you. (Unfortunately this one is only water resistant to 30m, however, so you're gonna have to relegate it to land use.)
Zenith Chronomaster Revival El Primero A3817
- Case Size: 37mm
- Thickness: 12.6mm
- Movement: Zenith El Primero caliber 400 automatic
The vintage reissue done right. The recreated tricolor subdials, a 37mm steel case, and an automatic, in-house chronograph movement would make this El Primero a "buy" already, but it's the unbeatably unique case shape and proportions that truly tie the whole package together and make for one hell of a watch.
