“Is this watch too big for my wrist?”

As I go about my daily business, one question that quite often arises is “does my wrist look big in this watch?”

To be honest the question is more often “is this watch too big for my wrist?”

“Is it too big for me?”

It seems that, in an horological sense at least, both men and women are interested in whether size matters.

I’m very much of the opinion that with the exception of some things that are 50 mm plus, there’s really no such thing as a watch that is too big.

There are certainly some large watches out there that could be considered tasteless, but then there are few brands whose watches haven’t attracted and deserved that criticism at some point in their history, large or not.

Confidence & Courage

So if watches can’t be too big, and people can’t be considered ‘too small’, because that would just be wrong, then the beauty of a large timepiece truly is in the eye of the beholder.

While the majority of our clients are male, I am happy to say that we have several female customers and one of their major considerations tends to be – is this watch too big for their wrist?

Two of our best clients are ladies who wear watches that would generally be considered to have been designed for men. Neither lady is large, in fact one of them could be considered petite, so why don’t their men’s Rolex watches look ridiculous on their slender feminine wrists?

The answer lies not with the watch or indeed the wrist but rather in the mind of the ladies themselves.

Lady A has a polished and sophisticated style and her confidence makes you believe that anything that she wears must surely be right. If Lady A is wearing a Daytona with a dress and heels then surely anyone who questioned it’s suitability would merely be confessing to their own lack of sartorial understanding. In short, she wears a Daytona because she loves it and she carries a lot of confidence and style and that makes it highly appropriate.

The style of Lady B is different, and yet the same when it comes to her watches, because while her style is the epitome of relaxed nonchalance, she wears it and her watches with the confidence that she displays everywhere else in her life.

So there you have it; two ladies – one relaxed and nonchalant, the other poised and considered and yet both confident in their choice of watch and comfortable to carry off whatever look pleases them.

In Conclusion

To sum up ladies and gentlemen, the decision of whether or not a watch is too big for you is down to to you – if you feel self-conscious in a 40 mm Rolex Submariner then it’s going to look big on you.

Alternatively, if you feel confident and relaxed in a 47 mm Panarai 372 then that is exactly how you will come across.

So no, your wrist doesn’t necessarily look fat in that Bremont.

By Appointment

We have two collections, the original Oakleigh Watches Collection where you’ll find a range of high end pre-owned luxury brands and Alderleigh by Oakleigh Watches which offers quality used watches at a more affordable level.

If you would like to come and meet us and try on a selection of watches, we offer a bespoke and personal service by appointment only. Our offices are based at Michlmayr & Co Watch Makers in Norwich, Norfolk and all details can be found on our Contact Page.