How Your Watch Should Fit

Today, we talk about proper watch size and why it’s important.

April 14, 2020

Both fit and size are major contributors to how a watch will feel, and how it will look on you and, perhaps most of all, what it’ll say about your style. To dive into this, we’re going to have a look at six watches to showcase different aspects of sizing and style. For reference, Anna’s wrist is around 6.5″ in diameter.

1) Heuer Autavia (42mm)
2) Rolex Explorer II (40mm)
3) Tudor Date-Day (38.5mm)
4) Rolex Day-Date (36mm)
5) Omega (34mm)
6) Cartier (25mm)

There are a couple of different factors to determine how a watch will fit. Case diameter is the most obvious, often measured from the 9 o’clock position on the dial to the 3 o’clock (without the crown), but there’s also the lug-to-lug length to consider, which is measured from the top of one lug to the bottom of another, along with the shape and finish of the lugs. This is vital, because a 40mm watch with a short lug-to-lug and close-cropped lugs can wear almost smaller, in many cases, than a 36mm with long, straight lugs. There’s also the matter of the strap or bracelet which can dramatically impact the way a watch wears.