Watch Face Details, Complications, and Components
There's no doubt that the design and scale of the numerals and components in your watch face can appear smaller or larger. These sometimes subtle differences in a watch face can make or break the proportionality of your watch game.
Keep in mind, a classic field watch watch faces with a solid, dark background and white numbers are going to give your watch a streamlined look and tend to look slimmer. More flashy watches with multiple colors, bright metal finishes, large luminous hands, and a considerable crown will add to your watch’s visual size.
Wrist Size
- 6 inch wrist - Considered small. Small to medium diameter cases around 34mm - 38mm.
- 7 inch to 7.5 wrist - Considered average. 39mm, 40mm, and 42mm range will fit best.
- 8 inch and larger - Considered Large. Cases between 44-46mm, or even 47mm, will give the wearer a more proportional look.
Let’s start out with some basic wrist measurement guidelines and conversions.
Wrist and Strap Sizing Guide in Millimeters
- 6.0 - 6.5” wrist or 150 - 164mm = 120/70mm
- 6.6 - 7.0” wrist or 165 - 178mm = 125/75mm
- 7.1 - 7.5” wrist or 179 - 190mm = 130/80mm
- 7.6 - 8.0” wrist or 191 - 203mm = 135/80mm
- 8.1 - 8.5” wrist or 204 - 216mm = 140/85mm
- 8.6 - 9.0” wrist or 217 - 229mm = 145/90mm
Whether investing in a new watch or your first watch for your collection, these measurements will come in handy for purchasing an additional band or retrofitting a band you may already have to a new watch case. We measure everything in inches these days, but the standardization for watches is in millimeters.
Watch Case Thickness
The thickness of your watch case does play a role in the overall size of your watch.
Standard case thickness in the industry:
- 6mm – 8mm as thin
- 8mm – 12mm as average, and
- 14mm – 18mm as thick
But what if I inherited a watch that may be disproportionate to my wrist, but I want to wear it for it’s vintage style and sentimental value? This is where your watch band style makes all the difference.
Watch Band Style
The style and materials of your watch band play a part in your watch’s overall look and feel. It is the cherry on top and the final step to outfitting your watch. Comfort, presentation, necessity, and style go into making this choice superbly balanced.
A wider band may make a smaller watch face look disproportionate just as a smaller band may cause a watch to seem too large on the wrist. Finding the right balance between band and face will give that perfect wow factor and clean look.
Watch Band Materials
Whether leather, metal, fabric, or silicone/rubber, the watch band’s choice is quintessential for balancing the look and feel of your watch. We’ll break down the different types of watch bands and what to consider below:
- Leather - Italian leather or domestic leather, faux leather
- Metal - Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, usually chain-linked and hearty.
- Fabric - Woven, two-tone, or robust designs.
- Silicone/Rubber - Endless color choices, sweat-resistant, low price point.
Leather
A leather band will automatically make your wristband seem slimmer due to its contouring and hugging nature. Leather bands are probably the least intrusive or boastful bands.
>Shop Leather Watches
Metal
Metal bands give a more substantial weight and feel to a timepiece because the metal itself is sturdy and flashy. Metal bands will not typically be worn as tightly on the wrist as a leather or silicone band. So if you have a watch with a massive case, a metal bracelet could be the perfect band to help balance the look on your wrist.
>Shop Metal Watches
Fabric
Fabric bands are versatile due to their limitless designs, but similarly to leather bands, they can be slimming. Choosing between a solid or printed fabric material can visually alter the size of your band and should be taken into account. If your watch case is in the 44-46mm range, choosing a bright and bold or intricate patterned fabric band can make the watch appear more balanced. It will draw a great deal of attention, so be prepared to be asked for the time by strangers who are curious about your flashy watch throughout your daily grind.
>Shop Fabric StrapWatches
Silicone/Rubber
Typically made for Athleisure wear, silicone, and rubber watch bands are water and sweat resistant and come in endless variations of colors and combinations. Silicone is not the best to pair with luxury watches due to their slim nature, but they compliment dive watches and field watches perfectly for those water and sweat resistant capabilities, like our best selling Seatrekwatch with its gorgeous vintage inspired green dial. It’s rated for 300 meter water resistance and paired with our sleek quick release black rubber strap making it the ultimate in style and capability.
>Shop Rubber Strap Watches
Sources:
https://medium.com/@luxurybazaar/does-size-really-matter-the-bigger-the-wrist-the-bigger-the-watch-278ebeec4a83
https://www.watchgecko.com/what-is-the-lug-width-and-how-do-i-measure-it/
https://www.thetrendspotter.net/how-to-choose-a-watch-for-your-wrist-size/#:~:text=Remember%2C%20when%20it%20comes%20to,appear%20best%20on%20thick%20wrists
FAQs
Smaller watches of up to 36mm usually look proportional on a 6” wrist or less. Mid-sized watches 38mm to 42mm will look proportional on a 6” to 7” wrist. Larger watches of 44mm to 46mm will look proportional on a 7” to 8” wrist.
How to choose the right watch size for your wrist? ›
Measuring your wrist might help to estimate the right case diameter. Roughly, if your wrist is about 15 cm (6 inches), that would be considered average and the proportional case diameter would be around 37 mm (1,50 inches) – if you are going for a classic look, that is.
How do you figure out your wrist size? ›
For this, you will need a piece of string (i.e. parcel string) and a ruler. Simply wrap the piece of string around your wrist ( not too tightly) where you would normally wear a watch and either mark or hold the string when it meets the starting point. The place the string flat on a ruler and measure the length.
Are 7 inch wrists small? ›
To determine the diameter or width of a watch case, you can use a ruler to measure the distance between the outer edge of the left side of the watch and the outer edge of the other side. It is best to note the measurement in millimeters. If your wrist is 6 to 7 inches long, this is a small to medium size.
What is the perfect fit for a wrist watch? ›
To achieve the perfect fit, consider the two-finger rule: when wearing the watch, you should be able to comfortably slide two fingers between the watchband and your wrist. This guideline allows for adequate breathing space while ensuring the watch stays in place.
Is a 7 inch wrist big for a woman? ›
It can be useful for various applications, such as designing appropriately fitting bracelets or watches for this particular subset of women. Medium sizes wrist for women usually fall in the range of 6.5 to 7 inches. This statistic suggests that the average size of women's wrists is typically between 6.5 to 7 inches.
Is a 5 inch wrist small? ›
The average male wrist size is approximately 7″. The average female wrist size is approximately 6″. There is nothing unusual about a male wrist size ranging from 6.5″ - 8.25″, or a woman's wrist size ranging from 5″ - 7″.
How big is a size 7 wrist? ›
Measuring your wrist
| Wrist Circumference | Bracelet Circumference |
|---|
| 6 " | 15.24 cm | 6.79 " |
| 6.5 " | 16.51 cm | 7.29 " |
| 7 " | 17.78 cm | 7.79 " |
| 7.5 " | 19.05 cm | 8.29 " |
16 more rowsHighlights: Average Male Wrist Size Statistics
The average male wrist size is between 7-8.25 inches. About 50% of men have a wrist size of 7.25 inches or less. Less than 10% of men have a wrist size over 8 inches. The average wrist size grows 0.25 inches for every 1-inch increase in chest girth.
What is a normal wrist size for a woman? ›
The average wrist size for women in the U.S is 6 to 7 inches. The majority of women have a wrist size of 15.3 cm to 18.4 cm. Women in Europe appear to have a slightly smaller average wrist size, at 15.2 to 16.5 cm. The wrist circumference of the average adult female is about 17–18cm.
Here are some suggested guidelines based on our own experiences: a six-inch wrist is generally considered “smaller,” so a case size in the range of 34mm to 38mm would be appropriate; an “average”-sized wrist, generally around 7 to 7 ½ inches, can accommodate a larger watch, from around 39mm to about 42mm or even 43mm.
What is the average watch size? ›
Typically, men's watches tend to range between 38mm to 46mm and women's from 26mm and 36mm. Those that sit outside these ranges could appear too large or too small however, personal preference can come into play should you prefer the oversized look for your watch.
How do I know if my watch fits me? ›
If you cannot slide your finger underneath the band, the watch is too snug. Similarly, if you can move your index finger around once it's in between the band and your wrist, it is too loose. Traditionally, a watch that is a perfect fit doesn't slide around on your wrist.
Do watches look good on small wrists? ›
The goal is to have the watch look in proportion to your wrist: not too big that it dwarfs your hand, not so small it has no presence. Do watches look good on small wrists? Absolutely, the right watch will look good on a small wrist.
How to tell if a watch is too big for your wrist? ›
But how do you know what size is too big for your wrist? As a general rule of thumb, the border of your watch case should not extend beyond the edge of your wrist. This means that the very ends of the watch (known as the lugs) should not be hanging outside of the confines of your wrist.
Is a 40mm watch too big for a woman? ›
Like men, women can also wear larger watches provided that the watch face is not too big for their taste and that the thickness of the bezel does not make it appear too chunky on their arm. Wristwatch cases with diameters of 40mm to 44mm usually look good on average-sized women.
Is a 42mm watch too big for a woman? ›
Here are some suggested guidelines based on our own experiences: a six-inch wrist is generally considered “smaller,” so a case size in the range of 34mm to 38mm would be appropriate; an “average”-sized wrist, generally around 7 to 7 ½ inches, can accommodate a larger watch, from around 39mm to about 42mm or even 43mm.
Is a 36mm watch too small for a man? ›
36mm is the sweet spot
Because it's a classic diameter historically, but it also neatly caters to every gender, personality, taste, wrist size and so on.
Is a 40mm watch too small for a man? ›
DO care about proportions. It's simple: small wrist = watch between 34mm and 40mm, large wrist = watch from 38mm and up. In a nutshell, wrists that have a circumference of 16cm – 18cm are standard normal-sized wrists. Anything less is considered small and over 18cm are large.
