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What's your take on ridiculously large watches?

Obviously wrist size varies, as do tastes. For my part, 40 mm is my outer limit. What bothers me is not that there are large wrist watches, but that so many makers have jumped on the bandwagon, making it harder to find a smaller watch.
 
As big as the Seiko Black Monster seems, it's only 43mm or so

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They are ridiculous, and large! A good friend of mine is 6'2" and about 350lbs. Wrists over 9 inches. His 44mm Haminton Jazzmaster seems a little small on his wrist. He makes a 52mm Vestal work. Anyone else I know with a Vestal, Diesel or other 50mm+ watch just looks silly. I don't think that there is anyone out there who can wear anything larger than 55mm, and have it look appropriate. Thankfully we still have companies who are making small stylish watches. I think big is here to stay, but most dressier watches will stay under 40mm.
I'min the same boat-- with a 9" wrist, anything under about 42mm looks small and puny. Even still over 46mm and it becomes more jewlery -like which is what the oversize watch fad is really all about. Whenever I see a 55mm watch on some skinny rapper, I think man-jewelry.
 
Love my Bell and Ross, 50 is the max I would go, Tried on a U-boat in 55 and it was just silly. Amazing what a 5mm difference really is.
 
As a younger man, I'm going to have to say NO WAY. Personally I think even 40mm is pretty large - and I'm not a small guy. I don't think I've ever worn something bigger than 35mm across the glass. On the other hand, I also think a man's watch shouldn't be too small, either.

I'd say 25-35mm is the sweet spot.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
What's my take on ridiculously large watches? Why, that they are ridiculously large, of course.

More generally, I dislike overly large watches. I don't have a hard and fast rule about a given number of millimetres, as one's wrist size makes a lot of difference, but still ... most watches nowadays need to be toned down a bit. I get less concerned if the watch is for casual wear ... the chap above who showed us a wall clock on his tattoo'd arm that he wears for going out at night ... well, I'm the last one to suggest what does and does not "work" at the clubs, so I can't say he's doing anything wrong there (apart from bemoaning that the kids don't listen to Tommy Dorsey records anymore.)

This thread needs a Laco 55mm Pilot

View attachment 245767

Um ... number one rule of Pilot watches ... the watch should not be so large as to affect the plane's ability to take off. :blink:
 
Understated elegance!

The crown on that watch is the size of the adjustment knob on my razor!

For the record, I hate the huge watches. I have a Luminox Colormark Blackout watch, case diameter 44 mm, and that's as big as my watch will get. The crystal, however, is smaller, as the bezel takes up some room; my guess is the crystal is about 32 mm. My dream watch is a Doxa SUB 5000T, overall diameter 44.7mm, but the crystal is only 30mm, making it look smaller and less ostentatious. Pocket watches, however, may be bigger; I remember my great-uncle had one close to 2" in diameter, it was a family heirloom going back about 4 generations, if memory serves.
 
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Well, I don't like exaggerated stuff, especially regarding appearance, but, as others have pointed out, tastes differ. I usually wear a 40mm-case diameter watch and I don't think it's large at all (although my wrists are fairly thin); in fact, I wouldn't like a very small watch (also relative...). I don't think I'd choose a larger watch though. Still, I don't completely reject the idea. But I think that total design matters much more than case size.

I have to admit, though, that I do not have such light feelings about ridiculously large bands, like this:

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or this, which has a nice case but... hm... well...
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Horrible abominations, a thorn in my eye (especially the first one).
 
I'm 6'4" and have quite large wrists (9.5") Anything smaller than 45mm or so looks like I'm wearing a woman's watch, and I have to get extra links or order larger bands for THAT size. My 2 50mm watches both actually fit. HOWEVER, I hate that they're so bloody thick, I have caught them on furniture, banged the crystals on walls, etc. I don't think (even at my size) that I'd go for anything over 50mm though, they're already almost comically large to me. What someone else wears, I hardly notice unless it's either extremely gaudy (Cee-Lo Green) or really does look like a kitchen clock on a slap bracelet.
 
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