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GratisShark
95
Mar 21, 2018
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This may be a valuable thread if enough people contribute insightful comments. I will open with a long running discussion point about the size of a dress watch. I have heard forever about the notion that a dress piece "must be" small in general, or smaller than size "x, y, or z", etc, etc. The thing that is often left out of the conversation alltogether is the size of the wrist that will be sitting below that dial. Feel free to share your thoughts on this. I received a vintage Rado as a gift recently and while I love it, it fits me better as a ring than a watch. Yes, I am exaggerating but honestly, only a little.
Mar 21, 2018
Vintage1982Benz
7977
Mar 22, 2018
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GratisSharkI think you are correct in that it depends on the size of the wrist. Even more crucial than diameter to me is the thickness - you want something that tucks neatly under your cuff.
I do personally tend to skew more traditional with dress watch sizes, and think 38 mm or there abouts is the spot (generally speaking 36-40). However, I have a 7 inch wrist. Those with larger wrists may want to be in the 40-44 range, but again, be aware of how thick the watch is.
Mar 22, 2018
Asheikm
2537
Mar 22, 2018
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GratisSharkMy opinion aligns with that of @Vintage1982Benz . Case thickness is my biggest concern. My wrists are around 8 1/4" and shirt cuffs are already pretty tight, so I need a thin case to discretely slip under. This is a bit difficult for those of us that love the dive watch aesthetic.
Mar 22, 2018
PetrosD
3702
Mar 23, 2018
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Vintage1982BenzI have an 8" wrist and find that 40mm is the perfect size dress watch for me. I have a couple of them, and the dial and bezel design differs slightly, making one wear a little bigger than the other even though the diameter is the same.
Mar 23, 2018
FreakyFred
137
Mar 23, 2018
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GratisSharkThis, yes, emphatically YES! Too often the watch blogs I read frequently state that dress watches must be 34-38mm. While those watches look nice in the photos on the blog poster's wrist, they would look positively dainty on my 8" wrists. I've started to let my 11 year old daughter wear my older dress watches because they're simply too small from an older time.
40mm is the absolute minimum size that looks like a proper dress watch fit on my wrist. I really love Nomos watches and their style, but they have very few that are sized 40+mm. So please keep this in mind when a nicely styled dress watch appears here that's 42mm and you think it's too big; I'm super excited to have a potential watch to purchase! 😀
Sometimes even 40mm isn't enough... My 40mm Autodromo Stradale is one of my favorites in my collection, but it wears incredibly small.
Another big thing to consider is the height of the watch. Anything over 10mm needs to have a good stylistic reason. I don't need to slide my watch under a cuff, but I do want a clean minimal restrained profile.
A final out in left field idea to consider is a square dress watch. Square watches can be rather polarizing, especially with some of the tacky designs out there. A Christopher Ward slimline squared is frequently on my wrist and in my opinion is dress watch retro done right in an extra thin case. Plus its size fits like a 42mm round watch on my wrist. If you like to be a bit different, take a look at some square dress watches as you won't see them on many wrists.
Mar 23, 2018
CraigLewis
260
Mar 23, 2018
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GratisSharkQuick point. There's a range of width to height aspect ratio that works well. 12 mm on a 40 mm watch...large-ish for me but OK. 12 mm on a 36 mm watch...ehhhhhh. Chunky. Goes the other way too. 7 mm on a 42 mm watch *can* work...think Bulgari Octo Finissimo, which is 41...but can also look like a pizza pan. 7 mm on 38...nice and trim.
Mar 23, 2018
Cystic_Cynic
7
Mar 24, 2018
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PetrosDWhen it comes to dress watches, I disagree with the notion that they "must be" thin and/or small; it is dependent on the style, suit, size, and clothing choice of the wearer. Conservative or modern, even Avant garde dress choices present their own issues with clashing styles of watches.
Someone with a bigger-than-life personality and dress choices like Don Cherry would look a little less flamboyant in a Sinn 1736 or a Lange And Sohne Saxonia than a Hamilton intra-matic, or JLC's rendez-vous, or Omega's de ville tresor, which is 40mm.
The watch is also something that should be noticed - it adds to the completeness of the suit and the person. It should, however, not detract from the image or person. If the watch is not meant to be noticed, why would we endeavor to find a watch that 'fit' us?
Mar 24, 2018
PetrosD
3702
Mar 24, 2018
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Cystic_CynicYou're probably replying to the wrong person, because I agree with you. For many years, I wore a 44mm Tag Heuer chrono as a dress watch, including to black tie events. I've also worn a 42mm Squale 1545 30 Atmos as a dress watch.
If I'm actually buying a "dress" watch, I'll go for something thinner and smaller, like the 40mm Atlantic Seaport. And I'm still in the market for a dress moon phase.
I think it's a matter of personal taste and what a particular man feels that they can carry off. It's a match of event, wardrobe, personality, wrist size and taste that determine what a man decides to wear.
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The Tag has lots of polished surfaces, especially on the dial, and really had a lot of bling to it.
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The Squale is a Submariner homage. If James Bond can wear it with a tux, why can't I?
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The Atlantic Seaport is certainly what more people would consider a dress watch.
Mar 24, 2018
Cystic_Cynic
7
Mar 24, 2018
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PetrosDOh, the reason I replied to you is because I share your opinion and wanted to add mine to it, not to be in contradiction.
I wear a 38mm Tag 6000 series out, and I find that it suits a business-casual dress just fine, and could even be worn to a wedding or some other significant event, perhaps just not a black tie event. The problem is that on my wrist it looks like a quarter. I also appreciate the (light/worn) level of lume, as it does not distract and really is present at night when needing to know the time.
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The Squale, and really any Submariner homage, can easily go with any dress. Even with my low-budget Orient Mako, it still suits most situations because it appears premium. And exactly! A good anecdote of this is https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/what-i-learned-from-renting-a-rolex-2016-7
I recently picked up a vintage Tissot-Massey moon phase, and it has been quite nice on nights out. https://omegaforums.net/attachments/20170121_125248-jpg.345604/
Mar 24, 2018
PetrosD
3702
Mar 24, 2018
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Cystic_CynicWow that Tissot-Massey is a beauty!
I have an 8" wrist, so a 38mm would look small on me as well. I have an Seiko Alpinist and at 39.5mm it's really as small as I want to go. Such a shame there are so many vintage watches I'd love to wear, including some of my own, that just look redicuously small on me. I have a 34mm RW Parsifal that was my dress watch for years when that size was the style. It's now in my wife's collection.
Mar 24, 2018
Cystic_Cynic
7
Mar 24, 2018
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PetrosDUnfortunately that one isn't mine, but it's the same style. You can find them relatively cheaply and they can be a bugger to service, but once it is working and cleaned, it is a beaut!
I was always wanting an alpinist, I adore the style, but I have a similar problem to you with it, it is quite small. My everyday is actually a Bulova precisionist and despite it being chunky as all hell, is about the right size (I believe 42mm) on the wrist.
Lots of vintages are unfortunately smaller and people take horrible care of them, which is just annoying. The old Omega seamasters are so beautiful but it is rare to find one that hasn't had work done replacing the dial or hands, or such deep cuts into the metal that you need a new case.
Oh, parsifals are nice, but it would be like you wearing a ladies tag with how small it is. I couldn't even fathom it on my wrist. Good on you to keep it in use though, I am sure your wife is happy with it.
Mar 24, 2018
PetrosD
3702
Mar 25, 2018
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Cystic_CynicShe loves it. Here it is on my wrist. Of course, pictures make a watch look bigger than it is, but you can still see how much space is on either side of the lugs. I do love the design, and just remembering how I came to acquire it from Harrods in London when I was there on a trip.
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Mar 25, 2018
Cystic_Cynic
7
Mar 25, 2018
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PetrosDOh, it's so pretty. But yeah, I can see what you mean. Disgusting amount of wrist space being unutilized. It's nice that the design is unisex, though I am sure it was "geared for men" when advertised.
I do wonder about some Piaget's, they appear far too small for a guy my size.
Mar 25, 2018
PetrosD
3702
Mar 25, 2018
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Cystic_CynicIt was definitely a men's watch at the time. I bought her a couple of ladies RE watches back in the same time period and they're really small, but that was the style back then.
Mar 25, 2018
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