34mm or 36mm...how do you feel?

johnireland · Sep 21, 2022

gnuyork
Hmm, I thought this was a current 39mm MUT, I guess I am incorrect. Fantastic watch either way.

I just went to the JL website, and you are correct...the current are 39mm. Per my 5 or 6 year old one, I used a simple flat ruler to measure, and I just checked again, this time by slipping the ruler under the watch while on my wrist...and there it is...39mm. I get the feeling that the store I bought it from was as imprecise in their measurement (they listed it as a 40mm) as I was in confirming it. Thank you for motivating me to double and triple check myself. The website lists a new one in rose gold at $19000 and steel at $8600...both relative bargains considering the prices of quality watches these days. I'm still really stunned by the beauty of this one and thrilled I got it for less than half the price of a new one, including tax.

spacemission · Sep 23, 2022

The 214270 was terrible. The new explorer is much better.

I think that rolex must recover a perpetual date with 34mm.

spacemission · Sep 25, 2022

If rolex geneve reads this, it would be wonderful to launch to the market an oysterquartz Messner style 😉

Dms5150 · Sep 26, 2022

This is a great thread. Its a bit like shoe size, My wrist is 6.5 inches around, and large watches look a bit silly on me. 35mm is a real sweet spot which is why I love 60's Heuer. Carreras are 35mm across.

Currently also looking for a 34mm Rolex Air King with the 3 6 9 dials and arrow markers. A lot more understated than a sport model.

Matty01 · Sep 27, 2022

I agree with what you wrote in the initial post ‘what we become comfortable with’.
My first watch in decades was a Muhle I bought without seeing it in the flesh … was very disappointed when it turned up an was a minuscule 37mm, now it feels like it wears large … most recently i discovered that 33mm (Zenith) is also awesome … but then I also like my Pam which is 45mm … I’ve owned a Longines at 32mm - too small and a Kaventsmann at 47 - too large so I guess my sweet spot is anywhere between 33mm and 45…

vintage hab · Sep 27, 2022

My strong preference is 36mm - 40mm. I do have a few exceptions outside of that, both bigger and smaller, but I try to keep them to a minimum. Smaller than 36 and I know I just won't wear it much, so I walk away from a lot of nice vintage watches (which is probably a good thing).

GuiltunderGlass · Sep 27, 2022

Skinny wrists + vintage hound means that 34~36mm is my absolute sweet spot.
Some of the favorites of my collection:
APRO 4100 (~35mm)
90220 Ranger (34mm)
2504.52 SM Railmaster (36mm)
IWC 3531 (~35mm)

IWC Mk11 has been haunting my dreams as of late as well, another 36mm watch.
Also, really happy to see watches trending smaller in recent years, but highly doubt well ever get back to these sizes.

vibe · Sep 29, 2022

GuiltunderGlass
Skinny wrists + vintage hound means that 34~36mm is my absolute sweet spot.
Some of the favorites of my collection:
APRO 4100 (~35mm)
90220 Ranger (34mm)
2504.52 SM Railmaster (36mm)
IWC 3531 (~35mm)

IWC Mk11 has been haunting my dreams as of late as well, another 36mm watch.
Also, really happy to see watches trending smaller in recent years, but highly doubt well ever get back to these sizes.

Hey there, would love to see that ranger. I have a 1980 ranger date and love it so much. I also have a iwc mark XII and mark XI. The mark XII is very fancy, slim and refined and definitely looks modern; I really prefer tha XI. The Mark XI is really worth pursuing. It has been a grail of mine forever and it is so great,. The dial is a bit smaller than the mark XII but the case is thicker. When I was obsessed with the 1016 like 10 years ago, the MKXI was about the same price. Now now 1016 has more than doubled and the XI has remained in the same range it was 10 yeas ago.

LGW - US · Oct 1, 2022

If I need to choose between the 2 I will go for the 36MM, but prefer the bigger one 41-44MM

GuiltunderGlass · Oct 6, 2022

vibe
Hey there, would love to see that ranger.

Ask and ye shall receive!

vibe
I also have a iwc mark XII and mark XI. The mark XII is very fancy, slim and refined and definitely looks modern; I really prefer the XI. The Mark XI is really worth pursuing. It has been a grail of mine forever and it is so great,. The dial is a bit smaller than the mark XII but the case is thicker. When I was obsessed with the 1016 like 10 years ago, the MKXI was about the same price. Now now 1016 has more than doubled and the XI has remained in the same range it was 10 yeas ago.

Looks like we've been on the same journey, 1016 sparked my fascination with vintage, but not willing to pay that much now. I've had every watch in your post sans the Mk11 😀 one day!

vibe · Oct 7, 2022

GuiltunderGlass
Ask and ye shall receive!

Looks like we've been on the same journey, 1016 sparked my fascination with vintage, but not willing to pay that much now. I've had every watch in your post sans the Mk11 😀 one day!

such a beauty!

t268 · Oct 7, 2022

lexieb007
I have 6 half inch wrists and can comfortably wear anything from 34 to 44mm - depends on the watch, but the key is the lug to lug distance being under 50mm...and what strap bracelet you were..

Ditto to this as well

t268 · Oct 7, 2022

GuiltunderGlass
Ask and ye shall receive!

Looks like we've been on the same journey, 1016 sparked my fascination with vintage, but not willing to pay that much now. I've had every watch in your post sans the Mk11 😀 one day!

That Ranger is awesome. Don't see it much. Thanks for sharing!

ebrohman · Oct 7, 2022

I have a ton of 34mm Seamasters and Connies, which I adore, but I also like modern 40mm+ watches.

The rub for me with the smaller diameter Omegas is not the dial size or case size, it's the lug width. I can wear an 18mm strap, but a 19mm is better, and a 20mm is even better than that for the comfort and security on the wrist. For me, 19-21mm is the optimal strap size and the case size usually dictates the lug width to some extent.

CLA05 · Oct 21, 2022

Omega D
Look, if you have small wrists then it is ok.

If you have large wrists and purchased in 1980s or 90s it is ok.

BUT if you have large wrists why would you buy modern 36mm in 2022??

Just an opinion. Thoughts?????

I’ve always loved watches since I was a kid.
However, I really fell of the deep end when I found my Grandfather’s old Gruen. At first I thought, oh man the battery must have leaked everywhere (I was early in my horological journey) And then thought, you dummy it’s too old to have a battery… I wound it a little and it started to run - that blew my mind!
What I’m saying is that, I wear small watches because it makes me think of my grandpa and simpler times (although they maybe weren’t actually simpler)
Also it’s just such a classic old school gentleman thing, know what I mean..

CLA05 · Oct 21, 2022

C CLA05
I’ve always loved watches since I was a kid.
However, I really fell of the deep end when I found my Grandfather’s old Gruen. At first I thought, oh man the battery must have leaked everywhere (I was early in my horological journey) And then thought, you dummy it’s too old to have a battery… I wound it a little and it started to run - that blew my mind!
What I’m saying is that, I wear small watches because it makes me think of my grandpa and simpler times (although they maybe weren’t actually simpler)
Also it’s just such a classic old school gentleman thing, know what I mean..

Forgot a pic…

johnireland · Oct 21, 2022

In good engineering, form follows function. In WW2, bomber pilots wore oversized watches with luminous dial to be able to read them (and manipulate them when necessary) in little to no light, and worn over bulky high altitude leather clothing. Military divers needed big oversized watches (and depth gauges) with luminous dials in order to see them in the dark murky waters in which they were operating. None of those men wore those watches during normal situations. Flash forward 20 years. Dive watches like the Rolex Sub, and flight watches like the Breitling Navitimer, and multi timing chronographs (the Speedmaster and Cosmograph), were still larger than normal because of functional needs. But they weren't so bulky that they couldn't be worn in normal day to day use. And as watches became more sports oriented, case sized grew slightly larger (34mm to 36mm) to provide stronger shock resistance and water proofing.

The explosion of the vintage watch movement led to the resurrections of many old brand names, and the creation of many boutique manufacturers...all looking for some way to stand out. The solution was simple...be bigger. Even Patek and Rolex and the other more elite brands finally yielded to the popular trend of "big watches." But few if any modern watches apply that rule of form following function to their size. They are obese fashion statements. Of course, there are modern watches that are driven by the multi-complication trend, and that does require larger cases and dials. And these watches are fun to contemplate, but few of us have or would spend the money to own them. For those for whom a quarter to half million for a watch means nothing, its there money so let them enjoy it however they wish.

But for those who think a 34mm watch is too small for a man with average to large wrists, tell that to the guys who wore 33mm watches as they landed on Omaha Beach. For them, the lighter the better, and that meant a canvas strap, not a metal bracelet. The dial was black and easy to read. Form followed function.

Of course gold dress watches are another story for another day.

Omega D · Oct 22, 2022

C CLA05
I’ve always loved watches since I was a kid.
However, I really fell of the deep end when I found my Grandfather’s old Gruen. At first I thought, oh man the battery must have leaked everywhere (I was early in my horological journey) And then thought, you dummy it’s too old to have a battery… I wound it a little and it started to run - that blew my mind!
What I’m saying is that, I wear small watches because it makes me think of my grandpa and simpler times (although they maybe weren’t actually simpler)
Also it’s just such a classic old school gentleman thing, know what I mean..

Of course vintage is different, if it was not such a minefield I would buy one.

YYTIN · Oct 23, 2022

I have a 7inch wrist - I guess this remains the starting point - and that was one of the 1st questions I ponder when starting the game, especially as I was not having an easy way to try vintage watches around my place.

It all goes down to style and what you are comfortable with to show or not.

By now I'm having watches going from 32mm (Waltham A17) to 44mm (Seiko Willard) diameter, with the vast majority of dress watches staying between 33 to 36 and chronos/divers between 38 to 41.

But some watches are blurring those lines like a dressy chrono...and I'm still thinking twice when going above 41mm or below 34mm.

As stated by many of you already, It depends of many other aspects like watch overall style & design, dial size/color/subdials/indexes/text, bezel or no bezel, case shape, lug to lug size, even crown size and in-between lug width make big difference... and your own clothes style / occupations too.

And as pics are always welcome, here we go :

32mm A17 Waltham

and 44mm Willard

34mm or 36mm...how do you feel?

johnireland

spacemission

spacemission

Dms5150

Matty01

vintage hab

GuiltunderGlass

vibe

LGW - US

GuiltunderGlass

vibe

t268

t268

ebrohman

CLA05

CLA05

johnireland

Omega D

YYTIN

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