I was told by a watch dealer that a 35mm watch is considered too small for most men

Professor · Apr 10, 2019

jmazpiazu
35 mm watch in a 7 inch wrist. It works for me.

Just noticed the resemblance in cas design and size between your ROLEX and my 80's Bulova.
I just measured the Bulova and was surprised to find it to be a 34mm case not counting crown.
When I opened it up a few days ago to remount the crown to the stem I was also surprised to find that the actual movement sans self winding gear and rotor is not much bigger than that of my 25mm Benrus Tonneau. The rest of the space inside the case being taken up by a thick sturdy mounting plate that may be part of the anti-magnetic protection.
The 34mm Bulova looks more like it should measure 38mm at least. It rides very steady and comfortably on the wrist. Enough so that I've taken to wearing it on my right wrist which other watches never seemed suited for.

Along with the Bulova my favorite for every day wear is my 33.5MM Paul Peugeot on a leather butterfly band.
My favorite Pobedas are also 33.5mm.

NYCwatchgal · Apr 10, 2019

kkt
The JLC Odysseus has three subdials and a moonphase and other complications? In my opinion, it's too busy to be a dress watch, so the Omega wins by default.

Normally, I would have chosen JLC as well but agree with kkt's assessment that the JLC Odysseus is not as clean/simple as their other dressier watches like Master Ultra Thin models.

OP, 35mm looks good on your wrist.

77deluxe · Apr 11, 2019

34mm Rolex 1005 (100x-references, including air kings) are a great size, even for larger wrists.

FlyingSnoopy · Apr 11, 2019

It depends on the watch.
The omega dirty dozen is 35mm but it works great
Taste is personal
Cheers

lucreative · Apr 11, 2019

Thank you all for your advice! I actually decided to go with the JLC Odysseus since it has the venerable 889/1 ultra thin movement, more in line with a dress watch. The model I was looking at only has 2 hands and a date window, still 35mm, but only 7mm thick.

Which brings up another debatable issue; sweep second hand or no sweep second hand on a dress watch? I always loved a sweeping second hand, especially for a 28800 beat movement, but I guess less is more with a dressier watch.

I think it looks decent on my wrist. Thanks OF!

Risto · Apr 11, 2019

I guess it depends on the wrist. In my opinion, 35-38mm vintage watches are ideal for 7" or even larger wrists.
For example, James Bond wore 37,5mm Submariner 6538. His wrists look 8" or more.
Or, Russel Crowe wearing 35mm Omega cal 320 chronograph.

Professor · Apr 11, 2019

lucreative
Which brings up another debatable issue; sweep second hand or no sweep second hand on a dress watch?

I have only one problem with my Bulova. the second hand and minute hand are too much alike. Often if I just glance at the watch I mistake the second hand for the minute hand and find I was wrong about the time.
A sweep second hand is fine, but it should look nothing at all like the minute hand in dimensions or color. In fact it should be so slender that its presence can be ignored.
I have no problem with the sub seconds of the Pobedas, or the hair fine second hand of the Paul Peugeot. Telling time at a glance with either is easy.

I think your choice is a good one.

JimInOz · Apr 11, 2019

I'd like to see him tell our departed Uncle Joe that this was too small for a man's watch.

Presented to Uncle Joe by his local community in 1945 on his return from New Guinea where he had lost most of his things.

28mm, not counting the crown.

dabbispade · Apr 11, 2019

Well that is ironic because today I think watches are going back being smaller hence the Tudor BB 58 - but my preferred size is usually 36 - 40mm for most watches and I am on the bigger size.

Adamh · Apr 11, 2019

Three years later, and my current daily watch is only slightly bigger at 37mm. Lucreative, I think you made a great choice, the size looks fine on your wrist.

Archer · Apr 11, 2019

Nobel Prize
No one is ever said anything to me either way.

I think this is a key takeaway - as much as people on watch forums obsess over what people will think of our watch choice, the reality is hardly anyone is ever going to notice what you are wearing.

As an aside, the rare occasions where someone (who is not a watch person) does compliment my watch, it's almost always been while I'm wearing the 44 mm Panerai...

lucreative · Apr 11, 2019

Archer
I think this is a key takeaway - as much as people on watch forums obsess over what people will think of our watch choice, the reality is hardly anyone is ever going to notice what you are wearing.

As an aside, the rare occasions where someone (who is not a watch person) does compliment my watch, it's almost always been while I'm wearing the 44 mm Panerai...

Haha. I am beginning to realize that. At first I started with an Omega SMP 300 2500d. Thought it was too common after wearing it for a few weeks. Then I got the HUGE PO 9300 at 45.5mm. Now I'm trending back towards what I am more comfortable with wearing daily. The PO hardly gets anymore wrist time. The few times that people (not a watch person) has complimented my watch was a vintage Angelus 215 at 38mm and an Omega Triple Calender Moonphase at 39mm.

But now you have me looking at a 44mm Panerai...

flw · Apr 11, 2019

I think that, just to be safe, this may be your only option:

Omegafanman · Apr 12, 2019

I don't think size matters so much. They key thing to wear is your own confidence. If you don't feel comfortable then it wont work whatever size the watch.

timjohn · Apr 12, 2019

Couple of things occur to me. I wear everything from 34mm to 42mm. After a couple of days wearing a Batman, putting on a 34mm tri-compax feels small, but only for a couple of hours, and then it feels fine.

And I was in a strap dealer in Hong Kong the other day and he said he’d seen a notable slowdown in demand for larger straps in recent months. There is a long-established correlation between economic growth and skirt length — I’m not joking— where skirts get shorter when the economy is booming and longer when it is slowing. I wonder if the same thing might apply to watches: the better the economy the more the demand for big watches, and when it slows smaller sizes come back into fashion.