Should I trade my PO8500 42mm for a 45.5mm?

[EuroDriver]

Hello everyone, I'm in a little bit of a dilemma as to what to do here, and after searching for a few days, I haven't found a definitive answer to my query.

I'm 5'8" 235 pounds with a wrist size a hair over 8.5 inches (8 11/16" to be exact or 220.67mm) and my wrist width is approximately 2.75 inches (69.85mm).

I tried out the P8900 43.5mm and absolutely fell in love with it, but after leaving it on my wrist for a while, I figured I would not be able to deal with the weight long-term.

This led me to a PO LMLE (2500 42mm) which is very comfortable, but I could not stop thinking about the blue dial on the 8900 so off I went in search of a blue dial and ended up with a PO 8500 42mm Ti.

I keep going back and forth as to whether I'm satisfied with it or whether it looks too small. My bigger problem though, is that it feels uncomfortable against my wrist bone (opposite my thumb side). I'm wearing it snug and have an extra link on the way but I don't know if it has more to do with the lug-to-lug size (47.5mm) being too small on my wrist.

I currently have an opportunity to pick up a PO 8500 45.5mm Ti for a good price. My question is whether the larger lug to lug size (51.5mm) will wear more comfortably or if I'm going to end up in the same boat or worse. The secondary concern is whether it will wear too large (both width and thickness).

I normally wear long sleeve shirts for my 9-5. The 42mm fits nicely under my cuffs of most of my shirts and I wouldn't think the extra 0.8mm thickness of the 45.5mm will be a big deal. It's not my only watch anyway but I want to make sure my investment will be for a watch I can hear happily and regularly.

I look forward to your advice and observations.

 

[Dan S]

I don't know about the different watches you are considering, but it appears to me that you are wearing the watch in an unusual location on your wrist. Most people wear their watch on the actual wrist, not the upper part of the hand. In other words, on the other side of the wrist bone. I don't even know how you are able to flex your wrist with the watch in that location.

 

[EuroDriver]

Dan S

I don't know about the different watches you are considering, but it appears to me that you are wearing the watch in an unusual location on your wrist. Most people wear their watch on the actual wrist, not the upper part of the hand. In other words, on the other side of the wrist bone. I don't even know how you are able to flex your wrist with the watch in that location.

I'm considering the Planet Ocean 8500 in 45.5mm as the replacement.

My problem is that I have flat wrist bones which do nothing to catch the watch. My wrist shape is conical (if that makes sense) so if I size my watches to fit above my wrist bone (away from the hand and towards the elbow), they just slide down to the base of my hand. Any tighter and I'm going to cut off my circulation. Any looser and the watch will dangle and slide down to my hand (on bracelets, anyway). I can push up, but the watch just slides back down in no time - I've gotten used to it.

I also have an odd-shaped wrist that slopes toward the outside, making my watches angle outwards. I suspect this is what is causing me discomfort, although I don't have this problem with any other of my watches.

Edited: Jul 20, 2023