What size watch for your wrist?

This is the most frequently asked question before a purchase, and the answer is rarely a single number. A watch is not too big or too small in an absolute sense: it is proportionate, or it is not. Here's how to decide in two minutes.

Measure your wrist before looking at models

Take a tape measure and wrap it around your wrist, just after the prominent bone, where the watch will rest. Tighten it without compressing. Note the circumference in centimeters.

No flexible tape measure handy? A strip of paper will do the trick: wrap it around, mark the meeting point with a pen, then unfold it against a ruler.

What your measurement indicates

• Less than 15 cm — a 34 to 36 mm case remains just right. Beyond that, the watch visually overhangs the wrist.
• 15 to 17 cm — the most comfortable zone: 36 to 40 mm all fit, the choice becomes a matter of taste.
• 17 to 19 cm — 40 to 42 mm maintains balance. Below 38 mm, the watch appears undersized.
• Beyond 19 cm — 42 mm and above, without hesitation.

Our two sizes correspond to the two most common zones: 36 mm for our women's watches, 41 mm for our men's watches. These are not randomly chosen sizes: they are the ones that suit the largest number of wrists without ever appearing ostentatious.

Three details that matter as much as the diameter

Thickness

A thin watch slips under a shirt cuff; a thick watch snags. Our cases measure 7 to 7.5 mm in thickness, making them invisible under a shirt cuff — a point often overlooked at the time of purchase, and which determines the actual use of the watch.

Strap width

It should be approximately half the diameter of the case. A strap that is too narrow gives the impression of a head on a wire; too wide, it makes the whole look heavy. Our 36 mm watches take 18 mm straps, our 41 mm watches take 20 mm straps. All our straps are interchangeable, so this measurement — the lug width — is the one to check before buying a replacement.

Dial readability

For the same diameter, a clean dial appears larger than a busy dial. A 36 mm case with fine indices and a lot of white, like that of the Muguet, is easier to read than a 40 mm saturated with complications.

And if you hesitate between two sizes

Take the smaller one. A watch slightly below the theoretical size can be worn every day; a watch that is too large ends up in a drawer. This applies to both genders.

One last, simple benchmark: when placed on the wrist, the watch should not touch the bones on either side. If there is a slight visible space on both sides, the proportion is good.

Where to start

If your wrist is slender, look towards the Orchidée or the Reine d'Argent, in 36 mm. For a wider wrist, the Azurite and the Bronzite in 41 mm maintain measured proportions despite their diameter.

All exact dimensions — diameter, thickness, lug width — are listed in the Details tab of each watch. In doubt before ordering? Write to us, we respond within 24 to 48 business hours.