Exactly, and my take is if I'm wearing something at 42mm or larger, it shouldn't be just 100m capable. If I have two same size "slugs of stainless" sitting there, one says 200m and the other says 600m , it implies to me that the 200m watch brand just wasn't trying very hard...😁
The Year of the Big Diver?
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That's what always bugged me about the Seiko Marinemaster. I love that watch, but every time I wore it there was this voice in the back of my head saying "the Aquis is 300m rated too, and it's thinner and has a removable caseback". Seems like the MM300 should have been at least 500.
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You forgot to start with...
How can you say that sizes are going down when all the big brands keep releasing larger cases?
Do you have any examples? Other than the explorer?
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Ackchyually....
sure I can show my work. A few quick examples:
Oris which used to promote its large Pro Diver series and Aquis Small Seconds both of which were available in multiple colorways just years ago. In addition most of the Diver's 65 collection was available in 40 or 42.
Over the past two years all of the Diver sixty 65 releases have been smaller than 40mm. They stopped making the Pro Dover and now make one large Aquis Pro, and no longer have the small seconds in their collection. The Aquis models are mostly 41.5mm now instead of the larger sizes. Some are under that. Even the 43.5 is smaller than the older line normally. Almost every new Aquis release is 41.5 or smaller. The made one of their new in-house Aquis models with the 43.5 case all others are smaller.
Breitling has moved to make the Superocean series available in 36, and 42 whereas they used to all be 44 and 46mm. The SuperOcean Heritage which used to only be 46mm is now available in 38, 42, and 44 with only two colorways left in 46mm.
Essentially every micro brand is trying to do 38-40mm. Helm's most recent release for example. H2O which used be pride themselves on large watches haven't released a watch above 42 in years. Just a couple micro examples.
Hamilton just came out with a slew of new colorways for the Khaki Navy that are all 40 and under. Their dive line used to be all 42mm+. Now they have 4 45+ but the have 33 models between 39-44mm.
Tag released a slew of 30-40mm Aquaracers. C Ward eliminated their 43mm C60s.
That's just a few quick hits for divers only. If not just talking divers I think the move to smaller is even more so the case.
Let's not forget too that to those of use that like large watches, things like Omega going from 41mm to 42mm on the SMPc is pretty meaningless.
I acknowledge that some makers have made a few models that have gone up, but still the overall trend is to smaller and smaller watches. If you don't agree that's fine. I would prefer it wasn't the case myself anyhow... lol
sure I can show my work. A few quick examples:
Oris which used to promote its large Pro Diver series and Aquis Small Seconds both of which were available in multiple colorways just years ago. In addition most of the Diver's 65 collection was available in 40 or 42.
Over the past two years all of the Diver sixty 65 releases have been smaller than 40mm. They stopped making the Pro Dover and now make one large Aquis Pro, and no longer have the small seconds in their collection. The Aquis models are mostly 41.5mm now instead of the larger sizes. Some are under that. Even the 43.5 is smaller than the older line normally. Almost every new Aquis release is 41.5 or smaller. The made one of their new in-house Aquis models with the 43.5 case all others are smaller.
Breitling has moved to make the Superocean series available in 36, and 42 whereas they used to all be 44 and 46mm. The SuperOcean Heritage which used to only be 46mm is now available in 38, 42, and 44 with only two colorways left in 46mm.
Essentially every micro brand is trying to do 38-40mm. Helm's most recent release for example. H2O which used be pride themselves on large watches haven't released a watch above 42 in years. Just a couple micro examples.
Hamilton just came out with a slew of new colorways for the Khaki Navy that are all 40 and under. Their dive line used to be all 42mm+. Now they have 4 45+ but the have 33 models between 39-44mm.
Tag released a slew of 30-40mm Aquaracers. C Ward eliminated their 43mm C60s.
That's just a few quick hits for divers only. If not just talking divers I think the move to smaller is even more so the case.
Let's not forget too that to those of use that like large watches, things like Omega going from 41mm to 42mm on the SMPc is pretty meaningless.
I acknowledge that some makers have made a few models that have gone up, but still the overall trend is to smaller and smaller watches. If you don't agree that's fine. I would prefer it wasn't the case myself anyhow... lol
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Well, Ackchyually,
The fact that many companies offer their models in more sizes is not exactly the same as "trend moving downwards".
If the larger cases were discontinued in favor of smaller, it would be different. But I don't see a larger diversity is the same as a trend for smaller watches.
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You guys are all wimps!
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I'm a tall guy (2,04 m / 6'8") with quite strong (20,5 cm / 8") and wide (6,5 cm / 2,6“) wrists, so watches with case diameters under 40 millimeters look like ladies' watches on me.
The smallest watch in my current collection, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Concept 2000, measures 40.5 millimeters in diameter, while the largest, the Clerc Hydroscaph H1 Chronometer, measures a whopping 48 millimeters.
In between are: IWC Aquatimer GST with 42 mm, Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 with 42.5 mm, Eterna KonTiki Diver 200M with 44 mm, Vulcain Cricket Aviator Diver X-Treme with also 44 mm and Eterna KonTiki Diver 1000M with 46 mm case diameter.
The smallest watch in my current collection, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Concept 2000, measures 40.5 millimeters in diameter, while the largest, the Clerc Hydroscaph H1 Chronometer, measures a whopping 48 millimeters.
In between are: IWC Aquatimer GST with 42 mm, Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 with 42.5 mm, Eterna KonTiki Diver 200M with 44 mm, Vulcain Cricket Aviator Diver X-Treme with also 44 mm and Eterna KonTiki Diver 1000M with 46 mm case diameter.
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Here are some articles... its not just my opinion:
Why Watch Lovers Should Embrace Wearing Small Watches
Unnecessarily oversized watches have had their time in the sun.
www.gearpatrol.com
Why Men’s Watch Faces Are Getting Smaller
Honey, I shrunk the watch face: inside the trend of the more compact men’s watch face, now downsizing at brands like Panerai and Breitling.
www.wsj.com
again though to illustrate my point, as you say you can see if larger watches are being eliminated for smaller. when that has happened in the examples I gave you.
Breitling took the SOH line from all 46mm to having only 2 46mm options and all the rest of the line being smaller.
Oris eliminated a whole large collection and eliminated the Aquis small seconds and keep making all the newest models smaller.
Diversity would be adding in all directions... these companies are only adding smaller watches.
We can disagree.... that's cool, but there is plenty of evidence to back my opinion. Which again as a large watch lover I wish wasn't the case.
peace
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Breitling is just getting better at offering more sizes under Kern and you’re sort of cherry picking the SOH line when most of their new releases are 42mm+ in the past couple years. Super/regular chronomat 44/42, super Avenger 48, Superocean 48, super AVI gmt 46, endurance pro 44.
I think the only Breitling released solely in a smaller diameter <40 was the SOH’57.
edit lol the 57 is actually 42mm so nvm
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I"m not cherry picking I'm sticking with divers.
Chronomats are a great example. They used to start at 44mm and go up. Now 44m is the largest model and the line starts at 32 and the main model is 42mm.
again with the SOH II line, all SOH models used to be 46mm. Chrono, 3 hand, every color combo. Now only 2 are offered in that size the rest are all smaller, you can say some are 44mm which is still large to some people but its still smaller.
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The chronomat has been around for a long time and has been offered in many sizes over the years. So I don’t think that’s really new. And you skipped the regular Superocean line and seawolf if this is divers only.
The SOHII was originally offered in 42 and 46, the 44 was released later. So I agree with you, one collection is trending down to 44mm.
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Hmmm, I was in my watch collecting heyday in 2014-2015. For the past 7 years I've been in remission. Then a week ago I was inexplicably drawn to the 43.6mm x13mm JDM Grand Seiko SBGX335 Diver. I placed my order and thought "What a small Seiko diver?" Now I read this thread, my first watch forum visit in ~7 years, only to find out I ackchyually just bought an oversized diver. Hmmm. What have I done?
I prefer a diver case sized between 40-43mm, but i have a few that I like despite their larger size. It really is hard to tell how a watch is going to wear based on specs alone, and both my Zelos Hammerhead and my newer Phoibos Narwhal illustrate this. The Zelos is a 44mm case width and 48mm L-L. The Phoibos is a 41mm case and 50.1mm L-L.
The Zelos looks like a tank but wears great, and more like a 42mm. The Phoibos wears more like a 44mm, but maybe a bit too much overhang from the long L-L. That said, both feel great on wrist.
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The Zelos looks like a tank but wears great, and more like a 42mm. The Phoibos wears more like a 44mm, but maybe a bit too much overhang from the long L-L. That said, both feel great on wrist.
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At 60mm It's a Large Watch but made of Titanium so it's Very Light....Only wind it Once per Week..Has an 8 Day Le Coultre Movement..
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I don't begrudge people who prefer smaller watches, including divers. BUT I BEGRUDGE WHOLEHEARTEDLY people who espouse no watches should be bigger than 40mm.
That is what pisses me off about some in "the smaller is better" crowd. The zealotry and absolutism some espouse is ridiculous. This seems mostly found amongst the newbies who want to prove their WIS bona fides by advocating extreme positions on watch sizes bc it seems to be trendy.
Anyway, I can wear anything up to 50mm provided the lugs are short. This 48mm cushion case Invicta is a good example.
![Watch Analog watch Azure Clock Watch accessory]()
But my ideal diver range is 40mm to 46mm.
I just got this Aragon Hercules GMT bc I wanted a cheaper "caller" GMT. It is 43mm, but 14mm thick. t wears larger as the tungsten bezel is somewhat narrow making the dial opening larger ( a key variable in how big/small a watch wears IMHO).
The 14mm case thickness was not a selling point for me, but the Soprod Swiss GMT movement and tungsten bezel were with a sales price of $410 were so I accepted the case thickness.
![Watch Analog watch Rectangle Clock Everyday carry]()
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That is what pisses me off about some in "the smaller is better" crowd. The zealotry and absolutism some espouse is ridiculous. This seems mostly found amongst the newbies who want to prove their WIS bona fides by advocating extreme positions on watch sizes bc it seems to be trendy.
Anyway, I can wear anything up to 50mm provided the lugs are short. This 48mm cushion case Invicta is a good example.
But my ideal diver range is 40mm to 46mm.
I just got this Aragon Hercules GMT bc I wanted a cheaper "caller" GMT. It is 43mm, but 14mm thick. t wears larger as the tungsten bezel is somewhat narrow making the dial opening larger ( a key variable in how big/small a watch wears IMHO).
The 14mm case thickness was not a selling point for me, but the Soprod Swiss GMT movement and tungsten bezel were with a sales price of $410 were so I accepted the case thickness.
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