For a 17cm wrist, I would say:

* Lug to lug no longer than 50mm (except if the lugs have a pronounced curvature)
* Diameter with crown no wider than 46mm (only because the crown will dig into your hand over this). Recessed crowns or non-3 o'clock crowns would therefore allow for larger watch diameters.
* Have to also consider the end links if they hang out past the lug and make it longer than the paper measurements suggest.

If the watch is a cushion case or tonneau, then none of these guidelines work well. You really have to try it out in person to see how it fits. For example, a 46mm diameter cushion case would likely fit fine if it had a 46 or 48mm height.

 

I'm in the wear what you like camp.

Most of my watches are 38-41mm, wrist is around 17cm (6.6-6.75"). Earlier this year I picked up a 44mm Alpina Seastrong. On paper it's way too big, but I love it on the wrist.

 

I'm in the wear what you like camp.

Most of my watches are 38-41mm, wrist is around 17cm (6.6-6.75"). Earlier this year I picked up a 44mm Alpina Seastrong. On paper it's way too big, but I love it on the wrist.

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That looks perfect on, love it!

I am also in the wear what you want camp, its about you not someone who you may never see again passing by. Who cares what someone else thinks, more important, what makes the person right anyway. Just opinions, right or wrong thats all they are

 

I have small wrists, and have bought big watches to enjoy at home, or wear out but under sleeve.

If it looked okay in the mirror and I loved it, I bought it. e.g. SRPA83 in body-length mirror looked okay.

I've seen fellow small wrist people wear a big Panerai. Personally, I don't want the overhang "dinner plate" look in public, but there are folks that don't mind. I think it's a case of if they love the watch enough, they'll wear it even if it's too big.

 

A lady with a 5.5 inch wrist is rocking a Pelagos LHD. It can work.

 

I own Panerai 00000. It's a big watch and i didn't like to wear it, because i felt i look silly. What changed it for me were women. I saw many of them rocking Panerais on even smaller wrists....and it looked good. So could the same watch look silly on my bigger wrist?
Right now i noticed i'm looking chronographs, i like interesting features and all this needs a bigger case - bigger watch. So one way is to own it, rock it and don't care about how it looks (it can actually look really good!) on you or you decide to buy a watch you really don't love as much as a bigger one. I doubt you'll wear it with the same passion.

 

It's all a matter of preference, I'd say small wrists can often wear almost as many different watches well as big ones. Some watches can look ridiculously small on bigger wrist, and definitely as well the other way around IMO

 

Majority of new chronographs (+ other complications) are big. 42mm up to 44mm is standard. So if you like that kind of watch...that's what you need to buy and wear. I see no problem with this. Good, nice watches can be big, they can be seen.

 

For me the size is less about looks and more about feel. If it feels comfortable on your wrist and look good in your own eyes then you're good to go. I have a 7" wrist and prefer 40-42mm watches but there are exceptions both ways.

 

The watch size suggestions is one I have thrown out the door in the last couple of years.

I used to stick to no bigger than 40-41 mm (17CM wrist). But then I absolutely fell in love with the Tudor Black Bay Bronze Bucherer - it is 43 mm. I got it even though after trying it on I was still on the fence. It does not overhang, looks great IMO, and is in my top favorite watches. On the other hand my Tag Monaco Calibre 12 at 39 MM wears big.

 

So IMO if you like how it looks and it feels good on the wrist, the size is irrelevant. If the watch is so big or designed in a way that it is painful to wear, then dump it. But if it feels fine wear it if you like it.

 

My thoughts exactly. Coming from a fellow small wrist watch enthusiast. My largest is a Fortis Official Cosmonaut Chrono, but I love the look of the watch and wear it often.

 

Depends entirely on how you feel about it. Never mind about lug overhang and the like, if you like it then it fits perfectly.

 

For me, its L2L over watch size. I prefer a certain size watch...but I can easily wear a Seiko Tuna because the L2L is still quite reasonable. It looks right too. But I wear watches over 41mm on one wrist and smaller than 41 on the other....my preference is 40 and below...which is a drag as there are soooooo many awesome watches that are 42-43....know what you like and just figure it out

 

I usually only look at models that meet my lug/sizing criteria before I decide.

No use getting pumped up about something that is going to be too big or small on my wrist, IMHO.

 

I have a smaller wrist too, 6.5" and try to stay around 40mm. Definitely won't buy anything over 40mm unless I have tried it on, because some 42mm or larger with very slim cases or short l2l wear much better than a chunky 40-41.

It is all personal preference, but...just because you like something, and you think it looks good...does not mean you should wear it! I've had a mullet, worn parachute paints and grew a soul patch at different times, need I say more?

 

No matter what, someone will be negatively judging or commenting on how you look. I say enjoy yourself and give them something to talk about

That looks perfect on, love it!

I am also in the wear what you want camp, its about you not someone who you may never see again passing by. Who cares what someone else thinks, more important, what makes the person right anyway. Just opinions, right or wrong thats all they are

Thanks, I really like it. I'm glad I didn't let the size scare me away.

 

My opinion on this subject matter is this: all that matters is that the watch feels and sits comfortably on your wrist. As for the watch case's overall diameter, the brain will "rewire itself" to seeing the size as a "new" norm.

 

Revisiting this...

I used to buy watches with lugs that don't overhang my wrist, and thought they look okay. I still think the big, sporty watches look okay, but maybe now would prefer my "office watches" to be closer to 38mm instead of 41-42mm. 38mm looks more svelte on my ~6-inch wrist in the mirror.

Last night, I saw a woman on Hong Kong TV food show wearing a GS Snowflake! Actually, unsure if it was Snowflake, but definitely a GS. First time seeing someone on TV wearing a GS. She looked to be a smaller/shorter woman, and I thought a ~41mm watch looked not too big, but definitely big on her. This is so subjective of course, and feelings change all the time, but right now, I feel if I could go back, maybe I'd have chosen more svelte models for my office-style watches.

 

We believe that trying a watch on is the best policy. There is a lot of misinformation out there that is causing people to be extremely reserved and hesitant when it comes to size. Specifically, many people come into the store with the hard mentality that 40mm is the absolute limit they can wear.

When people ask what size is this and what size is that, without consideration of how the watch wears it is a good opportunity to change perception. Lug-to-Lug is definitely a better measurement than the size of the case; however, watch cases are different. For example, curved lugs can do wonders for sizing.

Watch sizes are more flexible than the strict internet police mentality would have you believe