Watches for thin wrists?

Elessar

I'm in the market for a good watch. At the moment I use the Lorus Lumibrite, a cheap and cheerful watch I got from argos for 25 quid.

However I think its about time I upgraded to a decent, good looking, watch high quality watch. There is a dizzying amount of choice out there but something classy and sophisticated would be nice. For example one I was looking at recently was the Citizen Eco-Drive red arrows model. I guess I'd be willing to spend 500-600 for a good one.

However my problem is that I have fairly thin wrists.....most of the watches I've been looking at are far too large and that restricts my choices hugely. The Lorus lumibrite I have is about 39mm in diameter including the crown. My next watch would have to be the same.


Has anyone any ideas for watches that size? Or know where I could shop, based on size alone?

peasant

First we might have to file on definitions a bit

The red arrow you mention is certainly a class watch, but classy and sophisticated it ain't. It's sporty tending towards loud. Nothing wrong with that, but watches of that type also tend to be big these days.

Below are two examples of what I would term "classy & sophisticated". Watches of that ilk tend to be that bit smaller. The first one is 40 mm + crown, the second 39 mm


http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Dugena-Premium-Festa-Chronograph-Herren-Uhr-Chrono-7000181-/400446663910?pt=DE_Kleidung_Schmuck_Accessoires_Uhren_Armbanduhren&hash=item5d3c7b2ce6



http://www.ebay.ie/itm/DUGENA-Premium-ACTUS-CHRONO-Herrenuhr-7000003-NEU-UVP-199-Euro-/160786913720?pt=DE_Kleidung_Schmuck_Accessoires_Uhren_Armbanduhren&hash=item256fa599b8


You could forego the Chrono option and get into mechanicals, for example the (IMO) very nice Archimede outdoor sport, not too big at 38.5 mm + crown



http://www.archimede-watches.com/archimede-watches-collection-pilot-deckwatch-klassik-diver-outdoor-automatic-handwound-chronograph-2824-6498-7750/outdoor-automatic-sport-watch.html

They also do a very nice 36 mm PILOT WATCH

Some of the higher end quartz Omegas should be obtainable second hand for your budget (but that's not really my area of expertise)


or

you could get into vintage watches from the 60's and 70's, some classy watches out there and all around 33-35 mm + crown and get yourself a whole collection for your budget

Nolimits

These are slightly higher than your budget, (well starting at €650) but they would take a few months to arrive so it gives you a bit of extra time.

http://www.stowa.de/nocache/Antea/index,w13657835825270.htm

This comes in under budget

http://www.seiyajapan.com/product/S-SARB017/SEIKO-Automatic-Alpinist-SARB017.html


This is 41mm including crown so the face would be 39-40mm and again comes in under budget



Also can be gotten with a nice display back



This can be bought from here http://www.timefactors.com/precista.htm you'll just need to scroll down to PRS 5

CarltonBrowne

Bear in mind that the lug-to-lug height of the watch is probably a more important dimension than the diameter of the case. Bizarrely the Omega Ploprof is a really comfortable watch on my 6.5" wrist (tried on somebody elses at a GTG) which you would never have thought from the general bulk of the thing, for example.

As has been said before, go vintage .

Elessar

Thanks for the replies. Some of those watches are great looking especially the Archimedes. To be more precise it would be the sporty look I'm after if I think about it, but with some class - though it's all subjective I know. I got a chance to try on the Citizen Red Arrows today and it was just about too big for my wrist, moreso in height than anything else. It is class though. I'm going to go back again during the week and try it out with a suit (I wear suits daily in work). I tried on a 40mm and it was perfect.

I guess right now, my ideal watch would be sporty/classy, 40mm, all metal, thin, with preferably radio function and a battery indicator (self charging a plus). It has to be interesting to look at. With an option for a clear back or a way to see the internals. But these are just preferable not essential.

Also one thing that I really don't like about watches in general (and this is really insane to some I'm sure) is that when I'm looking straight at it, the hand counting the seconds never moves over the second indicators exactly. I'd really like the new watch to be absolutely precise about that.

Not asking for much am I!

There are so many brands i'ts dizzying. What would be considered good quality premium brands (excepting the uber rich Rolex types)?

blindsider

Elessar wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Some of those watches are great looking especially the Archimedes. To be more precise it would be the sporty look I'm after if I think about it, but with some class - though it's all subjective I know. I got a chance to try on the Citizen Red Arrows today and it was just about too big for my wrist, moreso in height than anything else. It is class though. I'm going to go back again during the week and try it out with a suit (I wear suits daily in work). I tried on a 40mm and it was perfect.

I guess right now, my ideal watch would be sporty/classy, 40mm, all metal, thin, with preferably radio function and a battery indicator (self charging a plus). It has to be interesting to look at. With an option for a clear back or a way to see the internals. But these are just preferable not essential.

Also one thing that I really don't like about watches in general (and this is really insane to some I'm sure) is that when I'm looking straight at it, the hand counting the seconds never moves over the second indicators exactly. I'd really like the new watch to be absolutely precise about that.

Not asking for much am I!

There are so many brands i'ts dizzying. What would be considered good quality premium brands (excepting the uber rich Rolex types)?

So, what do you mean by a radio function - do you mean a watch that syncs with an atomic clock, so that it's always accurate...
...http://www.tictactime.co.uk/watch-gent-casio_146523_WAVECEPTOR.html

there are several types of Casios available which would have that feature, and are sporty.

A few Seiko's that are solar powered...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=p_n_target_audience_browse-bin%3A199495031%2Cn%3A!328229011%2Cn%3A199482031%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A973933031%2Cp_n_feature_seven_browse-bin%3A199500031|199498031%2Cp_lbr_brands_browse-bin%3ASeiko&bbn=199495031&ie=UTF8&qid=1365884820

If you have a quartz watch (battery) I'm not sure you'd need a display back - there won't be much to look at.

Elessar

I'm learning a bit more everyday. So it's not a quartz watch I want then, I'd like to go auto-mechanical (so this rules out some of my preferables). I keep coming back to that Archimedes! Very tempting especially with the display back...If it had a power remaining indicator it would be perfect.

Two questions:

1. Do auto mechanical watches need to be wound regularly, or does body movement usually provide enough power?

2. How flexible are the metal bracelets? I did an approx measure of my wrist earlier and it's about bang on 6 inches.

peasant

If you wear an automatic watch on a daily basis (even when taking it off at night) you will never have to wind it and there is no real need for a power reserve indicator either as it would be showing full or near full most of the time.

A few hours of regular wear is enough to fully wind the movement and thereafter it will be kept at full wind. Power reserve on most auto movements is somewhere between 36 to 45 hours (depending on movement) so taking it off at night will only run it down a bit ...a few hours of wear and it's fully charged again.

Current metal bracelets aren't flexible (stretchable) but they have removable links and usually some fine adjustment at the clasp to fit almost every arm. A six inch wrist is well within the norm so a comfortable fit should be achievable.

blindsider

OP - I see where you're going with this....and I empathise completely!!

Have you come across these before:

https://fromanteel.nl/online-shop/the-generations/johannes-black/_watch_this/

it's 42.5mm so may be a little on the large side - still might be worth looking further. (€350 out of your €600 budget still leaves €250 to play with....:D

Zagato

If you are interested in a power reserve complication, might I suggest Orient. Good quality Japanese watches and excellent value.

I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for style wise so I'll just give you a link to some of the online retailers.

Serious Watches

Orient Uhren

Long Island Watch

The top 2 are European websites, so no issues with customs, 3rd site is US based so customs lottery

Elessar

Well I did it.

I just ordered THIS.

Having looked around online and gone to a few jewellers, I just kept coming back to it. I love the design and everything about it. I got it with the display back. 1-2 weeks to ship

Thanks to Peasant for the recommendation!