Birthday present

Stheno

It's actually my birthday present, but following on from this thread I've seen a pile of watches I really loved, especially the Bulovas. (sp?) My OH struggles to figure out something I'd love, so having discovered that thread and those watches, I'd love to be able to point him to a few sites/sellers and have him enjoy choosing something he'd know I'd love without the terror of hoping I'd like it

Anyway I love tank style watches (think that is what they are called) and even for a woman appear to have very very small wrists, the diameter of my wrists is 14cm, and my current watch has a band that is 1.3 centimetres wide and imo looks well. Bulkier watches just overpower my arm

This from the thread above is very close to something I would love, and is something my OH loves and would love to get me as a gift, but given I've a very small wrist I'm wondering if vintage womens watches are something I could also look into?

Any suggestions welcome

TIA

Wibbs

Vintage women's watches aren't just small, they're usually microscopic. Even on a skeleton in a hospital lab they'd be hard to spot. Even when the women's sized watches show up, as well as tiny they're often very blinged up, more bracelet with watch attached kinda thing. TBH I'd stick with the smaller men sized vintages S. For a start the price diff is negligible.

Interrobang

RUN!!! Run now, while you can!! This is how it starts, and then before you know it you're browsing until stupid o'clock and building a wishlist...


The circumference of my wrist is 15cm, so a little bit less dainty than yours but hopefully close enough for comparison.

When you say the band is 1.3cm, do you mean the strap/bracelet? That seller whose watch you linked to has given measurements of either 14mm or 16mm for the straps on the items he has listed this week, so the thinner ones are only fractionally larger than the one you currently wear. How wide is the case of your current watch?

I have two watches that are similar size-wise, and comparing them to what I've come across on the many tangents I've gone off on based on the other thread, here's my tuppence on gents vs ladies watch sizes, for what it's worth:

The first one I have is an 80s throwback on a bracelet that measures 12mm. The case, however, measures just 17 x 22mm and the whole thing feels more decorative than practical. Its only saving grace, really, is its clear dial. Small and all as it is, though, comparing it to the sizes of vintage ladies watches I've come across online I can't see how I would ever make out the time on one of those. Some of them stretch to the same width, but lose so much dial space to decorative casing that you'd be hard pressed to read them without squinting. Some of the ones I've come across are a mere 11mm wide - how the frack are you supposed to read them?! (Sad confession time: This might seem like going overboard, but I've taken to drawing the outline measurements of watches I've been eyeballing on my wrist just for quick reference, and most of the ladies ones are ridiculously, impracticably tiny.) Plus, the gents watches are more elegant, while the ladies watches are more frou frou.

The second one I have is a hand-me-down from the 30s (I think), so from the era you're looking at. It's on a 16mm strap and still small enough at 22 x 32mm, so very close if not bang on the dimensions of the Bulovas listed by that seller. It's not that much bigger than the first one but feels much more like a watch and less like a bracelet. The additional width isn't that noticeable (the difference in length is, but that isn't as much of an issue visually, if that makes sense). In terms of clarity and practicality, though, there's no comparison. Those few mm make all the difference, and it's by far the better as a functioning watch.

Is there somewhere near you where you can look at and try on vintage watches, to get a feel for sizes?

Wibbs

The joke is that it was women who wore wristwatches first. Often these would be smaller pocket watches fitted into leather holders so actually quite large, near 40mm in some cases and more like a modern mans oversized watch. EG

That ain't dainty by any means, but practical and fashionable for the young lady at the turn of the new century.

It was considered a feminine item, hence it took a while before men would wear them. Without the Great War it's likely it would have taken even longer. By the 1920's this had all changed, but ironically women's watches became tiny, more items of jewelry.

Annnyhooooo... To give some idea of size of the later 1940/50's "mens" watches, here's one of mine I put up in a similar thread, an early 50's Longines in gold.

I've a small wrist for a guy 17 cms(under 7 inches in old money) and it does look small even on me for todays bloke about town. On a more well built man it would look really odd, if not silly. I'd say that kinda size would look right on a woman's wrist though.

There is one issue I can see however. Strap sizing. On the above watch I'm using the last hole on the buckle and a fair bit of the spare strap remains. It would be very loose on a 14 or 15 cm wrist. I'd reckon for a woman with small wrists looking to wear a "mans" vintage she'd have to source a custom strap made to measure. Then again that's the beauty of the interweb, ebay has a fair few custom strap makers who will make to measure and they're not expensive for the most part. 30-50 quid. Plus you could play around with colour more than most men might*. EG a dark blue strap on a gold watch would look well cool IMH.







*unless they put NATO straps on their watches, then men tend go go colour mad. I know I do

blindsider

(Sad confession time: This might seem like going overboard, but I've taken to drawing the outline measurements of watches I've been eyeballing on my wrist just for quick reference,

Drawing outlines on your wrist.....? Rrrright! Completely normal - we all do that - nothing to see here - carry on!

*Whistles tunelessly*

BTW - @ Interrobang & Stheno - have you looked on ebay for vintage Tonneau watches - tonneau is the shape. Some lovely watches there IMO.

Personally, I'd avoid Invicta and some other new watches. The prices look great, but Invicta is a label - Invicta don't 'make' watches.

Also, Michael Kors, Hilfiger and Armani are 'fashion' watches - and grand if that's what you want. They have no horological standing and the watch movements are usually sourced cheaply in e.g. China. Essentially, you're paying for the name.

Interrobang

blindsider wrote: »

Drawing outlines on your wrist.....? Rrrright! Completely normal - we all do that - nothing to see here - carry on!

*Whistles tunelessly*

Ah, here, don't start, you - it's partially your fault that I've been reduced to this! It's when I start sketching on both wrists that I'll start to worry. :-D

blindsider

Ambidextrous as well? Is there no end to your talents?

You'll have to take a pic of one of your sketches and post it in the 'Post pics of your watches' thread......

(I tried to give up sarcasm for Lent! Honest I did!)

Interrobang

Wibbs wrote: »

ebay has a fair few custom strap makers who will make to measure and they're not expensive for the most part

Any you'd recommend in particular, either on eBay or elsewhere?

That Longines is gorgeous. I'm always drawn to their watches for some reason - I just find them timelessly elegant.

Wibbs

Interrobang wrote: »

Any you'd recommend in particular, either on eBay or elsewhere?

THis chap is good. Reasonable too. Now he lists macho big arse straps but it seems he'll do any size.

That Longines is gorgeous. I'm always drawn to their watches for some reason - I just find them timelessly elegant.

Ditto. Undervalued in a big way(IMHO for much of their history they blew the doors off names like Rolex and Omega), though that's changing pretty rapidly. I'm seeing prices for common models going up by a third in the last year and fancy stuff nearly doubling in price. I suspect that's the influence of the Asian market, particularly China. They always had good penetration into that market from the 19th century on(even under communism), now they sell more than any other brand outside Omega in the region(Similar story in India). This means more Chinese collectors with deep wallets will look to vintage models. Even the smaller mens vintage style as Asian lads would often be narrower in the wrist like myself so could wear them more easily.

There are still bargains to be had though. One like the above usually have stupidly high buy it now prices, but in auction can often be had for 2-300 quid for plated gold, add another 100 - 200 odd for solid 14kt. Not too shabby for a gold in house movement handwind from a major player in watch history.

Another tip: do a search for Wittnauer. Longines bought them out in 1950 and from then on often had similar designs of similar enough quality but the Wittnauer's are cheaper.

Wibbs

Sticking with the same crowd, but upping the ante in price and looking to the more round styles...

Auction for a Conquest model in steel, date at 12, with a wind indicator complication and from the original owner, original strap, case. Don't see these too often, yet not a single bid. Yet... If I had money I'd snipe that boyo at a 1000 all the day long and expect a return within the year if I decided to sell. Might be a little too large for women's wrist though.

Another Conquest
Solid 18kt gold.

That's been for sale for ages, yet if that had an Omega label eBay's servers would crash in a heap with the flurry of buy it now clicks.

Dropping the price a lot Lets get all disco. 70's Conquest in plated gold this time. 200 odd quid. Pic very large so...

Stheno

Wibbs wrote: »

I've a small wrist for a guy 17 cms(under 7 inches in old money) and it does look small even on me for todays bloke about town. On a more well built man it would look really odd, if not silly. I'd say that kinda size would look right on a woman's wrist though.

There is one issue I can see however. Strap sizing. On the above watch I'm using the last hole on the buckle and a fair bit of the spare strap remains. It would be very loose on a 14 or 15 cm wrist. I'd reckon for a woman with small wrists looking to wear a "mans" vintage she'd have to source a custom strap made to measure. Then again that's the beauty of the interweb, ebay has a fair few custom strap makers who will make to measure and they're not expensive for the most part. 30-50 quid. Plus you could play around with colour more than most men might*. EG a dark blue strap on a gold watch would look well cool IMH.







*unless they put NATO straps on their watches, then men tend go go colour mad. I know I do

Hmm good point, I always have to get my watches resized (a huge number of mine (I've about ten) have had the bracelets resized), the current one is 15.5 cm in size and dangles around my wrist all day.

The size of the case on my current daily watch is 1.7 cm x 2 cm, I've got one smaller, where the strap is .5 cm wide and the case is approx 10x15 mm in size, so am used to wearing very small watches.

Anyhoo I've no intention of it turning into an obsession, more a happy browsing experience :0

That picture of your longines Wibbs, on my wrist that would swamp my wrist with the face taking up the entire top of my wrist, if you factor in you have a few cms to spare.

That's something I don't like at all.

Deep Thought

Interrobang wrote: »

Ah, here, don't start, you - it's partially your fault that I've been reduced to this! It's when I start sketching on both wrists that I'll start to worry. :-D

LOL...:D

Try this...http://www.authenticwatchstore.com/product_images/watch-sizing-guide.pdf-correct-one.pdf

Interrobang

Stheno wrote: »

The size of the case on my current daily watch is 1.7 cm x 2 cm, I've got one smaller, where the strap is .5 cm wide and the case is approx 10x15 mm in size, so am used to wearing very small watches.

[...]

That picture of your longines Wibbs, on my wrist that would swamp my wrist with the face taking up the entire top of my wrist, if you factor in you have a few cms to spare.

That's something I don't like at all.

I wonder would it be worth contacting the seller directly? From what I can see, he seems to put up a limited number each week, so if you contact him directly with your preferences he may have something that suits in stock.

Fair play, your eyesight must be fantastic!

Stheno

Interrobang wrote: »

I wonder would it be worth contacting the seller directly? From what I can see, he seems to put up a limited number each week, so if you contact him directly with your preferences he may have something that suits in stock.

Fair play, your eyesight must be fantastic!

Think so, this thread is a real insight

I'm just used to tiny watches, like you I don't like numbers, just markers!

I've weird eyesight to say the least longsighted in one eye and short int he other

Wibbs

Gotcha S. I do have an actual "ladies" watch somewhere about the place. Edwardian IIRC. A tad Art Nouveau. I got it by mistake. Well the seller had the size arseways and it had a very fancy 18 jewel movement so... I'll try and dig it up and put it on to see if that's the kinda size we're dealing with.

Interrobang

Stheno wrote: »

I've weird eyesight to say the least longsighted in one eye and short int he other

I used to be the same - you'd think they'd compensate for each other, but nope. I'm plain old shortsighted in both now, though. You'll have to post a photo of whatever watch you end up getting - I'd love to see what you end up with.

Wibbs wrote: »

Sticking with the same crowd, but upping the ante in price and looking to the more round styles... [...] Might be a little too large for women's wrist though.

I reckon anything up to, say 38mm, would be comfortable, though up about 36mm would be preferable. (At least we won't be hiking up bids on the same items, Stheno ). I love the first two in particular... although I do find it slightly disconcerting when I see 'vintage' watches that are younger than I am!

Deep Thought wrote: »

LOL...:D

Try this...http://www.authenticwatchstore.com/product_images/watch-sizing-guide.pdf-correct-one.pdf

And there was me thinking I was odd with my four biro marks!

Stheno

This is currently in the running

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=351100448612