Wrist Circumference / Apple Watch Size

[zacheryjensen]

I actually think the watch should be worn where the red band is on that guy's wrist. But otherwise that's how big the watch would look on my wrist.

I suspect if you show that photo to a dozen people, half will say it's the right size and others will say it's too big!

He looks much better in the 38mm. (modern buckle even)

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This is a very interesting thread. I am surprised that there are so many people with smaller wrists opting for the 42mm. IMO it will look oversized and toyish. I wonder if this will be a trendy way to wear the watch, similar to how people would wear oversized g-shocks.

Edit: Found a picture that shows the 42mm version on someone's wrist. This seems overly gadgety looking IMHO.

Image

Image

This second image is a terrible example of anything and should not be used to draw any conclusions at all. This guy has either not finished putting the watch on or has never worn a watch and is clueless. That watch is not on properly, not even close. What we're seeing is the watch hanging off the wrist and thus can't be used for size comparisons or anything other than gawking at someone who is surprisingly unaware of how watches work

 

[TheAppleFairy]

I actually think the watch should be worn where the red band is on that guy's wrist.

I wear all my watches in the same spot as the guy in the picture. It is the spot where it naturally stays best and is most comfortable. Not sure how or why people would wear it way up there.

Maybe on people with thin narrow arms it would sit up higher, but I have meat on my bones and it would slide down even if I wanted to wear it up higher.

 

[mattopotamus]

I wear all my watches in the same spot as the guy in the picture. It is the spot where it naturally stays best and is most comfortable. Not sure how or why people would wear it way up there.

Maybe on people with thin narrow arms it would sit up higher, but I have meat on my bones and it would slide down even if I wanted to wear it up higher.

That photo looks so weird b.c he is wearing the watch loose. He is definitely wearing it wrong

 

[TheAppleFairy]

That photo looks so weird b.c he is wearing the watch loose. He is definitely wearing it wrong

Yeah it is too loose I agree with that, also that milanese loop still looks awful on men.

 

[mattopotamus]

Yeah it is too loose I agree with that, also that milanese loop still looks awful on men.

I have seen a few photos where it actually looks good. I would have to see one in person before blindly ordering the milanese loop though. It would definitely not be an everyday band, but I could see it looking good with a suit. I also think it would only look good if the watch looks smaller on your wrist. If it looks like a smart watch and you try to pair it with a classy band, it will look ridiculous.

 

[TheAppleFairy]

I have seen a few photos where it actually looks good. I would have to see one in person before blindly ordering the milanese loop though. It would definitely not be an everyday band, but I could see it looking good with a suit. I also think it would only look good if the watch looks smaller on your wrist. If it looks like a smart watch and you try to pair it with a classy band, it will look ridiculous.

That being said I like the SS watch and link band (prefer the black version), but I will be ordering the space gray sport watch with black band. I really don't like a rubber watch band, but I am not investing anymore money in the watch until I am sure I am "into" it. Maybe when version 2 comes out I will upgrade.

 

[Elzbeth]

Is Christy Turlington wearing a 38mm or 42mm, do you think?

 

[MojoRisinSD]

Is Christy Turlington wearing a 38mm or 42mm, do you think?

View attachment 538858

I would say there is a 95% chance it is 38mm.

 

[mattopotamus]

I would say there is a 95% chance it is 38mm.

unless she has mammoth wrist, I agree.

 

[Arnieaz]

Is Christy Turlington wearing a 38mm or 42mm, do you think?

View attachment 538858

But, she said she has leather loop bands and they are only 42mm!

 

[TheAppleFairy]

But, she said she has leather loop bands and they are only 42mm!

If they utilized her for R&D maybe she has both.

 

[ZebraDude]

My wrist measures 229mm.

I hope someone makes a band for those of us who grew up.

I'm in the same boat. Apple has saved me money I really should not spend.

No watch band will fit me!

 

[virginblue4]

But, she said she has leather loop bands and they are only 42mm!

No, she didn't. She stated at the keynote that she also wears the leather modern buckle, which only comes in 38mm.

 

[ru7hl355]

He looks much better in the 38mm. (modern buckle even)

Image

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This second image is a terrible example of anything and should not be used to draw any conclusions at all. This guy has either not finished putting the watch on or has never worn a watch and is clueless. That watch is not on properly, not even close. What we're seeing is the watch hanging off the wrist and thus can't be used for size comparisons or anything other than gawking at someone who is surprisingly unaware of how watches work

He has the 42mm doesn't he, that or he has really small wrists....

 

[Cory Bauer]

This is a very interesting thread. I am surprised that there are so many people with smaller wrists opting for the 42mm. IMO it will look oversized and toyish. I wonder if this will be a trendy way to wear the watch, similar to how people would wear oversized g-shocks.

Edit: Found a picture that shows the 42mm version on someone's wrist. This seems overly gadgety looking IMHO.

Image

Image

This is precisely why I'm not ordering sight-unseen, because that's exactly the look I want to avoid.

 

[zacheryjensen]

He has the 42mm doesn't he, that or he has really small wrists....

If by "he" you mean the picture of the model from the GQ shoot, in that photo, he is wearing the 38mm. You can tell because the band is brown and not lumpy. There is only one brown band like this and it's only available for 38mm. It's the modern buckle.

If, instead, you referred to my comment about the photo of the man wearing his watch like an idiot, flopping off his wrist, I can't say the size from that shot, but, probably 42mm as men seem to mindlessly gravitate to the larger size, even if it looks stupid.

 

[dannn]

If by "he" you mean the picture of the model from the GQ shoot, in that photo, he is wearing the 38mm. You can tell because the band is brown and not lumpy. There is only one brown band like this and it's only available for 38mm. It's the modern buckle.

If, instead, you referred to my comment about the photo of the man wearing his watch like an idiot, flopping off his wrist, I can't say the size from that shot, but, probably 42mm as men seem to mindlessly gravitate to the larger size, even if it looks stupid.

I am guessing the GQ model is wearing both a 38mm and 42mm. In the pictures with the brown modern buckle, 38mm; the link bracelet, 42mm.

In those 2 GQ pictures, the 38mm (brown strap) looks better to me, as it resembles more of an actual watch, as opposed the 42mm (link) that looks like a gadget on the wrist that is supposed to resemble a watch--subtle difference but different nonetheless. I can see how the latter would be appealing for trendier young adults. I myself would fit in that category, however, I will be using this in the workplace in corporate America so I am looking for something more subtle.

 

[zacheryjensen]

I am guessing the GQ model is wearing both a 38mm and 42mm. In the pictures with the brown modern buckle, 38mm; the link bracelet, 42mm.

In those 2 GQ pictures, the 38mm (brown strap) looks better to me, as it resembles more of an actual watch, as opposed the 42mm (link) that looks like a gadget on the wrist that is supposed to resemble a watch--subtle difference but different nonetheless. I can see how the latter would be appealing for trendier young adults. I myself would fit in that category, however, I will be using this in the workplace in corporate America so I am looking for something more subtle.

Yes, the model is definitely wearing both sizes across the full set. In some cases he has the leather loop which is only available in 42mm. So there is no question about that. And it's good, because, despite what many are led to believe, plenty of dudes have wrists in the size range of that model. All you have to do to realize this is search around for body builders getting publicly self conscious about their efforts to get "swole" and figuring out what that means for them. Why? Because the wrist is used as an anchor point for many body builders to determine ideal sizes for the rest of their body. (See: Grecian Ideal)

And yeah, the numbers cited by watch companies and such for average sizes are such a load of crap. Average size that they sell, perhaps.

At any rate, I think the 38mm with that band is far better looking on that model than any of the other models he wears. But I will say that my opinion on size vs. wrist varies depending very heavily on the band in use. The narrow band on the 38mm with the added lugs both objectively increases the watch size and subjectively increases the apparent size. If it was the milanese loop, which I think doesn't add as much apparent size to the watch, I don't think it would look as good. Plus the orange-brown band goes pretty well with the bracelets he's wearing and that "fills up the space" on the wrist along with the watch.

There are more factors than simply 38 vs 42 mm when trying to size a watch. Everyone looking for easy answers without trying things on in a realistic setup are just fooling themselves.

 

[dannn]

That male GQ model must have seriously dainty wrists, because the 38mm looks pretty tiny on her wrist here:

I just printed out 1:1 cutouts of the watches and can say that my wrists dwarfed the 38mm at 165mm.

I will say that it was less the physical dimensions and more the interface. The interface looks really tiny on my wrist compared the 42mm. I didn't think readability would be something I'd need to consider, but the 42mm really seems like a better way to go...and this is coming from someone who was convinced 38mm was the better option for most people.

 

[slicecom]

180mm and going with the 38mm. I could pull off the 42mm, but it just looks too bulky and nerdy at that size in my opinion. It looks more fashionable at 38mm.

 

[deanfitz1]

This decision is torture.

I have 160/165mm wrists. Thinking the 38mm is the better size but the 42mm would JUST FIT my wrist.

Been using the Moto 360 for a guide which looks ok on me. The 42mm Apple Watch is smaller than the 360 so thinking I could be ok.

SOMEONE DECIDED FOR ME

 

[saschke]

175mm, 38mm (black stainless steel)

 

[Brammy]

I'm at 205. That 42mm sport band is gonna be a tight fit.

 

[caligurl]

i have a 146 mm wrist.

i was all about the smaller watch.... but now that i've printed the cut outs and compared them with my current watch... i'm torn!

the 38 dissapears under my watch (except for a very tiny portion of the corners, while for the most part my watch fits nicely on top of the 42.... again, the corners stick out....)

my current watch is 11.8 mm thich, so the apple watch is thinner, plus it weighs less

(my current watch is a reactor critical mass 77017, 34.6mm diameter)

it's really hard to decide from the bendy paper cut outs whether it will be comfortable or not....

i don't want to wait to see it in store as i'm VERY impatient and want my watch on the 24th.

 

[SHKLMRE]

My wrist is 184 mm and I'm going for the 38mm. It looks like the 180 range seems to be the tipping point. Looks like in the 180-184 and 185-189 mm size there are 4 people choosing 38mm and 5 choosing 42 mm. For me it came down to the fact that the 42mm looked like a men's watch to me. I happen to have man sized wrist apparently, as did my mother and grandmother. The 38mm felt more like a woman's watch.

my wrist is 187mm... i was thinking the 42mm, but i think it's slightly too big and the 38 looks slightly too small. i have watches that are similar sized to both, so i really can't decide.