The 7 Best Small Watches For Men – Narrow Wrist, No Problem

Men, like watches, come in all shapes and sizes. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to wristwatches because we all have different sized wrists and we all have our own preferences in what we consider comfortable.

And while the “average” sized watch will fit most men comfortably, there are a lot of guys out there with smaller than “average” wrists.

For these guys, a smaller watch will likely feel more comfortable to wear.

And if you’re looking for a small watch, you’ve come to the right place.  In this guide, we’ll not only discuss our top picks for small men’s watches, but we’ll also discuss sizing in general.

But before we dive right in, we should probably set a few ground rules- after all, we should all be on the same page in terms of what counts as a “small” watch.

Considering the average men’s watch has a diameter somewhere around 40 mm (and 42 – 46 mm for sports watches), for the sake of this article, we’re going to consider a watch “small” if the case is less than 40 mm in diameter.

At the end of the article, we’ll discuss watch sizes in more detail, but let’s start with the good stuff.

The 7 Best Small Watches For Men

#1 Rolex Day-Date

Rolex Day-Date Men's Watch 118206-SISPR 118206-SISPR

You didn’t expect to read a “best of” list of watches without seeing at least one Rolex did ya? I mean come on, it’s Rolex we’re talking about.

Jokes aside, the Rolex brand needs no introduction because it’s probably the most recognized watch brand in the world. The name is also synonymous with luxury.

Rolex offers plenty of great small watches for men, many of which are found within their Day-Date lineup.

I like this particular Day-Date model because it’s very sleek with its all platinum case/bracelet combo.

The case measures just 36 mm in diameter, making it very wearable for wrists of all sizes. As I mentioned, the case is made out of platinum (which is why the cost is so high).

Platinum is a precious metal that’s stronger and more durable than gold, making it a great choice for jewelry. The only downside, of course, is the extra cost that comes with it.

Under the hood, this Day-Date has an automatic movement. It also comes with a sapphire crystal, a domed bezel, and a screw down crown.

As the name implies, this watches displays the day of the week as well as the day of the month.

Overall, Rolex’s Platinum Day-Date is a class act from top to bottom. If you’ve got the budget for it, you won’t be disappointed.

 

#2 Patek Philippe Calatrava

Patek Philippe Calatrava Men's Watch 5127G-001 5127G-001

Patek Philippe is a brand well-known to watch enthusiasts, collectors, and day-dreamers alike. The luxury Swiss brand is frequently setting new records for the world’s most expensive watch (with their current record at just over $31 million).

In other words, to say that this brand is respected is an enormous understatement.

If you’re in the market for a luxury dress watch, Patek Philippe’s Calatrava line is worth considering.

You’ll notice the simple, elegant style this watch pulls off so effortlessly- which is kind of Patek’s MO.

This particular Calatrava comes with a 37 mm white gold case, an automatic movement, and a scratch resistant sapphire crystal. The band is black alligator leather, which provides great contrast against the white dial.

I think this Calatrava would work great as a formal dress watch, but equally as well for everyday wear. Given the white gold case, I wouldn’t recommend wearing this watch for any active events where damage could occur.

Overall, a classic small watch that will never go out of style.

 

#3 Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Automatic Chronometer Annual Calendar Men's Watch 231.10.39.22.02.001 231.10.39.22.02.001

Omega is another popular Swiss brand with a great lineup of classic timepieces. Their Speedmaster Professional is especially famous, you know, being the first watch to land on the moon tends to do that.

Omega is a great brand to get to know if you’re looking for a more affordable Swiss timepiece.

Although their Speedmasters are probably my favorite of their lineups, I enjoy their Seamasters a lot too. I especially like this Aqua Terra version because I think the gold hands look great against the silver case.

This watch comes with a 39 mm case, so it’s a little bigger than the previous 2 watches discussed, but it still squeaks in based on our size guidelines for this article.

The case is made out of stainless steel, as is the matching bracelet.

This Seamaster comes with an automatic movement with a 55 hr power reserve, a sapphire crystal, and is also water resistant to 150 m.

Other than the time, the Aqua Terra displays the month and date.

Overall, a great looking, smaller watch that’s a little more budget friendly than Rolex or Patek.

 

#4 Omega De Ville Prestige Co-Axial

Omega De Ville Prestige Co-Axial Chronograph Automatic Black Dial Leather Strap Men's Watch 424.13.40.21.01.001 424.13.40.21.01.001

If you’re looking for a small watch that could work well for everyday use but also fit nicely with any formal affair, Omega’s De Ville Prestige Co-Axial could be a smart choice.

This is another Omega with a 39 mm diameter case- it falls under our 40 mm definition, but just barely (so if you have a very small wrist, you may want to go with a smaller watch).

The case here is made out of stainless steel and it’s paired with a sleek looking black alligator leather band. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal.

Inside, there’s an automatic movement, so no need to worry about changing batteries or winding (as long as you wear regularly).

Beside keeping time, this De Ville comes with a power reserve meter that gives you an idea as to how much power the watch has left (fully wound, the watch has a power reserve of 44 hrs).

There’s also a date window at 3 o’clock.

Overall, the De Ville Prestige is a very popular model from Omega. It’s easy to see why with it’s classic style and affordable asking price.

 

#5 Hublot Classic Fusion 38 mm

 

Hublot Classic Fusion 38mm Black Dial Titanium Case Leather Strap Men's Watch 565.NX.1171.LR 565.NX.1171.LR

Hublot is a much younger Swiss brand that was started in the 1980’s by Carlo Crocco. Even though the brand is much younger than most high-end luxury watchmakers, they’ve been able to create quite the reputation for themselves.

A reputation for making high performing timepieces that are very stylish, that is.

Their Classic Fusion line is the epitome of what the brand is all about- stylish, masculine, and a little understated.

Hublot offers several Classic Fusion varieties, many of which are significantly larger than this 38 mm model. It’s awesome that they offer a smaller case though, allowing gents with narrower wrists a comfortable feel.

This Classic Fusion comes with a titanium case, which is durable and lighter than most other metals. The back of the case is transparent, allowing you to see the automatic movement in action.

The crystal is sapphire and the band is black alligator leather.

You’ll notice the visible screws along the fixed bezel- the calling care of Hublot.

Overall, this Classic Fusion is a very cool looking watch that would work nicely in all settings.

 

#6 Cartier Men’s Tank

Cartier Tank MC Men's Watch W5330007 W5330007

Cartier is one of the oldest watchmakers you’re going to come across and their Tank lineup has been around for over 100 years.

The iconic design is apparently inspired by actual tanks Louis Cartier saw around WWI. The design has been a huge success over the decades and continues to be a hot seller for the Swiss brand.

If you’re cool with a rectangular case, Cartier’s Tank is a great choice if you have a really small wrist. With a case height of only 34 mm, this is one of the smallest men’s watches you’re going to fine.

This small case is made out brushed and polished stainless steel. The white dial comes with Roman numerals (for a classy look), a chronograph with 2 sub dials, and a date window at 6 o’clock.

The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal and its paired with a black alligator leather band.

Under the case, there’s an automatic movement keeping the watch ticking.

If you’re looking for a small watch with a huge amount of history behind it, Cartier’s Tank is a perfect option.

 

#7 Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic

Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic Auto Silver Dial Leather Strap Men's Watch H32455557 H32455557

Since I started this site, I’ve become a real fan of Hamilton watches. Much like Tissot, they do a great job of offering fine looking watches at very budget friendly prices.

If you’re looking for a watch that looks like it should cost a lot more than it actually does, you should get to know Hamilton.

This brand was actually started in the USA, but eventually ended up in Switzerland, where it remains today.

I really like their Jazzmaster lineup- you’ll find a lot of great looking watches here. This particular Viewmatic is gorgeous to look at- the blue tint on the hands adds a subtle pop of color while maintaining a classic theme.

The case on this model measures 37 mm in diameter and is made out of stainless steel. The crystal protecting that silver dial is sapphire and there’s an automatic movement inside.

This Jazzmaster Viewmatic is paired with a brown crocodile leather band that will be comfortable to wear in any setting.

The only function this watch performs, other than keeping time, is the date window at 3 o’clock.

Overall, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly Swiss timepiece, it’s hard to do better than Hamilton. A great deal.


Sizing 101

Ok, I hope you enjoyed my favorite picks when it comes to small watches for men. For the sake of this guide, I decided to use 40 mm as my cutoff- anything smaller than this will be considered “small”.

I decided to use 40 mm because that’s more or less the average size for men’s watches these days.

Different sources will report slightly different results and different watch styles will vary with their average sizes. But if you combine all that stuff, 40 mm is what I found to be more or less average.

Diameter

When you’re looking at my guides or any other watch resource and you see that a watch is “x” mm in size, we’re talking about the case’s diameter.

Recall from geometry class that diameter refers to the width of a circle- which is the same regardless of where you measure (because it’s a circle).

If you’re trying to get an idea as to how big these watch cases are before you purchase (and you’re not used to working in millimeters), keep this in mind:

1 inch = 25.4 mm

This means a watch with a 36 mm diameter is just under 1.5 in across.  It also means that a watch with a 40 mm case is just over 1.5 in in diameter.

Thinking about it inches can be helpful if you’re not used to the metric system. You can also grab a ruler and measure it out on your wrist to see how it’s gonna fit.

The size of watch that is right for you is very subjective. Some people love the feel of a large watch, others don’t. Personally, I don’t want a watch that’s going to hand off my wrist, but to each their own.

Oh, keep in mind that the diameter measurements that are provided by watchmakers don’t include the lugs!

The lugs are the metal brackets that attach the band to the case- they stick out a few mm from the case, so you should keep this in mind when considering sizes.

When in doubt, it’s a good idea to go with a slightly smaller diameter to make sure the lugs fit comfortably on your wrist.

Thickness

I didn’t go into watch thickness with my descriptions above, but I wanted to mention it here briefly. The thickness of the watch cases will vary a little from model to model.

Mechanical watches usually have thicker cases because there are more mechanical components in them than there are in quartz watches.

Many mechanical watches will come with cases that are 12-14 mm thick. This shouldn’t be an issue unless you wear a suit to work, in which case you might want to go with a thinner watch (so it’ll fit under your dress shirts easier).

There are mechanical watches that are 7 mm thick (and thinner), just know that going with a thinner case usually ups the price.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this guide. It’s hard narrowing it down to the best handful of small watches because there’s so many great options out there.

Which I guess is great news because it means there are plenty of options to choose from regardless of how big or small your wrist may be.

If you’re a guy with smaller wrists, it’s definitely a good idea to keep an eye on the diameter of the watches you’re considering.

Knowing that the average men’s watch is around 40 mm in diameter, going smaller may be a smart idea for folks with narrower wrists.

That about does it. As always, if there are any great small watches you think should’ve made this list, please share! Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you soon.

 

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