Why do people insist on wearing huge watches? When did this start?

[bigvatch]

Yes, we know pilots and astronauts have worn crazy big watches throughout history. 55mm fliegers, 48mm Brietlings, crazy weird Omegas.

Tool watches have always blown the bell curve as far as size, functions, complexity, etcetera. We're talking about what normal people are wearing.

What defines a normal person with respect to the watches they wear?

What is the style of the watch that a NORMAL person gravitates towards? A walmart casio digital? Some kind of Movado that an average WIS wouldn't recognize (nor care to)? Some kind of plane old Citizen battery operated 2 tone watch.....because it's....NORMAL looking like a mall watch? Or does a normal person gravitate towards and buys distinctively stylish watches from the likes of JLC, ALS, VC, etc.....

What is the average cost of a watch that a NORMAL person wears? Does a normal person wear a $6,000 watch? or a $200 watch?

How much time does a NORMAL person spend discussing or obsessing over watches, maybe even bothering to join discussion forum about watches and contribute on a daily basis.

What is the size of a watch a normal person wears?

[boosman]

Why do people insist on questioning the watches others wear? I wear watches ranging in size from 38mm to 47mm and everywhere in between. I wear them because something in the design appeals to me. Nothing more, nothing less. If wearing a large watch causes you to have a bad opinion of me, so be it. But be aware that if you are small minded enough to have a bad opinion of me because of the watch I'm wearing, I don't hold you in very high regard either.

[novedl]

Why do people insist on questioning the watches others wear? I wear watches ranging in size from 38mm to 47mm and everywhere in between. I wear them because something in the design appeals to me. Nothing more, nothing less. If wearing a large watch causes you to have a bad opinion of me, so be it. But be aware that if you are small minded enough to have a bad opinion of me because of the watch I'm wearing, I don't hold you in very high regard either.

There is always the high road....I'll meet you on it

[TristanZ]

In the pre-electric, pre-tuning fork, pre-quartz world one measure of a watch manufacturer's prowess was how small they could make a movement. It's no accident that it was the premier watch manufacturers who competed the hardest for that particular title. Now, in the age of quartz, small doesn't convey what it did 50 years ago. My own vintage collection mirrors what I think is an overall trend that started developing in the '70s:

Most of my 1960s watches (Bulova, Elgin, Hamilton, G-P) run from 31mm to 34mm.
Most of my 1970s (Omega, Eterna) watches run from 34mm to 37mm, with the watches getting larger (37mm) with the tuning fork f300 and Sonic, and the quartz Constellation.
My Omega Dynamic from 1997 runs 36.5mm.
My Rolex from 1992 runs 39mm.
There's the trend. Only my IWC (from between 1980-2) is the exception at 32.5mm.

It's interesting to note that I got a great price on my Eterna Airforce simply because it's a 38mm watch. Boris the Jeweler told me he couldn't sell it because many of his customers felt it was just too small. The same goes with the IWC. It's a man's watch, but at 32.5mm it simply isn't big enough to excite interest amongst today's collectors, even though it is an IWC (and one of the earliest collaborations between Porsche Design and IWC)! Boris had three of them and I was the only customer he had who bought one... despite excellent pricing.

[novedl]

In the pre-electric, pre-tuning fork, pre-quartz world one measure of a watch manufacturer's prowess was how small they could make a movement. It's no accident that it was the premier watch manufacturers who competed the hardest for that particular title. Now, in the age of quartz, small doesn't convey what it did 50 years ago.

So your telling me that watch makers 50 years ago made their watches to impress other watchmakers? I wonder how the purchasing public felt about the incredibly shrinking wrist watch?

TristanZ's statement confirms to me that large watches are not a trend; they are currently what the people want.

[akasnowmaaan]

What defines a normal person with respect to the watches they wear?

What is the style of the watch that a NORMAL person gravitates towards? A walmart casio digital? Some kind of Movado that an average WIS wouldn't recognize (nor care to)? Some kind of plane old Citizen battery operated 2 tone watch.....because it's....NORMAL looking like a mall watch? Or does a normal person gravitate towards and buys distinctively stylish watches from the likes of JLC, ALS, VC, etc.....

What is the average cost of a watch that a NORMAL person wears? Does a normal person wear a $6,000 watch? or a $200 watch?

How much time does a NORMAL person spend discussing or obsessing over watches, maybe even bothering to join discussion forum about watches and contribute on a daily basis.

What is the size of a watch a normal person wears?

You're totally taking my words out of context, and keying in on the word 'normal' in an unfortunately defensive way.

Decades ago, watches worn by the 'normal' person used to be tiny. Only the occasional professional job-specific tool watch was huge.

Nowadays, watches worn by the 'normal' person have a huge range in sizes, but are on average much larger, and casual watches are matching and even surpassing professional tool watches in size.

That's ALL I said.

If you want to take my use of 'normal' as some sort of insult, well, I can't help that.

--

EDIT: I have no idea why you're going on and on about forums and brands and whatnot. That had nothing to do with it. Why are you bringing it in?

[bigvatch]

You're totally taking my words out of context, and keying in on the word 'normal' in an unfortunately defensive way.

Decades ago, watches worn by the 'normal' person used to be tiny. Only the occasional professional job-specific tool watch was huge.

Nowadays, watches worn by the 'normal' person have a huge range in sizes, but are on average much larger, and casual watches are matching and even surpassing professional tool watches in size.

That's ALL I said.

If you want to take my use of 'normal' as some sort of insult, well, I can't help that.

--

EDIT: I have no idea why you're going on and on about forums and brands and whatnot. That had nothing to do with it. Why are you bringing it in?

Sorry maybe I did misunderstand your post, as I glanced at the other reply to your post as well thinking that's what you meant.

It think it sounds like we agree.

[JoeGo]

My Breitling Super Avenger is my favorite watch at 48mm. I'm 6' tall and 195lbs and not once have I heard someone say it looks too big... Just compliments. I do own some 50mm that I wear on weekends with short sleeve shirts and again I get only compliments. I'm sure I'm pushing the envelope but I agree with the earlier comment that watches for men are just as much about fashion as anything. Why wear a beautiful watch if it's not going to get noticed. In the end, it's really all about personal preference anyway. I like wearing watches that make me smile when I look at them. Who cares what anyone else thinks...

My S.A. 48mm for your enjoyment...

[defendnola]

I searched for 60mm watch on google.. I forgot about this panerai.

[Torrid]

I searched for 60mm watch on google.. I forgot about this panerai.

Panerai is growing on me, but that Radiomir is ridiculous.