# How big is your wrist? (watch-buying woes) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931 "2007-07-24T04:50:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/21 "2007-07-25T00:12:52Z")
I’m in the camp with **Flutterby**. My wrist measures 8", and that’s _since_ I’ve lost nearly 140lbs. Prior to that, I couldn’t buy a watch that fit me for _anything_ unless I wanted a men’s watch! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/22 "2007-07-25T01:09:05Z")
My wrists are thicker at night than they are in the morning. My watch has an expandable band so I don’t have to keep adjusting it as the day goes on. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/23 "2007-07-25T04:08:43Z")
When I first read the thread-title, I presumed that it was going the other way. That is, that your wrist was too BIG to wear most watches. Probably because that’s my dilemma. My wrist measures about 9". Have you considered a pocketwatch? Or one on a chain around your neck? Also, I have a friend that’s stopped wearing a watch altogether once he realized that his cellphone always displays the time. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/24 "2007-07-25T04:23:16Z")
Cellphones are ugly, and while my watch isn’t anything fancy, it is one of only two pieces of jewelry I wear. I guess I get this from my grandfather, who always dressed simply, neatly and conservatively, with little adornment. But when he wasn’t working in his yard, he put on his good Accutron. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/25 "2007-07-25T04:37:35Z")
My wrists are 7". I have a hard time finding women’s watches that will fit, and the men’s watches are too large. My ankles seem normal though; I have large hands and wrists and ordinary feet. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/26 "2007-07-25T04:42:55Z")
My wrist’s are 9". Clearly, I’m an outlier for this statistic. Of course, I’m not exactly in the market for a ladies watch – but I can’t find many men’s watches that fit, either. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/27 "2007-07-25T07:34:40Z")
I have big wrists, so I have the opposite problem. It’s really quite annoying. They aren’t big because of fat, (there’s very little there) the bone is just wide. I don’t even try to buy bracelet watches. I have to buy leather bands and be sure the band is long enough I’m not using the last hole. I also have fatter fingers than average, and let me tell you trying on rings is so fun when you can’t get them past the second knuckle. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/28 "2007-07-25T07:53:36Z")
Even so, I think I had 9 links removed from my watch. Of course, now one of them is broken and I can’t find the damn things. BUY MY HOUSE SO I CAN UNPACK AND FIND MY STUFF! ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/29 "2007-07-25T08:42:46Z")
I’m here to disprove the small wrist/small ankle theory. My wrists are a little over 5.5. My ankles are…well, think Hillary Clinton. I can still wear my baby ring on my little finger though! ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/30 "2007-07-25T09:26:07Z")
You definitely do have to get metal watches fitted. The most I’ve ever had to pay was about $12 for an old Omega that I got as a going away gift. So, a even an expensive watch still costs very little to adjust. If you buy it there, any place that’s worth buying from will adjust the watch band for free, whether it’s a $20 or $2,000 watch. I’ve probably got normal wrists for a guy (just under 8" around) but I’ve got a friend who is built like a bear. He’s only 6’2" but he’s about two of me wide. His wrists are the size of my fists, his fists are damn near 3/4 the size of of my head, his ankles are probably as big around as my knee joint. How big the interior of a car is actually a major factor in whether or not he buys it. I have no doubt he has trouble buying watches. He’d probably have to pay a premium to get an expensive watch sized to fit him as they’d most likely have to put in an extension. ---
**Author:** ![twopiecesofeight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5e9695/32.png) [@twopiecesofeight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twopiecesofeight)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/31 "2007-07-25T15:51:53Z")
I have relatively small wrists, which means the only watches that fit me out of the box are ones with leather or rubber straps. If I get a watch with a metal band, it is expected that two or three links need to be removed. I’ve known places like Swatch or small independent watch stores that will size your watch for free if you buy your watch from them. Otherwise, I’ve paid between $10-20 to have my watches sized. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/32 "2007-07-29T01:13:11Z")
[QUOTE=mnemosyne] [http://www.fossil.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=7964&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=1019&iSubCat=1023&iProductID=7964](http://www.fossil.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=7964&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=1019&iSubCat=1023&iProductID=7964) Fossil makes these “adjust-o-matic” watches with links that can be removed by you… there are dozens of styles to choose from. I have one similar to that one, and I love it. I don’t remove any of the links (I like it loose, and my wrists aren’t that small) but I could remove two links, or about an inch, if I wanted to. [/QUOTE] This made me wonder, so I went to The Bay where I know they sell Fossil brand.. and found their watches. So now I am happily wearing a watch again (that one in particular, though I didn’t realize it until I looked just now at the link). When I put it on, I realized that I hadn’t noticed how much I missed wearing a watch. For some reason wearing one makes me feel completely dressed (much like my necklace and earrings, which I hardly take off). The warranty is pretty good on this one too. ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/33 "2007-07-29T05:07:01Z")
[QUOTE=Ms. Pumpkin] I cannot find a watch that will fit(well, I can find leather bands that fit, but I’m looking for a silver band), so I’ve decided to take an informal poll to find out if my wrist is just freakishly small at 5 3/4 inches. Ladies, how big are _your_ wrists? Mods, this is incredibly mundane and mostly pointless, but it’s a poll, so I assume I have the correct forum. If not, my apologies. [/QUOTE] May I suggest that you buy the watch you want and then have the band adjusted by a local watchmaker (about $5 is the usual charge) Experience= over 100 watches in my collectionl ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/34 "2007-07-29T07:19:54Z")
**Ms. Pumpkin** , does it have to be a wristwatch? How about something you can [clip to your beltloop](http://www.nextag.com/clip-on-watches/search-html)? I started wearing one because I was going to be working in the desert for a month and didn’t want the wristwatch tanline. I kept wearing it when I got back, though, because I no longer had problems fitting a watch to my wrist anymore. (I’m built like **Sleel** ’s friend.) I also found the crystal didn’t pick up scratches nearly as often as my previous wristwatches. Hip inexpensive watchmakers have a number of digital and a few analog models out there. Sometimes they’re listed as “golf watches.” Traditional golf watches are neat: they’re flat to the belt when not in use, then. pressing the stems they flip open, with the faces showing upwards. Very good for reducing scratches to the crystals. Most recently I attached a standard watch (sans strap, of course) to a carabiner clip. The clip has a flat web strap that originally held a keyring. Ditching the keyring, that strap fit the watch perfectly. You may find one at the dollar store. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2007, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931/35 "2007-07-29T07:48:17Z")
Mine’s a little under 5". I always punch an extra hole in the band. No frilly jewelry style watches for me. And I cannot count the number of bracelets I’ve lost because they were so loose on my wrist that they fell off. I’ve pretty much given up on them. I am, however, in perfect proportion according to Jonathan Swift. (Twice around the thumb, etc.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-your-wrist-watch-buying-woes/412931.md?page=1)