How thick is too thick?

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monkeymax
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How thick is too thick?

Post by monkeymax »

I'm interested how people feel about watch thickness... Now, I know you have to take all dimensions into account, and the overall shape of the watch changes things, but is there a thickness that you have found that you simply won't go beyond?

I recently purchased a C60 Elite - having yearned after one for 2 years I finally had enough in the watch fund to do so - and putting it on instantly felt that it was thicker than I was comfortable with. It just sticks up like a kaleidoscope from my wrist. I never thought I'd be that bothered by 2.4mm (the difference between my daily wearer at 13mm and the C60 Elite at 15.4mm). I suspect I would get used to it (thanks to threads on here where people mention it but aren't bothered) but then thinking about my usage I often wear my watches on Natos which would add another mm or two - really getting too much. Slightly gutted as the watch ticked so many boxes for me and otherwise felt really nice on the wrist.

Now I know: with my boney wrist 42mm diameter but 13mm thickness looks great (to me) but add another couple of mm on and suddenly it looks wrong. That rules out many of the watches on my 'want' list.

How about you? When you look at a watch (online or otherwise) how thick is too thick?
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by Peteo »

I'm not sure that I have a hard upper limit on thickness. I've owned watches that have approached 15mm, and I have a pretty small wrist. I actually like it when my watches have a little bit of a "potbellied" profile, and most days, I don't have to worry about my watches fitting under a tight dress sleeve or anything like that anyway. I'm much more likely to turn down a watch because it's too thin.
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Well I am okay with the 12-point-something of the C9SS, and the Speedmaster which is there or thereabouts.

Much more than that and I would feel as though I were wearing a small can of baked beans or tuna on my wrist.

And sorry Pete, there is no such thing as a watch that is too thin! 8)
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by iain »

For me it really does come down to the design of the case. I had a Bremont Atl1 ZT which was 16mm thick, but the Bremont Trip Tick case meant it wore smaller and I didn’t feel it was excessively thick. My IWC Spitfire is 15mm thick but feels thicker than my Bremont did. I could have gone bigger with the Bremont, but add anything to the IWC and it would be too big.
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by strapline »

monkeymax wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 3:08 pm I'm interested how people feel about watch thickness... Now, I know you have to take all dimensions into account, and the overall shape of the watch changes things, but is there a thickness that you have found that you simply won't go beyond?

Now I know: with my boney wrist 42mm diameter but 13mm thickness looks great (to me) but add another couple of mm on and suddenly it looks wrong. That rules out many of the watches on my 'want' list.

How about you? When you look at a watch (online or otherwise) how thick is too thick?
What do you mean boney diameter of 42mm? Are you referring to the width of your wrist when viewed from above or when in side profile, it does sound very small to me? Anyway...I seem to like tool watches a lot which can be quite thick. I also enjoy chronographs which are often thicker in their automatic format. All this said I think 13.5mm would be a max thickness for me, after that I'd imagine they're going to look a bit blocky for my liking. Excessive height would turn me off a watch as quickly as too big a dial or L2L length. It's a very important dimension imo.

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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by nbg »

^^^ Des he means 42mm case, 13mm thick. :)

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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by strapline »

^^ ^^
Thanks for that Neil. I think I’m a bit on the thick side myself… 😂😂

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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Image
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by missF »

I’ve owned a Mkii trident 600 GMT 38mm for several years now. It’s such a beautiful watch, but the 13.3mm height has always felt just on the tall side when balanced against the 38mm width. I’ve tried many times to overcome that feeling in my mind, and I’ve tried bracelets, thick straps and thin straps but nothing seems to change the slight top-heavy feeling. We must be talking about a fraction of a mm here, but it genuinely, repeatedly, makes all the difference when I try to wear it.
I’m really sad about this, but it’s time to sell and move on. I think that dimensions are a completely personal matter, so I have no doubt it will find a really happy home :thumbup:
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by atnits »

V much depends on case shape and design, but 13mm and over and I'm uncomfortable to an extent.
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by monkeymax »

strapline wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 6:47 pmWhat do you mean boney diameter of 42mm?
Ha! For want of an extra comma! Sorry for the confusion - Neil got it right though!

Interesting that around 13mm seems to be a common thickness preference in this thread - so it's not just me then! That's... a bit of a relief! All the CWs I've looked at recently and thought I'd like seem to be in excess of this, so I was getting worried it was a "just me" problem. (Well, it probably still is in some ways else CW wouldn't sell any watches... :lol: )
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by stefs »

Less than 10.lovely
10-12 very nice thank you
12-13 ok
13-14 pushing my luck but just about
Any more and it's a no
Cheers now, Paul
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by nbg »

My sweet spot is a case of 39-40mm, L2L of about 46-48mm and case thickness of about 12-12.5mm.

I could though go with something thicker in 39-40mm and reasonable L2L, if the extra height is a domed crystal. 14.6mm would be fine.

That said I am happy enough with 41-42mm, providing that the L2L doesn’t exceed 50mm and the height about 14mm.

I also think watches can be too thin. I don’t think I would likely pick anything less than 7mm.

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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by TheBeatles »

My biggest is my C60 Chronograph (aka The Beast) at 17.1 is pretty darn big, but I love it.
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Re: How thick is too thick?

Post by Thegreyman »

I think it is the overall look and feel of the watch taking into account L2L, diameter, height, shape of lugs, whether on bracelet with long extending end links, whether height is in the crystal or is somewhat disguised with the case design (not slab sided like the Tudor GMT for example).

I did try on a brilliant watch not so long ago, quite pricey, could have been a grail...but it is about 15.5mm tall iirc and I'm not totally convinced I could live with it. all the factors above did not quite disguise it is a very tall watch. I probably need to try it out again in the future and properly decide.
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