- Joined
- Jul 12, 2014
- Messages
- 9,290
This was a very interesting read. Very interesting insights that are all over the board. I am a guy that has settled in around the 44-50mm size. I have a few that are larger, but not many and they don't get the wrist time that some of the smaller watches I have do. Would I go down to a 40mm? Yeah, it would need to be a Rolex for me though. I have a Bulova that sits in my jewelry box that I haven't done anything with. It was my first "nice" watch that I got, and its in the 40mm area. The battery has died in it and I haven't replaced it because I just won't wear it. 40mm is just to small for me, but I would make the exception for a Rolex.
I really like to feel my watch on my wrist. For this reason I prefer bracelet models as well. I have started to venture into the strap watches a little with an S1 that I purchased a month or so ago, and I may do that more, but I still need the larger case sizes. It doesn't matter how much I like the design, if its under 44mm, I pass on it.
In regards to Bob's comment about the brands mentioned staying smaller and trying to keep it that way. I think you are right that they are trying to use their name and dollars to push people back to the smaller more classic sizes. But I think for the most part, the people that are laying down their hard earned cash for a Rolex are generally a little older, and are used to wearing that size watch as well. Us young guys can't necessarily afford that new Rolex at $10k and even if we could, we want something a little bigger so we look at a Breitling that's 46mm or something else along those lines. Push comes to shove, I don't think these guys are trying to stop the evolution of the watch market, I think they are just getting as much of the market as they can in the smaller sizes while they can. Breitling didn't have and still really doesn't have to many pieces over 45mm. They only have a few, and it wasn't that long ago if I remember right that they didn't have any. I think we are going to start seeing Rolex slowly upping the sizes of their cases over the coming years. I don't think we are going to see a 54mm Submariner any time soon, but I think they will start increasing their sizes by a few mms over the next decade or so. Just my 2 cents.
I really like to feel my watch on my wrist. For this reason I prefer bracelet models as well. I have started to venture into the strap watches a little with an S1 that I purchased a month or so ago, and I may do that more, but I still need the larger case sizes. It doesn't matter how much I like the design, if its under 44mm, I pass on it.
In regards to Bob's comment about the brands mentioned staying smaller and trying to keep it that way. I think you are right that they are trying to use their name and dollars to push people back to the smaller more classic sizes. But I think for the most part, the people that are laying down their hard earned cash for a Rolex are generally a little older, and are used to wearing that size watch as well. Us young guys can't necessarily afford that new Rolex at $10k and even if we could, we want something a little bigger so we look at a Breitling that's 46mm or something else along those lines. Push comes to shove, I don't think these guys are trying to stop the evolution of the watch market, I think they are just getting as much of the market as they can in the smaller sizes while they can. Breitling didn't have and still really doesn't have to many pieces over 45mm. They only have a few, and it wasn't that long ago if I remember right that they didn't have any. I think we are going to start seeing Rolex slowly upping the sizes of their cases over the coming years. I don't think we are going to see a 54mm Submariner any time soon, but I think they will start increasing their sizes by a few mms over the next decade or so. Just my 2 cents.