16 Best Small Watches for Men at all Price-Points
At Wrist Enthusiast, we try to provide insight and advice to fellow watch enthusiasts as we see questions being asked around watch circles. One of the more recent trends, and one that we’re personally excited about, is that a lot more brands are bringing out more modest-sized watches, or small watches. For a long time, the trend seemed to be bigger, sportier, and more In-your-face production models.
So today we thought we’d outline some solid watches across a number of price points for smaller and skinnier wrists. These are modestly sized watches aimed at enthusiasts with a wrist size less than 6.5”. In this cool trend of watch sizes trending down, we thought it could be a useful buyers guide for someone with a small wrist, and who doesn’t really know where to start when buying a watch - Whether it’s a first watch or a seasoned collector. So what are the best watches for a smaller wrist?
Rolex Datejust 36mm
Price: $9,050 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 44mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Rolex Datejust has been one of the most popular models of any three-handed wristwatch since it was first released all the way back in 1945. Over the years, many different dial colors combined with the signature Rolex jubilee and oyster bracelets have made for a multitude of great options. Rolex is constantly changing the available colorways of the Datejust, so there truly is a model for everyone. At any point in time, a collector can choose from fluted or smooth bezel, jubilee or oyster bracelet, steel, yellow gold, or rose gold (or a combination of steel and gold), as well as from dozens of dial colors.
The fact that Rolex makes the Datejust available in not only 36mm, but 33mm and 41mm, means any wrist size can pull off this classic. And since the Datejust is already a fairly thin watch, adding smaller size options and materials really makes it a contender for one of, if not THE, best all-around watch for Skinny wrists. The Rolex Datejust 36mm in stainless steel, with fluted bezel and jubilee bracelet, retails for $9,050 USD.
Cartier Santos de Cartier Medium
Price: $7,050 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 35.1mm; Lug-to-Lug: 41.9mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Santos De Cartier has a very interesting history in aviation. The Santos originally was designed for a friend of Louis Cartier by the name of Alberto Santos-Dumont, who complained of pocket watches being impractical for use in aviation. Cartier then designed a square-cased wristwatch with screws on the bezel to screw down the crystal securely in place. The Santos De Cartier was the world’s first purpose-built wristwatch, and the world’s first pilots watch. There is even a 1904 video of Santos-Dumont’s flight with a Santos on his wrist. The Santos is a piece of aviation and watchmaking history, so it’s therefore firmly rooted as a collector’s item.
Regularly, the watch would come in a 41mm case size, which, due to its square nature would feel hefty on a smaller or skinnier wrist. With the Medium version measuring in at a more modest 35mm the Santos de Cartier Medium allows for those with a skinnier wrist to still get away with rocking a square piece of history, beauty, and simplicity. The Santos De Cartier Medium costs $7,050 USD.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15550 37mm
Price: $27,400 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 37mm; Lug-to-Lug: 46mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The timeless Audemars Piguet Royal Oak design has remained relatively unchanged for decades. The octagonal case and waffle-textured dial are unmistakable trademarks of the Audemars Piguet brand. Their 37mm offering is no different than the rest of their Royal Oak lineup, featuring the same heritage and craftsmanship that all of the Royal Oaks possess in a slightly smaller, slightly thinner package. The blue dial adds a pop of color and gives some contrast to the case and bracelet.
This is a great watch for those with a smaller wrist size, who also want to retain the look, heritage, and craftsmanship of a 41mm Royal Oak. This blue dial variant of the 37mm Royal Oak will set you back $27,400 USD.
Tudor Black Bay 54
Price: $3,900 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 37mm; Lug-to-lug: 46mm; Water Resistance: 200m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
After the popularity of the original 41mm Black Bay, Tudor released the sized down, 39mm, Black Bay 58. And after some clamoring from collectors, Tudor sized down their icon once again, releasing the Black Bay 54. This watch takes most of what I love from the Black Bay, but just packages in a much smaller 37mm size. From the (fake) rivet bracelet, to the gilt dial, everything that makes the Black Bay so iconic remains. While the pip isn’t red like on the Black Bay 58, I still love it. It retails for $3,900 USD.
You can read our hands-on review of the Tudor Black Bay 54 here.
Oris Aquis Date 36.5mm
Price: $2,700 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36.5mm; Lug-to-Lug: 42.5mm; Water Resistance: 300m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Oris offers many watches in more compact 36mm-ish cases, but one of their best is the Aquis Date. Coming in at just 36.5mm, if you are looking for a true dive watch, with 300 meters of water resistance, in a smaller size, this is a great choice. Offered in many different color options, the traditional black dial hits the mark for those looking for a Submariner alternative, in both a smaller size and at a lesser price-point. The Oris Aquis Date 36.5 retails for $2,700 USD.
Panerai Luminor Due PAM01247 38mm
Price: $6,000 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 38mm; Lug-to-Lug: 45.5mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
You didn’t think we would put a Panerai on our list of watches for skinny wrists, did you? Although the Panerai Luminor Due (PAM01247) is not the smallest watch on this list by any means, it is certainly small by Panerai’s standards. While most of Panerai’s popular models range between 44mm and 47mm, the 38mm Luminor Due is modest. This model doesn’t miss out on any of that recognizable Panerai styling, however. The large crown guard, the small second’s hand at 9:00, the sandwich dial, and the classic Panerai case shape are all still an integral part of this watch’s design. And since Panerais are meant to be a big presence on the wrist, 38mm won’t look out of place even on a smaller wrist. The Panerai Luminor Due PAM01247 retails for $6,000 USD.
IWC Pilot‘s Watch Automatic 36 IW324010
Price: $5,400 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 46.2mm; Water Resistance: 60m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The IWC brand has its roots buried deeply in aviation. Their 36mm Pilot’s Watch has the IWC characteristics with a modern, sleek look. The 36mm sizing also means this watch is an amazing three-hand option for those who find IWC’s larger options a little too unwieldy. The easily legible dial means the smaller size doesn’t affect readability in the slightest. The model shown retails for $5,400 USD.
Omega Speedmaster 38
Price: $5,600 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 44.8mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Omega Speedmaster is one of the most recognizable chronographs of all time, right beside the Rolex Daytona. One thing the Daytona doesn’t have, however, is varying sizes for those with smaller wrists. The Speedmaster 38mm may not be the Moonwatch, but you get a lot of the similar design cues, in a smaller, 38mm case size. Not too many chronograph watches can say the same. This is an overall great chronograph for those who feel other chronos are simply too large for their taste. This 38mm model retails for $5,600 USD.
Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36
Price: $5,250 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 43.3mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36mm is a sporty take on a watchmaking icon. The original Chronomat involved the use of a slide rule around the bezel to enable the wearer to make basic calculations on their timepiece in just a few seconds. This newer, simpler iteration removes the complication of the slide rule and replaces it with a less cluttered design for those looking for a more elegant and graceful timepiece.
Breitling’s 36mm case is only 10mm thick, making it incredibly wearable for almost any wrist size. It should be noted that this is technically a women’s model, but it shouldn’t deter the buyer, as 36mm is plenty of size to keep the watch from seeming too feminine, especially if the wearer has smaller wrists. The model shown retails for $5,250 USD.
Longines Legend Diver 36mm
Price: $2,500 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 44.5mm; Water Resistance: 300m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Longines Legend Diver utilizes a “compressor” style case and bezel, with two crowns. One is used as a typical winding/time setting crown, while the second is used as a knob to turn the outer dial ring. This case style is typically found in much larger case sizes, usually 40mm or larger. Longines utilizes a smaller case style for this watch, which would be ideal for those who love the compressor-style bezel but find the typical diver in this style slightly too large.
Longines offers this model in several dial variations, including the blue shown below, which is reminiscent of the deep sea. This model shown will set you back $2,500 USD.
Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 37mm
Price: $74,000 USD; Material: Yellow Gold; Diameter: 37mm; Lug-to-Lug: 45.3mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Vacheron Constantin is one of the most highly regarded watchmakers in the world, so it’s no surprise that their smaller models receive the same scrutiny and care as any other. Their Historiques 222 is no different, with a specially engraved rotor for this model. The Historiques 222 is a revised edition of their 1970’s jumbo 222 model.
This watch features Vacheron’s Calibre 2455/2, featuring 194 different parts and a thickness of just 3.6mm making it remarkably thin for how complicated it is. This sport-styled gold design sets it apart from the rest of Vacheron Constantin’s more traditional lineup though firmly rooted in the brands history. The Historiques 222 will set you back $74,000 USD.
Brew Watches Metric 36mm
Price: $450 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 41.5mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Brew Watches has been gaining popularity in recent times, and for good reason. Their Brew Metric model is sized at 36mm for an incredibly versatile watch to fit almost any wrist size. Their retro-inspired design is an incredibly unique touch that is undoubtedly eye-catching. This model utilizes a Seiko VK68 mecha-quartz movement, giving all the accuracy of a quartz movement, but with the sweeping seconds of a mechanical chronograph.
Most chronographs with similar designs are 40mm or larger, but the smaller 36mm size of the Metric makes it a great contender on this list. Having personally handled the Metric, despite it’s square shape and size, it wears very understatedly despite its more funky dial design. It’s a great entry to our list of small watches for men. The model shown will cost you $450 USD.
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 35
Price: $695 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 35mm; Lug-to-Lug: 39mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Tissot PRX is another fan-favorite model on this list, with its Powermatic, automatic variation gaining more popularity in recent times. And because I'm such a big an of the collection, it got me thinking about the smaller model. This smaller PRX Powermatic model is far better suited to those with smaller wrists with its 35mm case. The smaller model retains the same sleek, flowing case and integrated bracelet design as its larger model. It even adds more of a splash of color with its sunburst dial configurations. There’s a reason the PRX design is so popular, it’s an elegantly flowing design with a small pop of color that adds some charm. The sunburst blue model shown will cost you just $695 USD.
Seiko King Seiko SPB279 37mm
Price: $1,700 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 37mm; Lug-to-Lug: 43mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Seiko King Seiko is one of Seiko's more traditional offerings. It has a bracelet similar to the Rolex jubilee bracelet with a more traditional dial. It is a good stand-in for the Rolex Datejust we have already featured in this article but at a cheaper price point. With a variety of dial color options, there should be something for everyone and at 37mm it is very wearable for anyone with a smaller wrist. The King Seiko is, however, a little on the pricier side for a Seiko. It retails for $1,700 USD.
Nomos Glashütte Club Campus 36mm
Price: $1,500 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: 47.5mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
The German watchmaker Nomos has always been something of an anomaly in the watch industry. Nomos represented a brand that never took itself too seriously, which is showcased in the playfulness of their watches. The 36mm Nomos Club Campus is a great example of this. The Club Campus represents something of a modern field watch, perhaps mixed with Scandinavian sensibility, and it just works. The little pop of orange on the white dial is welcome for a watch that is otherwise pretty traditional. At the end of the day, the Club Campus is quintessentially Nomos, and we like that. The Nomos Club Campus retails for $1,500 USD.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon Ref. Q1248421
Price: $9,100 USD; Material: Stainless Steel; Diameter: 36mm; Lug-to-Lug: N/A; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Who doesn’t like to see the technical achievement of putting a technically complicated movement into a small (and especially, thin) case? Well Jaeger-LeCoultre achieve both with the 36mm Master Ultra Thin Moon. The Caliber 925 movement is on full display through the open caseback and it really is a work of art. While technically a women’s watch, this beautiful steel dress watch can be worn by anyone. The Master Ultra Thin Moon retails for $9,100 USD.