Measure wrist size

You can easily measure your watch size with a tape measure or a strip of paper. Below we show step-by-step how to do that.
The circumference of your wrist is important to determine which size watch suits you best. The ratio between your wrist and the size of the watch case should be in balance. Of course you also want the watch to fit comfortably; not too tight or too loose. When determining which watch size is right for you, you should look at three things: the size of your wrist, the size of the watch case and the type of closure of the watch strap.

Watch size for men and women

Until the 1970s, the average watch size for men was 38 mm. Today the average watch size for men is 40-45mm. This was caused by the rise of quartz watches. A quartz movement is lighter and can control more functions with fewer parts. A comparable mechanical watch would simply be too heavy. Besides technical advancements, people have also grown taller in the past 50 years and the watches have grown with them. For example, 38 mm is now the average watch size of women's watches.

Which size watch you choose is very personal and depends not only on your size, but also on the style of watch you choose. A chic watch or a dress watch is generally smaller, and a diving watch or a smartwatch larger.

Measure your wrist size

Step 1: what do you need?

This article was first published in January 2023 and updated in April 2026.