Small in Size, Yet Unmistakable in Presence

There are trends in watch sizes as well. Transitioning from pocket watches to wristwatches, they gradually became smaller, then grew larger again as they entered the realm of fashion, and are now shrinking once more with the genderless trend. Today’s watches are small yet reveal a powerful presence.

In 2025, Bulgari unveiled the ‘Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon,’ which, despite housing a tourbillon, is a mere 1.85mm thick. Thanks to precision technologies like computer-aided design, CNC machining, laser cutting, and the introduction of new materials, watches have finally achieved thicknesses that surpass previous limits. While the competition for thinner watches remains fierce, interestingly, records for ultra-small watches and movements have not been broken. The ‘Calibre 101’ invented in 1929 by LeCoultre, the predecessor of Jaeger-LeCoultre, remains the world’s smallest mechanical movement to this day. This rectangular movement, made with 98 components, could be housed in a small case under 12mm wide and 30mm long, and can still be found in watches from Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier today. The reason no smaller watch has surpassed it is that this size is primarily limited to women’s models, and for the watch’s primary function of time display, a dial smaller than a fingernail would be impractical.

What is the ideal watch size that satisfies both readability and wearability? There is no absolute standard, and it has changed slightly over time. In the early 20th century, as watches transitioned from pocket to wristwatches, they gradually became smaller. In the 1950s and 1960s, a case diameter of 34-36mm was common for men’s watches. However, as functions like chronographs, perpetual calendars, and tourbillons were added, watches grew larger. Post-2000s, watches with diameters over 40mm became common. Particularly to emphasize masculinity, brands like Panerai and IWC introduced watches measuring 44-47mm, or even over 50mm. Naturally, case diameters of around 30-36mm became established as women’s watches. This trend changed after 2010. Following the 2008 global financial crisis, the primary customer base for high-end mechanical watches shifted to Asian markets like China, Japan, and South Korea. According to the Swiss Watch Industry Federation’s first-half 2025 export statistics by continent, Asia accounted for 44% of the total, despite a 7.2% decrease, compared to America’s 23% and Europe’s 30%. Thus, after 2010, considering Asian consumers who generally have slimmer wrists compared to Westerners, watches gradually trended towards smaller sizes.

In the past, men’s and women’s watches were clearly distinguished. Brands like Patek Philippe’s Twenty-4, Vacheron Constantin’s Égérie, Breguet’s Reine de Naples, and Montblanc’s Bohème, which operate separate women’s collections, are prime examples. Alternatively, gender was distinguished by simply reducing the case size while keeping the men’s design, or by adding mother-of-pearl, gem settings, pastel tones, or vivid colors to the dial. But now, it’s an era where it’s not awkward at all for men to color their fingertips in various shades or for male models to apply blush or tint in women’s cosmetics ads. In a trend where men are drawn to women’s watches and women are drawn to men’s watches, choosing without hesitation, genderless watches are naturally increasing.
Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual is released in five sizes from 28mm to 31mm, 34mm, 36mm, and 41mm, introducing soft colors like beige, lavender, and pistachio alongside candy pink, green, and turquoise blue. The IWC Ingenieur, designed by Gerald Genta, added a 35mm size this year to the existing 40mm and 42mm models, simultaneously releasing images of both men and women wearing it to emphasize its genderless concept. Cartier Santos is the same. The Santos-Dumont and Santos de Cartier come in various sizes, from the Extra-Large at 33.9×46.6mm to Large, Medium, and the Small model with a quartz movement at 27×34.5mm. Although named a women’s watch, by also releasing images of men wearing it, they naturally convey that it can be worn regardless of gender.

In the watch industry, watches from 100 years ago are classified as antique, and those from 50 years ago as vintage. Therefore, as of 2025, vintage watches refer to those from the 1960s-1970s. If the 1950s, entering a period of stability post-World War II, focused on precise watchmaking, the 1960s saw the emergence of various watch forms emphasizing design in a free-spirited social atmosphere. In the 1970s, with the development of automatic chronograph movements and the advent of quartz movements, sports watches and luxury steel watches gained popularity. In recent years, watches from this period have been particularly notable in auction markets. Last June, at Christie’s New York ‘Exceptional Watches’ auction, the top-selling model was a 1965 Rolex Ref.6238, which sold for $113,400. It was a pre-Daytona model equipped with a chronograph, with a case diameter of 36mm. Also, last month at Sotheby’s New York ‘Important Watches: Take a Minute’ auction, a Patek Philippe Ref.2499 made in 1957 sold for $4.32 million. This watch, combining a chronograph and perpetual calendar, also had a case diameter smaller than 40mm at 37.5mm. Reflecting this trend, many brands are introducing models that faithfully restore or reinterpret past watches, maintaining case diameters under 40mm while modernizing the movements. Representative examples include Vacheron Constantin’s Historiques 222 (37mm), Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref.6196P-001 (38mm), and Breguet Type XX Chronographe Ref.2075 (38.3mm). Today, smaller watches are considered more classic and elegant than larger ones.

The change in watch size can be seen as a result reflecting various social and cultural backgrounds: gradual expansion starting from specific regions, the influence of women rising as a key customer base, the freedom to choose based on taste rather than gender, and the rise of vintage watches gaining attention in auction markets. However, above all, the greatest advantage of an appropriately sized watch is comfortable wearability. Until now, mechanical watches, as if showcasing technical prowess over history and tradition, incorporated complex functions, resulting in an increase in components and watches becoming thicker and larger. Consequently, collection watches for appreciation indeed emerged. But at a time when smartwatches are increasingly prevalent, the virtues a mechanical watch must possess are precisely practicality and comfortable wearability. In that sense, a thin, appropriately sized watch provides comfortable wearability without being burdensome on the wrist. Not excessively large or heavy, not cumbersome, yet subtly revealing its presence, it is establishing itself as an accessory and object that allows one to enjoy ‘quiet luxury.’
By Jung Heekyung (watch specialist)
Edited by Kim Sojeong