Throwback Sundays: Six Watches for the larger wrist, from Our Archives

In recent times, there are many people who are heading to the gym for a variety of reasons. Some people are there to exercise and keep fit, while there are others who go a step further to develop a well-toned and muscular body. Though wrist size is not a result of working out, perhaps a small influence, but it got us to thinking about watches for the larger wrist.

There seems to be a major consensus that in today’s age, watches around the region of 38mm to 41mm are considered to be well-sized, and anything beyond that might be considered as big, or small. But that approach is based on the consideration of an average wrist size – which typically hovers at around 6.5 inches for Asian men.

On the other hand, big watches have been gaining popularity in recent years. There are always two schools of thoughts for this: on one hand, there are people who love watches with a great wrist presence, while the other seems to think that big watches look ridiculous. There are no right or wrong ultimately. After all, watches are a good representation of one’s personality and style, and the size of the watches might also simply mirror one’s characteristics and ideals. The actual anatomy of the wrist bones might also be a factor to how well the watch can be carried on the wrist. Our lady writer Chelsey, for example, can pull off most large watches with aplomb, even with her 5.5″ wrists, as is well evidenced in our pages here and on Instagram.

In this week’s article, we are not going so in-depth about that. Rather, on a superficial level, we will be selecting six large watches that we reckon will look good on the larger wrist. Let’s find out what we have selected!

 

Oris Calibre 112

 

 

We begin the article with a slightly dressier watch: the Oris Calibre 112.

When Oris first launched the Calibre 110, it was met with great reception from the horological world. The movement – which was developed in-house – is excellent and comes with a power reserve of around 10 days. A rather remarkable movement, which was succeeded by the Calibre 111 – a similar watch that comes with the additional of a date. Fast forward to Baselworld 2016, Oris launched the Calibre 112.

Similar to its predecessor, the 43mm watch features an in-house movement with the 10 days power reserve. This new piece, however, comes with even more features – the GMT function and a day/night indicator. Due to the additional complications, the dial has to be redesigned as well, with the dual-time zone indicator occupying he 12 o’clock position, and the non-linear power reserve indicator taking up the 3 o’clock position.

Priced at CHF 6,300 (approximately S$8,900) for the stainless steel version, we feel that this is an excellent timepiece with a great value proposition. The size is also slightly larger than most dress watches, and we reckon it will look good on someone with a slightly larger wrist too.

 

Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu

 

 

Hublot has always been an interesting watch manufacturer, especially in recent times when it collaborated with many different individuals to produces watches that are slightly unusual and intriguing. The collaboration with Sang Bleu – a famed tattoo studio – is one of them, and we think that it is probably one of the coolest watches that Hublot had produced over the last few years.

When we first caught sight of the Big Bang Sang Bleu, we were pretty much blown away. The dial was pretty much different from the watches that we are usually exposed to. It was particularly refreshing to see how the two entities have played around with shapes, and in particular triangles, squares, and multi-faceted polygons. While it might be seem confusing to the uninitiated, we were able to decipher the time quickly enough.

The 45mm timepiece is not meant to be merely a device that tells time – it is much more than that. It is a statement. A fashion statement that breaks rules, and yet it is executed so beautifully in terms of its aesthetics. Unfortunately, there are only 200 pieces that are produced, and they will be priced at US$18,800 (approximately S$25,600) each.

 

Bell & Ross BR-X1 Titanium Skeleton Chronograph

 

 

Similar to Hublot, another brand that had been making strides in recent years is Bell & Ross – a contemporary watch manufacturer who produces aerospace instrument inspired watches.

The BR-X1 Black Titanium Skeleton Chronograph, which was launched this year, is one of the latest additions to the Instruments collection. The Instruments collection is one of the flagships of Bell and Ross, in which its iconic square case with a round dial has been rather synonymous with the brand itself. In 2014, they decided to go a step further, with the BR-X1 line. The sub-collection pays homage to the Bell-X1, the USA experimental rocket plane that broke the sound barrier way back in 1947.

Staying true to the collection’s identity, the new 45mm Black Titanium Skelton Chronograph features a skeletonised dial, with a Grade 5 titanium case. The end result is a contemporary looking timepiece that we think appeals greatly to the younger crowd. On a side note, the watch is powered by the BR-CAL313 movement, which is a Dubois-Depraz movement with an additional BR module. It is self-winding calibre, with a cam-actuated chronograph and boasts a decent power reserve of around 40 hours.

The watch is limited to a production of 250 pieces, and they are priced at S$27,200 each.

 

Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Blue

 

 

We have a soft spot for chronographs with two sub-dials, which is also known as the bi-compax layout. But when we first saw the Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Blue, we knew that this is going to be an exceptional timepiece that is hard to beat.

The 1858 Collection, which was launched in October 2015, is one of the collaborations between Montblanc and their ateliers in Villaret. To side track a little, Montblanc took over Minerva in 2007. Minerva is a company that was founded in 1858, and it had established itself as a leader in producing excellent chronographs and chronometers at excellent price points. The acquisition is proving to be valuable for Montblanc, as we can definitely see that its high-end collections are definitely well-produced to compete with its competitors.

Back to the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Blue, the watch was inspired by Pilot Watches made by Minerva in the 1920s to 1930s – especially with the large onion crown, paired with cathedral-styled hands and block numerals on the dial. But what particularly attracted us is the stunning blue dial, which complements the white detailing exquisitely. The movement – MB 16.29 – is gorgeous as well. The layout is old-school, especially with the graceful curves of the levers and springs, as well as the use of a horizontal clutch for the chronograph. The overall execution – together with its finishing – is simply spectacular.

The 44mm timepiece might be slightly large, but we reckon it is a perfect fit for someone with a slightly larger wrist. It is priced at S$37,800, and we believe that for a classic and dressy chronograph, there are not many timepieces that can beat the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Blue.

 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Chronograph

 

 

When Audemars Piguet (AP) launched the Royal Oak Offshore (ROO) in 1993, it was met with mixed reviews. It was not the first time that the brand had courted with such controversies though. When the Royal Oak was launched back in 1972 – it was greeted with mixed approvals. Its design was too radical for many to handle, at its price tag (for a stainless steel timepiece) was more than a gold Patek Philippe Calatrava. But the Royal Oak proved critics wrong, and had gain a steady stream of followers over the years. It is now an icon, and many collectors have considered it as a “must-have” piece in any watch collection.

Last year, AP had extended the Diver’s collection – which is a sub-category of AP’s ROO collection – with the Diver Chronograph. It was the first time that the Diver had a chronograph complication, and it is available in four different versions with fancy coloured dials – in Deep Blue, Tangerine Orange, Lime Green, and Bright Yellow. The 42mm timepiece features a bi-compax layout, and it is powered by the in-house AP 3124/3841 movement. The main attraction of the movement is its 22 Carat Gold rotor, in which it is beautifully engraved with the coats of arms for both the Audemars and Piguet family. It is rather intricate, and it definitely adds a beautiful touch to the movement itself.

Priced at S$31,900, the AP ROO Diver Chronograph is an excellent piece for someone who wants an iconic watch with a great wrist presence. We also think that it looks rather good on someone with a well-toned arm – as it is not an easy watch to carry well.

 

MB&F Legacy Machine No.2 Titanium

 

 

Finally, we round up the article with MB&F’s LM2 Titanium.

MB&F is one of the brands that had really caught our attention since its inception, with its mystical Horological Machines (HM) and Legacy Machines (LM) collection. What really got us is not just the way the watch looks – but rather, the concept and inspiration behind the timepieces are pretty mind-boggling and intriguing as well.

The LM2, from the Legacy Machine collection, is one of the less controversial pieces from the flamboyant watch manufacturer. The watch, which was inspired by the three legends – Abraham-Louis Breguet, Ferdinand Berthoud, and Antide Janvier – features a three-dimensional architecture with multiple layers in its construction. The dial features multiple components, which includes the hour-minute sub-dial, two balance wheels, and a planetary differential that averages the regulators and transmit the energy to the gear train.

Powered by a movement that was produced in collaboration with Jean-Francois Mojon and Kari Voutilainen, the LM2 is aesthetically a stunning sight to behold. The watch is finished beautifully, with different forms of decorations such as Geneva waves, gold chatons, mirror-polished bevels, and well-designed bridges with deliberate internal bevelled angles.

The 44mm timepiece is a visual treat – be it in terms of its overall design, or the small intricate detailing on its movement. It is priced at S$226,000, and we reckon a slightly larger wrist will allow a collector to pull off such a massive timepiece nicely.

 

Concluding Thoughts

 

In this week’s article, we have look at watches that are slightly larger – in the region of around 42mm to 45mm on average. While watches of such dimensions are considered to be acceptable in today’s age, but there are definitely purists who thinks that watches should be sized much smaller, especially for dress watches.

We think that there is definitely no “one-size-fits-all” rule when it comes to watch sizes – what is more important is that the watches should be proportionate to the wrist size – smaller watches for smaller wrist, and bigger watches for bigger wrists. Or maybe not. That said, it all boils down to personal preferences as well. Some people with smaller wrists actually do prefer larger watches, or the converse. They are actually able to pull it off quite well, and we reckon that there shouldn’t be that much of a restriction as to who can wear what watches. The rule of thumb acts more of a guide, but we think what is more important is one’s comfort and preference. It is your money, after all.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Or do you think that there are better pieces that what we have highlighted in the article? Let us know in the comments section below!