Like clothes and shoes, watches look better when they fit. Too loose and they will slide around uncontrollably, too tight and they may cut off circulation. By measuring your wrist size, you can avoid this problem altogether. You may not think it is of great importance to do so, but it is the only way to ensure that your watch will perfectly fit. There are several ways in which you can measure your wrist size for a watch. So we have curated this guide to explain them to you. Whether it’s with tailor’s tape, or even a ruler, as long as you follow these steps your wrist size will be spot on. Keep reading to learn more about the different methods.
Why do Measurements matter?
A watch can elevate any outfit, however, an ill-fitting one can quite easily ruin it. It can also knock your confidence and disturb your comfort, so measuring your wrist is of great importance. As well as this, measuring your wrist size makes future purchases much easier. If you already know your measurements, you don’t have to go through the process again. Instead, you can go straight to your preferred style of watch and then find one that meets your criteria.
When measuring your watch size it is important to ensure that the watch dial also fits your wrist. While this may not be a comfort issue, a watch that is either too big or too small can change the feel of an entire outfit. For the perfect fit, the band should sit right in the middle; it should hug your wrist.
How do I Measure my Wrist Size for a Watch?
If you want a perfect fit, you need to measure your wrist correctly. There are several ways in which you can do this, all from the comfort of your own home. The easiest method is with a flexible tape measure or a ‘tailor’s tape’ as it can measure around the curves of your wrist. The first thing you want to do is turn your hand face up with your palm open. Then place the metal top of the tailor’s tape in the centre of your wrist. Wrap the tape around your wrist until it reaches the metal tip again, and this is your wrist circumference. Make sure to note down this number!
Alternatively, if you don’t want to use a tailor’s tape, you can adopt the same method but with a piece of paper and a ruler. Wrap the paper around your wrist and make a mark where it starts to overlap. Once you have this mark, take the ruler and measure the distance; and with that you have your wrist size.
There are also some tools out there that can be used to measure your wrist without tape measures or paper. However, the convenience of these two methods makes them a firm favourite.
How are Watches Resized?
More often than not, watches can be resized to fit smaller or larger wrists. However, how this is done will depend on the type of watch band you have. Below you can discover how to resize a watch with a metal or leather bracelet. While there are other materials on the market, these are the two most commonly used. If you want to learn how to adjust watch straps in more detail, check out our separate blog post.
Metal Watch Bracelets
Metal watch bracelets can be found in mesh, link and even expandable designs. If you think there is a possibility that you may need to resize in the future, a linked or expandable watch bracelet will be the easiest to adjust. Resizing a linked or expansion bracelet usually requires you to remove the pins that connect the links together. These can links are easily identifiable as they are typically indicated with arrows along the inside of a linked watch band; the arrows point in the direction that the pins should fall when they are removed. Whether you remove or add links, a proper fit will place the clasp of the watch band at the centre of the wrist.
Leather Watch Straps
Like leather belts, leather watch straps are equipped with a predetermined set of holes to use. If there are not enough holes on your strap, some retailers provide leather adjustment services. However, if you want to do it yourself and save some money, a hole punch designed for leather straps is just as effective. It is important to remember that leather comes in varying thickness, so it may take a couple of punches to actually go through. Why not try a few punches in a piece of scrap leather first? This way you will know how hard you have to punch without ruining the watch straps.
Once you have the correct measurements, the next step is to purchase your watch. While you may already have an idea about what timepiece you want, click here to view the selection we stock on our website.
What did you think of our ‘How do I Measure my Wrist Size for a Watch?’ guide? Do you now feel confident that you can correctly measure your wrist? Let us know in the comments!
