This watch face... but smaller!

March 9, 2023 7:12 AM

I really love this gorgeous Seiko watch face, but 39mm diameter is just too large for my tiny spindly wrists. Do you know of any watches with similar-looking faces, sized closer to 20-30mm? The top of my price range is about $250 (although wouldn't mind window-shopping some really beautiful ones above that range just for fun).

Things I like about this face:

• Clean, professional, architect-like aesthetic
• Dark blue background
• Minutes marked on the outer ring aligning with the minute hand, and hours marked on the inner ring aligning with the hour hand — I love this design, it's so practical!
• (Not the face, but) Cloth/leather band — metal bands are uncomfortable for me

posted by mekily to Shopping (14 answers total)

I'm sorry that I cannot help with something smaller, but I'm totally buying that watch for my ridiculously clunky wrists. Thanks for posting!
posted by hwyengr at 7:26 AM on March 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

Try looking for vintage military watch reproductions. I think 37mm is about as low as Seiko goes for this style, but there are many other options out there around 36mm - Vaer comes to mind.

This is not an absolutely definitive statement, but I don't think you'll find many modern watches in this style any smaller than 36mm.
posted by jmfitch at 7:56 AM on March 9, 2023

Best answer: The Seiko SNK807 has nearly an identical face , comes in blue, and is at a 37mm that (in my opinion) works for small wrists (5 inches around). Something about the case outline and the lug-to-lug size makes it work even though other 37mm don’t work for me. I own one in beige, replaced the straps with shorter leather ones, and am a woman with about 5 inch wrists.

If your wrists are a lot smaller than that though, it may not work for the style you want. Any way you could try someone’s SNK807 out?
posted by Iron Carbide at 8:16 AM on March 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I just came in to post that SNK807 here is a link - it is 2mm smaller, but Way cheaper at only $138 in USA.

This version of the Seiko is automatic - but cannot be hand wound via the crown. So best for a watch you use every day.
posted by sol at 8:19 AM on March 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

20mm-30mm is really small for a watch of this style. I think this style is called field watch, which has military roots. They sometimes have 24hr time instead of the minutes. Being a military inspired style, they will tend to be more male sized. Which means larger rather than smaller.

I own a SNK803, which is the tan face version of the SNK807, and it's a little bit smaller and cheaper than the one you listed, but finding something similar 30mm or smaller might be a problem. Watches of those size will definitely fall in the women's category, which will mean less "masculine" features and styling. Maybe searching for "women's field watch" will point you in the right direction.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:26 AM on March 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Kuoe has some watches that might work, but they are a bit expensive. The 35mm Old Smith 90-002 is available with a dark blue face for $350. The Holburn 90-003 is only 25mm and $250, but it only comes in light colors.
posted by mbrubeck at 8:30 AM on March 9, 2023

In case it helps anyone with the searching, I figured out that even though I wear normal-to-normalish size everything else, I fit the large end of children's size watches.

Try children's watches.
posted by aniola at 8:40 AM on March 9, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks for the great suggestions so far!

I'm a woman but prefer more masculine or neutral styling for watches, which does mean size can be tricky. Definitely OK with women's watches that are on the neutral/androgynous side.

Will see if I can try out any of these watches in person to see how the size actually feels on my wrist.
posted by mekily at 9:15 AM on March 9, 2023

I Googled "women's field watch" and came up with hits like:this, this, and this, which all appear to be closer to your preferred size range.

(I also have a thing for field watches...)
posted by gnutron at 9:55 AM on March 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Just want to chime in and say that the style is a Type B Flieger watch (worn by German pilots during WW2), in case you end up looking for the same style by other brands. The Seikos mentioned above are modern interpretations; brands like Stowa, Laco, and Archimede offer good reproductions as well, albeit considerably more expensive.

Stowa and Archimede in particular offer 36mm Type A fliegers:

36mm Archimede
36mm Stowa
posted by ambulatorybird at 11:55 AM on March 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Also, dunno how masculine you want to go, but here's a 34mm military watch:

Marathon field watch
posted by ambulatorybird at 11:59 AM on March 9, 2023

Seiko just released a few new models including the SRPJ89, which they at least brought down to 36 mm. Not sure if the colors are what you're looking for, however.
posted by sapere aude at 12:48 PM on March 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My wrist is exactly 6" circumference right behind the radius bump. I have the (almost certainly) SNK807 with a olive face.

Was my primary wear for over a decade (before I stopped wearing watches altogether) as a male appearing person.

The sucker is tough, and the nylon wriststrap is no slouch either.

If you like automatics but might not necessarily wear it every day, I'd encourage you to invest in an autowinder (box). The less I wore mine, the more of a pain it was to wear it again until I gave up.
posted by porpoise at 5:26 PM on March 9, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks all! The SNK807 model and the "Type B Flieger" terminology are the most promising leads — thanks for the help!
posted by mekily at 11:52 AM on April 9, 2023