The 5 Best Watches for Small Wrists (Under 38mm)

For the last two decades, the watch industry has been dominated by a “bigger is better” mentality. Case sizes ballooned from the classic mid-century standard of 34mm-36mm up to a staggering 44mm-47mm. If you have a wrist size under 7 inches (which many men do), navigating this market can feel incredibly frustrating.

Wearing a watch with a 44mm case and a massive lug-to-lug distance on a 6.5-inch wrist looks disproportionate. The lugs will overhang the edges of your wrist, making the watch look like a dinner plate strapped to your arm, and completely ruining the sleek, tailored aesthetic of a well-put-together outfit.

Fortunately, the trend is finally swinging back toward classic proportions. Watchmakers are re-releasing their most iconic models in smaller, vintage-inspired sizes. If you have a smaller wrist, here are the 5 best men’s watches under 38mm that you can buy right now.

1. Lorier, Falcon (36mm)

Price: ~$499

Lorier is an independent microbrand based in New York that has taken the enthusiast world by storm by strictly adhering to mid-century design dimensions.

The Falcon is their take on the classic “go anywhere, do anything” explorer watch. It features a beautifully proportioned 36mm case with a lug-to-lug distance of just 44mm, meaning it will sit perfectly centered even on a 6-inch wrist. It utilizes an automatic Miyota movement, a gorgeous waffle dial, and a domed acrylic crystal that gives it an unmistakable vintage warmth. It is perhaps the best everyday watch for small wrists on the market today.

2. Tudor Black Bay 54 (37mm)

Price: ~$3,900

When Tudor (Rolex’s sister company) released the Black Bay 58 at 39mm, it was a massive hit. But in 2023, they went even smaller with the Black Bay 54, shrinking the case down to an incredibly wearable 37mm.

This is a true dive watch based on Tudor’s original 1954 Submariner (reference 7922). It features 200 meters of water resistance, an in-house COSC-certified chronometer movement, and a vintage-inspired gilt dial. Because dive watches have thick bezels, the actual dial of the Black Bay 54 is quite small, making the watch wear even more compactly than its 37mm dimension suggests. If you want a luxury diver but have a small wrist, this is the holy grail.

3. Seiko SNK809 / Seiko 5 Sports 36mm

Price: ~$150 - $295

Seiko has always catered well to the Asian market, where average wrist sizes tend to be slightly smaller than in the West. As a result, they have a massive back catalog of incredible 36mm and 37mm watches.

The legendary SNK809 is a 37mm automatic field watch that for years was considered the absolute best beginner watch in the world (if you can still find one new). Alternatively, Seiko recently updated their modern Seiko 5 Sports line with a dedicated 36mm field watch collection (like the SRPJ81). These offer the exact same rugged, utilitarian design as their 40mm big brothers, but scaled down to fit perfectly on a smaller frame.

4. Nomos Glashütte Tangente (35mm)

Price: ~$1,900

If you are looking for a dress watch, the rules of sizing change slightly. A dress watch is supposed to be understated and slip easily under a tailored shirt cuff. Therefore, even if you have a 7.5-inch wrist, a 35mm dress watch is historically appropriate.

For smaller wrists, the Nomos Tangente 35mm is a masterpiece of Bauhaus design. Because it has almost no bezel, it wears slightly larger than 35mm (closer to a 37mm), but it is incredibly thin (just 6.2mm thick) thanks to its manual-wind in-house Alpha movement. It is elegant, minimalist, and perfectly proportioned for formal wear.

5. Cartier Tank Must (Large / Small)

Price: ~$3,450+

You cannot talk about watches for small wrists without talking about rectangular watches, and the Cartier Tank is the undisputed king of the category.

Because rectangular watches do not have a standard “diameter,” they naturally conform much better to the flat top of the wrist. The Cartier Tank Must in the “Large” size (which measures 33.7 mm x 25.5 mm) is actually a very traditional men’s size. Famous figures from Muhammad Ali to Andy Warhol wore Cartier Tanks, proving that you do not need a massive steel sports watch to exude masculine style.

The Golden Rule for Small Wrists

When shopping for a watch, do not just look at the case diameter (e.g., 38mm). The most important measurement for a small wrist is the Lug-to-Lug distance (the measurement from the tip of the top lug to the tip of the bottom lug).

Measure the flat top of your wrist in millimeters. Your watch’s lug-to-lug distance should never exceed that measurement. As long as the lugs do not hang over the edges of your wrist, you can pull the watch off with confidence.