Small sizing trend

Trends Always Come Full Circle

In 2026, The watch industry is seeing a strong trend toward smaller sizes. This is somewhat different from simply adding a smaller size to existing models. There are now cases where the case size and proportions are reduced while maintaining the design and functional identity of the original model, And in some cases, Even the movement is newly designed to achieve a smaller diameter. Just a few years ago, Men's sports watches over 40mm were mainstream, But recently, The size has come down to around 36 to 40mm, And downsizing has become a new trend.

The Era of Big Size Watches

https://kibblewatches.co.uk
Large cushion case crown guard and black dial
The most iconic look of Panerai in the mid-2000s

The small size trend was preceded by the big size watch boom. In the mid-2000s, Panerai gained significant attention and the expansion of watch diameters gained momentum. Interestingly, Until then, Wristwatch diameters had not changed much. Men's sports watches were around 40mm and dress watches around 35mm. In East Asia, Considering the average wrist size of men, The proportions were appropriate, But in the West, Where people are generally larger, The sizes seemed a bit small.

Panerai, Which started as a simple and stylish military watch, Had main models with diameters of 44 to 45mm. Many limited editions that reproduced the original were 47mm. As the masculinity conveyed by the larger watch sizes began to attract attention, Many brands started releasing large watches. Since there had been little change in watch sizes for a long time, This was a very explosive trend that brought about rapid change.

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A collector's icon that revived the 47mm Luminor 1950 case

Unbalance

Cases can be quickly produced in larger sizes at the factory. However, Movements require a long development period and must consider derivative functions of the base movement, Making quick adaptation difficult. As big size watches rapidly expanded in the market, a gap between case and movement diameter emerged. This is evident in dress watches that appeared after the mid-2000s with rapidly increased diameters.

For example, The date window is not on the outer edge of the dial but relatively closer to the center, Or the small seconds at 6 o'clock is positioned near the central axis. The movement diameter remained the same (sometimes based on designs from 20 to 30 years ago), But only the case diameter increased. It is interesting to see how brands tried to cover this with design. Now, These are distinctive details that help identify the production period of a watch and have their own unique charm.

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Example of a small seconds

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Example of a date window

Downsizing

There are several reasons for the reduction in watch diameters. These include a reaction against big size watches, Strategies tailored to the Chinese and Asian markets that have become the largest markets, And the cyclical nature of trends. This does not mean that big size watches have disappeared, But their influence has weakened and smaller watches are taking their place. Let us look at some examples.

Rolex Land-Dweller

https://www.rolex.com

In 2025, The Land-Dweller was introduced with a new Dynapulse escapement and a high-frequency caliber 7135 at 36, 000vph, Moving away from the traditional Swiss lever escapement, And was presented in 36mm and 40mm diameters. Like the Explorer I Ref. 124270 (36mm) and 224270 (40mm), It adopted a strategy of offering two diameters. This is a different approach from models like the Oyster Perpetual, Which offers a wide range of sizes for both men and women. While embracing the small size trend, The existing diameter is also maintained. Although the dial components are the same for both 36mm and 40mm, Finding the right proportions for each diameter is not easy. If you are considering a purchase, It is interesting to compare the subtle differences in proportions between the two.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean

https://www.omegawatches.co.kr

When the first generation (2005) was introduced, The Seamaster Planet Ocean was available in two sizes, 42mm and 45.5mm. This was the beginning of the big size watch era. Later, With the second generation (2011), A 37.5mm model was added, Hinting at a move toward smaller sizes, But it was designed for women. With the third generation (2016), The size was slightly adjusted to 39.5mm and 43.5mm through a renewal. The current fourth-generation Seamaster Planet Ocean, With a completely new design, Emphasizes the presence of the bezel and has a more angular and solid case structure. The diameter is now a single size of 42mm, And most notably, The case thickness has been significantly reduced to 13.79mm. This follows the trend of smaller and slimmer cases.

IWC Pilot's Watch Automatic 36 Le Petit Prince

https://www.iwc.com

Among the various Le Petit Prince editions released to mark the 20th anniversary of the partnership between IWC and the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Foundation, This model fits the small size trend. The 36mm Pilot's Watch was effectively discontinued, But has been revived (perhaps temporarily) through the Le Petit Prince edition. The edition features a unique blue dial and an engraving of the Little Prince illustration on the case back. It is an unusual model from IWC, Which has traditionally specialized in large-diameter watches such as the Portugieser and Pilot's Watch, Which used large pocket watch movements for accuracy.

Cartier Santos de Cartier Chronograph

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The Santos Chronograph, Which underwent a full renewal after about six years, Changed the unique pusher button arrangement of the previous model. Instead of the previous method, Which had a single pusher on the left side of the case and used the crown as a reset button, It returned to a more conventional pusher arrangement. This change, Along with reducing the size from the extra-large 43.3mm to a large 39.8mm, moved the single pusher on the left side of the case to the crown side, Which is a factor in increasing the diameter. As a result, Only the Santos-Dumont remains as an extra-large model in the Santos collection, But since the original size was already quite small for men's standards, It seems that Cartier will maintain its small size strategy.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Ref. 26684ST.OO.1356ST.01

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New Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar 38mm model and
previous 41mm model

The 38mm version was introduced following the 41mm version. For a perpetual calendar that provides a lot of information such as date, Day, Month, Year, And moon phase, This is a very compact size. Reflecting the small size trend, It is equipped with almost the same movement (caliber 7136, While the 41mm uses caliber 7138) as the 41mm model, But the week display has been omitted, Likely due to the constraints of the case diameter. A notable feature is the all-in-one crown that allows all calendar information to be controlled with a single crown.

Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 Bumblebee

https://www.hodinkee.com

The striking yellow dial with black tachymeter insert and counter color combination resembles a bumblebee. The 39mm model, Which is 2mm smaller than the existing Black Bay Chrono 41, Features a more concentrated intensity with its bold colors. It is equipped with the same self-winding caliber MT5813 as the 41mm model. With COSC-certified accuracy, A 70-hour power reserve, And 200m water resistance, Its performance is equal to the 41mm. This model may well be the signal for the downsizing of the Black Bay Chrono.