Feature: The Biggest Watches Around Right Now
Like a puffer fish or the elasticated waistband of a yo-yo dieter, watch case sizes are forever expanding and contracting. A century ago, men wore watches that would today be considered feminine, while women’s verged on the microscopic. Gradually they got bigger, and then plateaued, before Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Offshore came along in the 90s, dwarfing all that came before it and inspiring a host of other brands to hit the horological gym, guzzle down the protein shakes and beef up.
Recently we’ve seen a whole bunch of watch brands reverting to that 39mm to 41mm sweet spot that’s suitable for most wrist sizes, but that doesn’t mean the game’s up for those 45mm-plus Godzillas. Far from it!
Oversized watches are here to stay, whether it’s because some people have wrists like an anaconda or just love a timepiece with serious presence. Or maybe you’re an actual pilot who needs good legibility in the cockpit.
That is, after all, why the earliest oversized watches—produced by the likes of IWC and A. Lange & Sohne for the pilots of the German air force—were made. In fact, those watches were so huge that they were often strapped around the pilot’s inner thigh like some sort of eccentric wedding bride’s garter.
Unless you’re an avant garde fashion student, we strongly suggest you avoid that look; it could cause you to walk a bit funny. Still, you might need a thigh-like wrist to wear some of these beefy pieces with aplomb...
Breitling Avenger HurricaneXB1210
At a monstrous 50mm, this Breitling aviation chronograph is one of the biggest Swiss luxury watches out there. Thankfully it’s nowhere near as heavy as it looks thanks to the lightweight case made from Breitling’s high-tech proprietary polymer case material, Breitlight. Its stealthy matt-black dial and bezel contrast nicely with the strap made from yellow rubber and anthracite-hued fabric, and the military-style numerals enhance the all-action look of the piece. And no, in case you were wondering, this isn’t the world’s biggest wristwatch. A Japanese brand called Musk came out with a gargantuan, almost unwearable 90mm piece a few years ago—but that was just plain silly.
Panerai Luminor Power Reserve PAM00423
No article about oversized watches would be complete without the presence of Panerai. For years its watches were made only for the Italian armed services and were out of bounds to civilians. But when they finally became commercially available in the 1990s they helped fuel the trend for larger watches, aided no doubt by celebrity wearers like Sylvester Stallone. This Luminor 1950 3 Days Power Reserve model tops out at 47mm, which, aside from the brand’s massive Egiziano model (60mm), is as big as Panerai gets. It features a 3-day power reserve thanks to two spring barrels in the manually wound Calibre P.3002 movement.
Seven Friday P3
If you’re seeking a big mechanical watch on a budget and you’re a fan of all things unorthodox, Seven Friday could be just the ticket. Their cushion-shaped cases are around the same size as the larger Panerais out there but, unlike Panerai, their dials are far from minimal. Using asymmetric digital displays and bold colours, Seven Friday has its own distinct identity and relies on proven manufacturers like Miyota for its movements, making it a Swiss brand bolstered by trusty Japanese technology. This 47mm P3 model in PVD-coated steel is a great budget option.
IWC Top Gun Miramar IW501902
IWC once made watches for aviators that were as big as 55mm. The bigger and more legible they were, the better. Pilots no longer rely solely on mechanical watches to fly their plane, of course, but IWC still acknowledges its aviation heritage via its much-loved and long-running Big Pilots series. This Top Gun Miramar model in ceramic and titanium is a hefty 48mm and has some exceptional features, including a soft-iron inner case for protection against magnetic fields and a huge 7-day power reserve. Like IWC’s pilot’s watches from the 1940s, its highly legible, with bold lozenge hands and that signature triangle between two dots at 12 o’clock.
U-Boat Chimera 7177
Italian brand U-Boat is clearly influenced by a certain other famous watchmaker with Italian roots and a marine heritage, but it's a relative newcomer at twenty years old. Still, what it does, it does well, combining the muscularity of a Panerai Luminor with some hi-tech case materials and quirky asymmetric dials with over-sized numerals. This limited-edition model measures in at 48mm and has a carbon case with the signature U-Boat protected pusher and crown protruding from it. And if 48mm is too small for you—are you an American wrestler?—there’s another limited-edition Chimera model that comes in a larger 60mm case.
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