Round-UpBold Spectrum: Top Watches For Big Wrists
Big watches pair well with big wrists… here are some remarkable and robust timekeepers to amp up your wrist game
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Back in the 60s and 70s, robust watches were the norm and it was all about going bigger, bolder and bulkier. This was also an era when sports watches were a rage, thanks to recreational or professional diving, testing speed limits on the racetrack or navigating the choppy seas and turbulent skies. These watches ranged anything between 44mm and 48mm, and it was but natural that they found favour with people with big wrists, which is not to say that people with smaller wrists couldn’t wear them, but ultimately it’s all about comfort. When it comes to picking out a timepiece, personal preference plays a crucial role, which also depends on the size of one’s wrist. There is no right or wrong way but a smaller sized watch might look slightly odd, especially if one has a large wrist. So without further ado, let’s look at some watches that would be ideal for bigger wrists, without compromising on comfort or style.
Alpina Startimer Automatic Chronograph
The watches in Alpina’s Startimer collection stand out for their round cases, luminescent hour markers and Arabic numerals, neat dial display, big date function, and relatively large, knurled crown—all signature design elements borrowed from vintage Pilot’s watches. The Alpina Automatic Chronograph features the same iconic aviation dial design, albeit with a slight difference. Instead of a traditional chronograph display, this 44mm timepiece features a vertical ‘bi-compax’ counter layout to ensure perfect legibility and symmetry. The stainless-steel case, water-resistant to 100m, is also replete with an oversized pilot screw-in crown and two round pushers at two and four o’clock respectively. This is driven by the AL-725 calibre, which keeps the watch running for at least 46 hours.
Corum Admiral 45 Automatic
Known for their timepieces that are built to conquer the stormy seas, Corum’s Admiral 45 Automatic makes it to this list due to its robust construction that’s sturdy enough to weather any storm. This watch exudes a retro charm with its vintage aesthetics, as their iconic dodecagonal bezel and faceted 45mm case has been fashioned in bronze, which is water-resistant to 100m. For the bronze casing, the alloy has been aged to give it a patina that provides it with a well-worn look, yet still gracious. The brown leather strap attached to the bronze case goes very well with the watch’s overall design and gives it a rugged appeal. It features a teak wood dial, which is reminiscent of a ship’s deck and showcases transferred nautical flags serving as the indexes. These colourful indexes add a pinch of vibrancy to its woody hues. At the heart of this timepiece is the calibre C0 082. This high-performance automatic movement contains 21 jewels, operates at 28,800vph and supplies a 42-hour power reserve.
Favre Leuba Raider Bivouac 9000
The Raider Bivouac 9000 comes in a generous 48mm barrel-shaped titanium case, which appears bulky, but is lightweight. The stone grey dial with silver hour and minute hands, matches its grey antelope leather strap. While other Favre Leuba iterations are mostly dive watches, this model is designed for those willing to scale loftier heights. While the original 60s timepiece could measure heights up to 3,000m, the current model goes up to 9,000m. The central red hand measures altitude up to 3,000m with a single rotation. The sub-dial at three o’clock indicates the altitude up to 9,000m after the central red hand makes three rotations. For ease in instantly comprehending altitude, both hands are of the same red hue. This sub-dial also indicates air pressure. The small seconds sub-dial sits at nine o’clock, power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, and the date aperture is at six o’clock. Water-resistant to 30m, the watch is driven by the hand-wound FL311 calibre that offers a 65-hour power reserve.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph measures 44mm, which gives the wearer a strong presence on the wrist, but the watch also feels lighter, because of its PVD-treated black titanium case, even though it measures 14.65mm in thickness. This timepiece offers water-resistance of up to 300m and the casing is equipped with Girard-Perregaux’s self-winding chronograph movement GP03300. It drives the small seconds at three, and 12-hour and 30-minute counter at six and nine o’clock. The date display is between four and five o’clock. Beating at a frequency of 28,800vph, it guarantees accurate timekeeping and a power reserve of up to 46 hours. A new fully-integrated rubber strap completes the updated features of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Chronograph.
Graham Fortress Black
The Fortress chronograph is based on Graham’s existing design philosophy but opts for a more vintage pilot’s watch aesthetic without diluting the core of their watchmaking beliefs. The model comes in a 47mm stainless-steel case, measuring 15mm in height, and is available in a limited-edition of 100 pieces only. Partially brushed and partially polished—to retain the old-world charm of pilot’s watches of yore—it features sturdy lugs and sapphire crystal for the glass and caseback, and is water-resistant to 100m. However, the one feature that catches the eye instantly is the onion-shaped crown, positioned on the left-hand side of the case. What makes it even more appealing is the single chronograph pusher or monopusher, which emerges through the crown, in order to maintain the refinement and symmetry of this timekeeper. The black dial features bold, luminescent hour and minute hands, which complement the beige Super-LumiNova-coated oversized Arabic numerals. These are hand-applied and have been designed as a nod to the luminous numerals found in old pilot’s watches. There are two circular brushed counters—a small seconds display at three o’clock and a 30-minute chronograph register at six o’clock—also with luminous indicators. There is a date window, which sits at nine o’clock, adjacent to the crown with the monopusher. On flipping the watch over one can view the calibre G1750, a modified Valjoux 7750 base movement, which offers a power reserve of at least 48 hours, while beating at a frequency of 28,800vph. It is replete with the Incabloc shock absorber for improved accuracy, 25 jewels for smooth functioning and comes with classic decoration of perlage and Geneva stripes, along with a customised rotor.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar
When it comes to big cases, any list is incomplete without an IWC Big Pilot’s Watch. One of the most technically complex watches that IWC make, the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar comes with a double moon phase at 12, an analogue date at three, the day at nine, the month at six, the year between seven and eight o’clock position and yet doesn’t look cluttered at all. Sized at a generous 46.2mm, the timepiece is housed in a stainless steel case along with a large, conical pilot’s crown that makes for a nice grip and easy winding, if required. Beating inside is the IWC’s in-house automatic calibre 52615, which features 54 jewels and has a frequency of 28,800vph, while offering a huge power reserve of seven days. The movement is beautifully decorated and visible through an exhibition caseback. The watch is fashioned with a blue-coloured leather strap that matches the blue dial.
Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono
The Jacob & Co Epic X Chrono range stands out for its flamboyance and perhaps has the sportiest timepieces under the brand’s umbrella. The watches stand out for their X-shaped lugs, dial appliqués, and mineral glass dials, which feature bi-compax layout of the sub-dials. The robust architecture is built to withstand hard knocks and shocks—making it a true sports watch. The model featured here comes in a 47mm, 18-karat rose-gold case, but sits comfortably on the wrist despite its generous size. In fact, it has been designed to fit a wide variety of wrist sizes, owing to the steep inclination of the lugs. Helping ensure water resistance up to 200m, the two crowns—on either side of the case—are screwed down. The one on the right is for time-setting, while the one at 10 o’clock is used to control the inner rotating bezel. In addition to this, the case also features two rubber chronograph pushers. The double bars that are an extension of the ‘X’ motif perfectly intersect with the sub-dials without making the dial look cluttered. The bi-compax configuration places the two counters with white markings horizontally across the centre of the dial, where the running seconds are at nine and the 30-minute counter is at three. The watch is driven by the in-house skeletonised self-winding calibre JCAA05, which features a column-wheel mechanism. Here, the automatic winding is carried out by an oscillating mass in anthracite, which helps store a power reserve of 48 hours, while operating at a frequency of 28,800vph. It is presented on a black rubber strap, which complements the robust rose-gold framework.
Oris AquisPro Date Calibre 400
With a case at a whopping 49.5mm, Oris AquaPro Date Calibre 400 is the biggest and the mightiest timepiece on the list here, yet it feels super comfortable to wear. In order to compensate for the hefty dimensions of the watch, Oris have crafted it from ultra-lightweight titanium, which also provides strong resistance against corrosion. The AquisPro Date is an out-and-out professional dive watch, suitable for deep-sea diving, with a water resistance of up to 1,000m, a unidirectional bezel, and Super-LumiNova-coated timekeeping hands and hour indices. Equipped with the in-house calibre 400, the timepiece can run autonomously for an impressive five days, consists of an anti-magnetic silicon escape wheel and comes with a 10-year warranty. It is paired with an integrated rubber strap that features a titanium folding clasp with extension.
Perrelet Turbine Pilot
First launched in 2014, the Turbine Pilot line fuses cutting-edge technology along with fine Swiss watchmaking craftsmanship to create a line of bold aviator watches that exude a distinct style with distinguishing features such as a circular slide rule—integral to aviator watches. The timepiece comes in a 48mm case crafted in stainless steel with a black PVD coating, and is water-resistant to 50m. This forms the framework for a complex, three-dimensional dial with its hypnotic turbine and blades, which spin at the slightest movement of the wrist. As soon as the 12 black, anodised aluminium blades are set in motion, one can witness the optical effects caused by the two blades (on top and below), rotating simultaneously, revealing hues of blue, red, yellow or beige stripes—depending on the model. To ensure optimal legibility in all light conditions, the indices and Arabic numerals at three, six, nine and 12 o’clock, are applied on the sapphire crystal disc above the turbine, and are luminescent just as are the hands. The peripheral slide rule scales on the flange and the tip of the central seconds hand on all four models also match the colour of the stripes. The bidirectional rotating bezel is activated by the crown at three o’clock, while the time is adjusted via the integrated crown at nine o’clock. The watch is powered by the manufacture P-331-MH automatic calibre, a COSC-certified movement that offers 42 hours of autonomy, visible through the sapphire crystal caseback.
Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Rescue
Enough has been written about Zenith’s legendary Pilot’s collection and it’s no surprise that this watch is featured on our list. The brand’s Type 20 collection is based on the earliest Zenith dashboard instruments that accompanied pioneers like Louis Blériot during the dawn of aviation. The Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Rescue is crafted in a 45mm polished stainless-steel case with black sunray-patterned dial and yellow accents. Water-resistant to 100m, the watch is presented on an aged black calfskin leather strap with rivets and yellow stitching. The oversized Arabic numerals are made of solid Super-LumiNova for maximum legibility. It is powered by the iconic El Primero automatic chronograph movement, which supplies an energy reserve of approximately 50 hours.
Shop The Story
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Alpina Startimer
AL-725GR4S6
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Corum Admiral
082.500.53/0F62 AW02
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Favre Leuba Raider Bivouac 9000
00.10105.06.45.45
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Girard-Perregaux Laureato
81060-21-491-FH6A
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Graham Fortress
2FOAS.B01A.BRAL127B
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IWC Pilot’s Watches
IW503605
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Jacob & Co. Epic X Chrono
EC311.42.PD.BN.ABRUA
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Oris Aquis
01 400 7767 7754-07 426 64BTEB
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Perrelet Turbine
A1095/4
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Zenith Pilot
03.2434.4069/20.I010
