Let's Get a Real Bezel Measurement, Please, of the Seiko Tuna

Calling the Seiko Tuna SBBN017 and Seiko SBDL021 48mm is very misleading. These are mid-size watches. I just taped-measured both bezels and both are 45mm. That's what I thought. They look like 45mm and indeed they are. Let's not call them 48mm.

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Comments

[Gary]

Aren't watch sizes normally specified by the case diameter (not including the crown)?

Did you measure the bezel or the shroud on these two (the shroud being equivalent to the case on this style of watch)?

On some watches the bezel size is virtually the same as the case size, but it's not for these watches with shrouds.

I find that watches that have a thin bezel and a bigger dial/face tend to look bigger than those with a thick bezel and a smaller dial/face, even when their overall diameter is the same.

[herculodge]

These watches have 48mm cases but they play like 45mm because the bezel is inside the case. The bezel is 45mm. I was shocked to see my Seiko Black Monster SRP307 has a 40mm bezel and about a 44mm case. It plays big enough to look good on my wrist though. Go figure.

[jonnybardo]

I hate to say it, Jeff, but 45mm is NOT a "mid size" watch - EXCEPT according to Invicta. In the rest of the watch world, and especially according to traditional standards but also in contemporary terms, 45mm is a large watch. "Mid size" is more like 40-44mm.

[herculodge]

But what if you have 20-inch forearms?

[jonnybardo]

True - it is all relative to arm size and of course we can use words how we want, but there is a traditional usage of the term "midsize" and even my definition is way too large. "Midsize" traditionally refers to a watch that is between women's watches and "full size" men's watches. I found one site that has these ranges:

Women's: 29mm or smaller
Midsize: 34-36mm
Men's full: 37-39mm
Men's sport: 40-42mm
Men's XL: 45mm

So according to traditional terminology, everything you like is XL. I'm into sport size.

Most quality Swiss brands peak out around 45-47mm, and that is a pretty new phenomena.

[Angelo]

One of my favorite watches is my Movado Museum, from around 2002-2003. I think it's probably 35 MM. By today's standards----that might even been considered small or mid-sized by many women. Women in my office wear 40MM plus. But I think it looks good on my wrist, especially with a long sleeve dress shirt. On the other hand, I have a coaster sized Tauchmeister (well, maybe a small coaster at least) that comes in around 57 MM. I love wearing that one too. Some of my Invictas are over 45 MM, with massive case thickness. For me, variety is the spice of my watch life.

[jonnybardo]

Angelo, I've always admired your inclusive approach to watch collecting. Unfortunately I'm far narrower. I've found that 41-43mm is perfect, but will consider 40-45mm. But the problem is, my tastes have adjusted to 41-43mm as ideal, which means that even just 45mm seems massive to me. I have three large (45mm) watches--Zixen Nitrox, Prometheus Manta Ray, and Orient Saturation Diver--but will probably only keep one as my token big watch for when I'm in the mood.

Jeff, that Tuna still tempts me. How does it wear, size-wise, compared to the OSD?

[herculodge]

The Tuna plays smaller and lighter than the OSD. It's a different beast. They're both classics though.