The One Watch Measurement You Shouldn’t Ignore

If you want your watch to fit, that is.

the hamilton khaki field mechanical watch laying on its side

Published March 20, 2024

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There are many different factors that determine how a watch fits on your wrist. The most common indicator of a watch’s size, and the one most people use when shopping for a watch, is the case size. This number is the diameter of the case, not including the crown. In general, it gives you a pretty good idea of how a watch will fit. If you have a collection full of 40mm watches, for instance, then it’s likely another 40mm watch will fit you.

But case size is not the end-all, be-all of watch measurements. The thickness of a watch will affect your comfort level. As will the shape of the case and the angle of the strap or bracelet. The width of the bezel and the size and even color of the dial can also have a major impact on the visual presence of a watch on your wrist. But I would argue that there is one watch measurement that is more important than any others, and it’s one that brands all too often fail to disclose. I’m talking about the lug-to-lug measurement.

What is a lug-to-lug measurement?

The lug-to-lug measurement of a watch is the distance from the tip of one lug to the opposite extreme on the other end of the watch, measured from top to bottom. Essentially, it measures the vertical length of the watch, and some brands will list the measurement as “length” among the watch’s specs (if they list it at all). So why does this measurement matter so much?

watch bezel reflecting light — At 50mm from lug-to-lug, the Bulova Mil Ships is the absolute maximum size my 16cm wrist can handle.

Watch size is subjective. Some people like to wear large watches, some prefer small watches. At the end of the day, as long as you’re comfortable wearing the watch you have, the more power to you. However, most watch experts would agree that you shouldn’t wear a watch if the lugs are so long that they cause “lug overhang.” This occurs when a watch’s lugs stretch out farther than the edges of your wrist. Not only does lug overhang not look good, but it also causes a floating effect that makes the watch very uncomfortable.

To show how lug-to-lug measurements affect a watch’s fit in real life, I’ll show some examples on my own wrist. My wrist measures 16cm around (6.25″) and about 50mm across the top, so it’s on the small side. Because of this, I know to avoid watches with a lug-to-lug measurement over 50mm, because it’s just going to be too big for me and result in the dreaded lug overhang. In fact, I prefer to keep that measurement at 48mm or below for the maximum comfort level of my watches.

calipers measuring zodiac watch — To measure the lug-to-lug distance on a watch, you’ll need a set of calipers.

calipers measuring orient watch — Digital calipers aren’t necessary, but they’re easier to read.

Take the two above watches, for example, both of which are dive watches. One is a Zodiac Super Sea Wolf with a case size of 40mm. The other, an Orient Mako II with a case size of 41.5mm. On paper, you’d think the Zodiac would be a better fit for my bby wrist. But you’d be wrong.

When I measure their respective lug-to-lug distances with my digital caliper (you can pick one up for cheap on Amazon), the Zodiac clocks in at 48.9mm lug-to-lug, while the Orient’s measurement is just 46.6mm. That’s a difference of 2.3mm.

Now, let’s see how that translates to how the watches sit on my wrist.

zodiac dive watch on wrist — Despite having a smaller case size, the longer lugs of the Zodiac cause it to wear larger.

orient dive watch on wrist — By contrast, the short lugs of the Orient make it wear smaller than its large case diameter would suggest.

As you can see, the Orient simply wears better despite having a case that’s 1.5mm larger in diameter. The shorter lug-to-lug distance allows the watch to sit more comfortably on my wrist, and visually, it looks like a better fit because it’s taking up less vertical real estate on my wrist. The Zodiac, while still wearable, is stretching the limits of what my wrist can comfortably accommodate. You can see the top lugs reaching toward the edge of my wrist.

Lug-to-lug vs lug width

One last thing: Despite their similar names, lug-to-lug and lug width are different measurements. Lug width – which is almost always provided by brands, unlike lug-to-lug — tells you the size of the opening between two lugs on the same side of the case. This measurement tells you what size strap your watch requires, and usually is between 18mm and 22mm for men’s watches.