Thin Dress Watches for Gentlemen

cazalea · 2021-01-25T10:04:09Z

Explore cazalea's definition of a 'gentleman's watch' on WatchProSite. Discover thin, comfortable timepieces from his collection, with insights on Piaget, Bulgari, and Breguet.

cazalea

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

19 replies4371 views22 photos

In this insightful article, forum author cazalea delves into the nuanced definition of a "gentleman's watch," moving beyond mere aesthetics to explore the practicalities of comfort, wearability, and understated elegance. His exploration challenges conventional notions, presenting a curated selection from his own collection that embodies his specific criteria for thin, refined timepieces suitable for a discerning gentleman's lifestyle. This piece offers a valuable framework for collectors considering watches that prioritize comfort and subtle sophistication.

During my recent walks with Seikos I wore every Seiko I owned when the project started, and another twenty or so that I borrowed, shopped for, and/or purchased. In the process, I came across a number of what I would like to call GENTLEMEN'S watches.

NOTE: Throughout this article I am using the Oxford English Dictionary's first meaning: A chivalrous, courteous, or honourable man.

Synonymous with the meaning of Gentleman, these watches must be intended for use in casual men's occasions or business-like settings. Not football, or sailing, but perhaps a meeting at the club to discuss a new watch purchase, a dinner engagement, relaxing around the house on a rainy day like today ... I'm not saying it has to be a tuxedo, opera or black tie watch. I want a watch like this to be easy to set (if mechanical) so no date!

I'd like the watch to be very comfortable, so smooth edges, rounded corners, thin and slick if you get my drift. It must feel good in the hand as well as on the wrist, while being easy to put on; no fiddly catches or tricky buckles that bulge on a wrist, snag a shirt cuff, or scratch anything while reaching for a brandy snifter across the arm of your leather chair or a wooden tabletop.

Taking advantage of the lull in our daily walks (imposed by torrential rains), I present for your consideration 6 watches from my collection that fit my definition of Thin Watches for Gentlemen.

NOTE: I have excluded watches in my collection from AP, Grand Seiko, Rolex and Patek because they all exceeded 6mm (1/4") in thickness and/or had sharp edges.

THIN WATCHES FOR GENTLEMEN
Brand/Model	Thickness	Diameter	Height	Width	Bracelet/Strap	Movement	Dial
Gubelin 18k	4.5	34			strap	Mechanical 2-hand	Silver dial, applied gold 5-min markers
Credor 2-tone SS	5.2		35	30	complex links, deployant buckle	Quartz 3-hand	Gold with hobnail pattern, applied 5- & 1-m markers
Universal Geneve 18k	5.5		24	28	strap	Mechanical 2-hand	Champagne dial 5-min markers only on bezel
Seiko gold tone SS	5.7		29.5	25.5	mesh bracelet cut to fit	Quartz 2-hand	Silver-white dial, gold applied 5-min markers
Credor platinum	5.5	34			strap	Skeleton 2-hand	No dial, 5- & 1-min markers on chapter ring
Seiko 2-tone SS	5.5		36	26.5	link bracelet, sliding buckle	Quartz 2-hand	Ribbed charcoal dial, gold applied XII &15-min markers plus printed gray 5-min markers

Here they are in order as described in the table above, displayed on a fine wool surface. Notice the discrete one- or two-line brand and sub-brand labels at 12 o'clock. No essays on the dial for these timepieces!

I'm not concerned that the watch be precious metal, but it must look nice on the wrist - not gaudy or shouting for attention, but confident and self-assured whether a compliment is given aloud or just indicated by a nod or faint smile. Although the price of these watches (purchased used) ranged from $60-6,000, they all feel equally nice in hand and on wrist.

Here are the watches in order, draped over the curved lid of a leather watch box.

The hail pounding down outside gives us time for the watches to appear on my 185mm (7 3/8") wrist. Sorry, a cheerfully-casual but comfortable flannel shirt is the best I could muster this morning.

Cazalea

PS - a 38mm 6-watch stack

Key Points from the Discussion

Traditional watch brands often adhere to classic designs, while modern brands like MB&F and URWERK push boundaries with futuristic aesthetics. Piaget is noted for achieving extreme thinness, sometimes integrating the caseback as part of the movement's baseplate, though their movements are increasing in diameter.
A gentleman's watch should ideally be under 40mm in diameter to be less conspicuous, and well under 10mm thick to fit comfortably under a French cuff shirt. This criterion often excludes thicker sports watches like the Rolex Submariner.
While Bulgari's Octo Finissimo series includes models as thin as 5.25mm, many are closer to 6.95mm or thicker. The author notes that ultra-thin watches, especially with larger diameters, can feel like a 'dinner plate' on the wrist, and extreme thinness can lead to fragility.
The Breguet 5967, with a thickness of 6.95mm, is presented as an example of a watch that fits the 'gentleman's watch' aesthetic, aligning with the discussion on appropriate dimensions.
The Piaget Ultimate, at just 2mm thick but 41mm in diameter, exemplifies the pursuit of extreme thinness, though its larger diameter might impact wearability for some. The author also highlights a 'regular' Piaget model at 6mm, suggesting a balance between thinness and robustness.

The Discussion

Modernahab

Jan 25, 2021

Breguet 5967, thickness=6.95 mm

cazalea

Jan 25, 2021

Or perhaps it's the protective bezel around the outer edge. Cheers, Cazalea

patrick_y

Jan 25, 2021

Ideally a gentleman's watch should be under 40mm (exceptions can be made here); as a gentleman shouldn't conspicuously check the time too often (it's an insult to the host that the party is boring) and a smaller watch is less conspicuous in my logic. And a gentleman's watch MUST BE well under 10mm thick and should fit under a french cuff shirt. Sorry, this means the Rolex Submariner is out of the picture as it's too thick. I'm glad we're going to see a new renaissance of thin watches. Watch bran

cazalea

Jan 25, 2021

I checked on the Bulgari before you posted - the thinnest is about 5.25mm but most of them are 6.95 or thicker. Certainly with thin watches, the larger the diameter the more they feel like a dinner plate strapped to your wrist. There are several Ultra-Thin models I've tried that are too large. I think maybe Piaget is the winner for thinner across their product lines. This "Ultimate" is only 2mm thick! but it's 41mm in diameter. Their "regular" model is 6 mm -- and by that standard mine are looki

LiftAngle51

Jan 25, 2021

I want a Piaget Altiplano from 2020.

patrick_y

Jan 25, 2021

Most traditional watch brands are very traditional and very classic. The less traditional ones are SUPER modern. Like MB&F and URWERK, they make things that look like they came from the future where space travel exists. Piaget models are become so thin that they're using the caseback as the baseplate of the movement. They're becoming incredibly thin. Even Piaget's movements are increasing in diameter though. I was worried about the Bulgari Octo Finissimo which has won so many awards recently tha

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