Where on my wrist should I measure for a watch?

Measure where the watch actually sits, just above the round wrist bone on the outside of your wrist (toward the hand for most people). That spot is a little narrower than higher up the forearm.

Should the measurement be tight or loose?

Snug against the skin with no gap, but not pulled tight. You want the size of the wrist, not how much you can compress it; strap and bracelet sizing adds comfort room separately.

What if I'm between sizes?

Round to the nearest quarter inch and check both neighbors in the fit finder. The flat width matters more than circumference, so if you're torn, measure the flat width and enter it directly.

Is flat width really different from circumference?

Yes. Two wrists with the same circumference can be round or flat, and a flatter wrist has a wider top, so it carries a longer lug-to-lug. That's why the fit finder lets you enter flat width directly.

How to Measure Your Wrist Size for a Watch

How to measure your wrist for a watch

You need two numbers: your wrist's circumference, which everyone asks for, and the width across its flat top, which actually decides whether a watch fits. Both take a strip of paper and a ruler.

1. Measure circumference

Cut a strip of paper about 1 cm wide and 25 cm long, or use a soft tailor's tape.
Wrap it around your wrist where you wear a watch, just above the wrist bone, snug against the skin.
Mark where the end overlaps, unwrap it, and measure from the end to the mark with a ruler.
Round to the nearest quarter inch or half centimeter. Measure the wrist you wear a watch on.

2. Measure flat width

Lay a ruler across the top of your wrist at the same spot and measure from one edge of the flat surface to the other, where the wrist starts to curve away. Calipers make it easier, but a ruler held level and read from directly above is close enough. This is the number lug-to-lug has to fit inside.

If you skip this step, we estimate it at 31% of your circumference, which matches most wrists within a few millimeters. If your wrist is unusually round or flat, the measured number is better.

3. Find watches that fit

A watch looks right when its lug-to-lug is about 4 mm shorter than your flat width, so the lugs stop a couple of millimeters inside each edge. Here are the estimates for each wrist size:

Wrist	cm	Flat width (est.)	Max lug-to-lug
5.5"	14.0	43.3 mm	39.3 mm
5.75"	14.6	45.3 mm	41.3 mm
6"	15.2	47.2 mm	43.2 mm
6.25"	15.9	49.2 mm	45.2 mm
6.5"	16.5	51.2 mm	47.2 mm
6.75"	17.1	53.1 mm	49.1 mm
7"	17.8	55.1 mm	51.1 mm
7.25"	18.4	57.1 mm	53.1 mm
7.5"	19.1	59.1 mm	55.1 mm
7.75"	19.7	61 mm	57 mm
8"	20.3	63 mm	59 mm
8.25"	21.0	65 mm	61 mm
8.5"	21.6	66.9 mm	62.9 mm

Then open the fit finder, enter both numbers, and it lists every watch in the almanac graded against your wrist. New to the term? Read what lug-to-lug is.

Questions

Where on my wrist should I measure for a watch?: Measure where the watch actually sits, just above the round wrist bone on the outside of your wrist (toward the hand for most people). That spot is a little narrower than higher up the forearm.
Should the measurement be tight or loose?: Snug against the skin with no gap, but not pulled tight. You want the size of the wrist, not how much you can compress it; strap and bracelet sizing adds comfort room separately.
What if I'm between sizes?: Round to the nearest quarter inch and check both neighbors in the fit finder. The flat width matters more than circumference, so if you're torn, measure the flat width and enter it directly.
Is flat width really different from circumference?: Yes. Two wrists with the same circumference can be round or flat, and a flatter wrist has a wider top, so it carries a longer lug-to-lug. That's why the fit finder lets you enter flat width directly.