Like the retro-tinged sweater polos of Don Draper coming back into fashion, a similar throwback-minded swing is currently gripping the watch world. According to a new report from online luxury watch marketplace Bezel, watches with a smaller case size are gaining ground among enthusiasts, as savvy collectors look for timepieces with a case size closer to 36mm and under than the more typical sport watch dial size of 40 or 41mm.
Celebrities spanning NBA legend Dwyane Wade to actor Sebastian Stan and pop superstar Bad Bunny have been spotted wearing smaller watches—including the classic Cartier Tank—in recent years, adding fuel to the fire. “There’s a generational shift in taste toward proportion and wearability,” said Quaid Walker, the CEO and co-founder of Bezel. “I think a lot of it is a pull towards nostalgia and an ongoing appreciation for things that feel vintage,” he added, noting that the percentage of Bezel sales of smaller watches has now climbed into the high single digits, a noticeable jump over recent years.
Other reports note that the likes of Rolex still lead the secondary watch market, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the luxe leanings of classic timepieces from major players like Cartier and Patek Philippe, Walker notes. “Fashion cycles move in a year or two. This has been building steadily since around 2019 and accelerated hard the last two years, which tells me it’s closer to a genuine taste shift than a trend,” he told Maxim. As you scour the market for your own piece of on-trend yet compact timekeeping, Walker called out a handful of undersized watches worth coveting.
Omega Constellation Stainless Quartz 36mm
For as much attention as the legendary Omega Speedmaster and Omega Seamaster tend to get, Walker notes that Omega has its own claim to a burgeoning watch trend hidden in plain sight. “It’s a genuinely iconic name that gets overshadowed by Omega’s Speedmaster and Seamaster, but has real staying power in a smaller case,” he noted. Starting from $2,000
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quartz 33mm
Collectors are taking note of the building market for vintage timepieces with a build that wears differently on the wrist than a sport watch. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, a famed sport watch in its own right, also serves as a prime example of an undersized timepiece, even if the price tag on the secondary market still commands an eye-watering final figure.
“Smaller, well-proportioned pieces are holding value extremely well right now, and in some cases outperforming larger contemporary sports watches that got overproduced during the last boom,” Walker said. Starting from $24,075
Rolex Datejust 36
With a renewed appreciation for timepieces that clock in well below a 41mm case size, iconic standards like the Datejust continue to hold their own. “The smaller Datejust references…trained a lot of newer buyers’ eyes to see a 34mm or 36mm case as elegant instead of small,” Walker said. “The 36mm Datejust is proof that Rolex got proportions right the first time. Every other size feels like a variation on this one, and there’s a reason collectors keep circling back to it.” Starting at $5,790
Cartier Tank Louis
Cartier very well might remain the undisputed champion when it comes to slimmer timepieces, and its legacy remains strong, Walker notes. “The Tank is the watch that convinced me size doesn’t equal presence,” he said. “It sits so close to the wrist that it reads more like jewelry than a tool, and that’s exactly the point.”
The legacy of the timepiece itself is undeniable, Walker notes. “The Tank, in particular, never depended on tool watch logic, having been designed closer to jewelry and architecture first, so it ages really elegantly.” With models available in elegant yellow gold, rose gold and steel, options abound for those looking for a dash of debonair, understated style for their wrist game. Starting at $4,700
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
There seems to be a quality among subtly designed watches that hides in plain sight. Functionality goes hand in hand with form among timepieces that harken back to a simpler past, he said. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso certainly fits the bill nicely as far as the best small watches are concerned. “The Reverso wears small on purpose.” Walker said. It was built for polo players who needed to flip the case, not fill a wrist, and that restraint still feels modern almost a century later.” Starting at $5,495
As to the next wave of eye-catching timepieces with refined appeal, Walker thinks the slimmed-down horological trend will certainly stick around. “I think smaller proportions are here to stay as a baseline expectation rather than a trend that fades, in the same way quiet luxury has reset expectations around logos and branding,” he said.