How To Measure Your Wrist Size

Selecting the perfect watch involves more than just admiring its aesthetics; it's about ensuring the timepiece complements your wrist both in size and comfort. An ill-fitting watch can detract from its elegance and may cause discomfort. This guide will walk you through the process of measuring your wrist size accurately and understanding watch dimensions, enabling you to find a watch/strap combination that fits impeccably.

To determine your wrist size, follow these straightforward steps:

1. Gather Your Tools: You'll need a flexible measuring tape or alternatively you can use a strip of paper or a piece of string and a ruler.
2. Measure Your Wrist:
   • Wrap the measuring tape or paper strip around your wrist, just below the wrist bone where you would typically wear your watch. Ensure it's snug but not too tight.
   • If using a paper strip, mark where it overlaps, then measure the length against a ruler to find your wrist circumference.
3. Record the Measurement: Note your wrist size in millimetres and inches, as this will guide you in selecting the appropriate watch and strap size.

1. Gather Your Materials: Ensure you have a ruler or calliper, a piece of paper, and a pen.
2. Identify the Lugs: Locate the lugs on your watch. Lugs are the small, often protruding, pieces on either side of the watch case where the strap or bracelet is attached.
3. Position the Ruler or Calliper: Place the zero end of your ruler or calliper at the inside edge of one lug. Ensure that you measure from the innermost point, where the lug meets the watch case.
4. Measure Across the Lugs: Extend the ruler or calliper across to the inside edge of the opposite lug. Be sure to measure in a straight line, following the curvature of the lugs.
5. Take Note of the Measurement: Read the measurement where the opposite lug ends on the ruler or calliper. The measurement is typically in millimetres, which is the standard unit for lug width.

Finding the lug-to-lug width is straightforward. Simply take a ruler and measure the distance from the spring bar hole on one lug to the corresponding hole on the opposite lug. This measurement gives you the total lug-to-lug span, helping you determine how the watch will sit on your wrist.

To get an accurate strap measurement, always measure from the inside edge of the buckle to the other end of the strap. For a two-piece strap, measure both parts separately and then add them together for the total length. If you're measuring a one-piece strap, the process is even simpler—just measure the entire strap in one go.

Different strap materials interact with your wrist in unique ways, so finding the right fit is key. Metal bracelets tend to sit looser due to their structured links, so adding around 1cm to your wrist measurement ensures a comfortable fit. Leather straps, on the other hand, are snugger and less flexible at first but soften over time—opting for a strap about 2cm larger than your wrist helps maintain comfort.

To check if a strap will fit, measure its minimum and maximum length—from the top of the strap to the first hole for the minimum, and to the last hole for the maximum. For two-piece straps, add your watch’s lug-to-lug length to the total measurement. One-piece straps don’t require this step. Ideally, your wrist circumference should fall within this range, but avoid using the first or last hole for better durability and comfort.

Most of our leather two-piece straps follow a similar length, offering a reliable fit for a wide range of wrists. If you're looking at single-pass nylon military straps, keep in mind that these tend to run shorter so are great for smaller wrists. For ultimate adjustability, the WatchGecko 400 Italian Rubber Divers Reversible Watch Strap can be trimmed down to size, ensuring a tailored fit no matter the size of your wrist. Metal bracelets provide even more flexibility—links can be removed for a custom fit, while mesh straps can be adjusted down to a minimum length of approximately 145mm. No matter your wrist size, there’s always a WatchGecko strap that will work for you.