# Is a Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic 40 mm Watch too Big?



## haziz

I am considering a Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic H32515555 (40 mm face) as my first watch with an automatic movement. I like the styling but, my one concern is the size. I am male, of average height and overweight. I wear a dress shirt and tie most days, sometimes with a jacket or suit.

In your opinion is the watch too big?

I find the current trend to large watches absolutely hideous.


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## SwedishElite22

I owned a Jazzmaster and loved it, just didn't wear it enough to justify keeping it. 

It isn't about your height and weight as much as your wrist size. How big in inches are your wrists? It will also make a difference if you have it on a straight strap/bracelet or one that is tapered, tapered will make it look/feel smaller.

The watch goes really well with dress attire or business casual so that shouldn't be of concern.

If I get a minute I will post a pic of my wrist in the Hamilton for reference.


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## haziz

SwedishElite22 said:


> It isn't about your height and weight as much as your wrist size. How big in inches are your wrists? It will also make a difference if you have it on a straight strap/bracelet or one that is tapered, tapered will make it look/feel smaller.
> 
> If I get a minute I will post a pic of my wrist in the Hamilton for reference.


Thanks. I have never deliberately measured my wrist and currently don't have a tape measure handy. The best description I can give is that my wrist is "average" for a western male.


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## Longhair

Actually it is about height & weight along with the wrist size when looking for a watch. You want everything to look proportionally correct.

Put the watch on, stand in front of a full sized mirror and have your arms resting to the sides. If the watch doesn't stick out - too big or too small - then it is the correct size for you.


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## gouverneur

My sense is that 40mm is absolutely fine and within the moderate to low end of the contemporary size range for watches. I also had this concern recently while shopping for my first classic dress watch. I have slender wrists (6.6 inches), which is smaller than the average (which I'd peg closer to 7), but I found that 39mm was a perfect dress watch size for me and that I could easily wear a 40mm without it appearing off. I think if you have average wrists, a 40mm dress watch is ideal. A large watch for that wrist size would be something beyond 42mm.

If you want a "classic" size (since watch sizes historically have been much smaller, with men's watches often being more like 34-36mm), then Hamilton also offers the Thin-O-Matic, which offers a 38mm dress watch that is slightly smaller and much thinner than the Jazzmaster:

Hamilton Watch · Thin-O-matic 38mm









The picture is the two Thin-o-matic variants, the 42mm and the 38mm. The dial design is very classic and it's a beautiful watch.


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## Scottish Steve

"average" doesn't tell anyone anything
Are you telling us you don't know how tall you are?
I sense a market research bod.....


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## SwedishElite22

Not the best picture but here is a 40mm Viewmatic on my 8.5" wrist. I'm sorry if the image is huge, I am running this through my phone so I have no way of scaling to fit the forum.


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## forsberg

haziz said:


> In your opinion is the watch too big?
> 
> I find the current trend to large watches absolutely hideous.


At the end of the day it's all about what you think looks good.

If large watches are "absolutely hideous" to you, then you'll be happy with a 30mm watch and under.


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## haziz

Scottish Steve said:


> "average" doesn't tell anyone anything
> Are you telling us you don't know how tall you are?
> I sense a market research bod.....


5 ft 10 inches (178 cm), 226 lbs (102.5 kg).


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## falcon4311

You also have to take into consideration the length of the lugs and your wrist shape. I have a 7" flat wide wrist so I can get away with wearing larger watches than others that have a 7" round wrist. I also have larger hands which is another thing to consider. I find the best way to tell if a watch suits your wrist size is to look in a mirror so you can see what others will see.


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## haziz

I ducked into a local jewelery store and asked them to measure my wrist which measured 7 3/4 inches. I also tried one of their Movado 40 mm watches (they don't carry Hamilton) which definitely felt too big.


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## ken_sturrock

haziz said:


> I ducked into a local jewelery store and asked them to measure my wrist which measured 7 3/4 inches. I also tried one of their Movado 40 mm watches (they don't carry Hamilton) which definitely felt too big.


Well, I think the 40mm sounds fine. I have 6 3/4 inch wrists and 39mm is my favorite size (my watches usually range from 38mm to 42mm). The Movado may or may not be comparable to the Jazzmaster - watches wear differently depending on their style and shape.

Having said that, if a 40mm flat out doesn't feel right then I'd look at a smaller watch. Vintage?


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## Token

I'm 5'10" tall, my wrist is 8" and a 40mm watch is about the smallest I'll wear. I don't think a watch that size is at all too big for you, but it's your sense of taste and style that matters.


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## GETS

40mm on a 7.75 wrist is not too big at all. 

I'm not a big fan of huge watches either but I really wouldn't say 40mm is too big on anyone with a 7+ wrist

Having said all that if it worries you enought to ask the question I would probably avoid it and go for something you are closer to 100% sure about.


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## JuanAlberto

I don't think it would be too big.


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## akasnowmaaan

SwedishElite22 said:


> Not the best picture but here is a 40mm Viewmatic on my 8.5" wrist. I'm sorry if the image is huge, I am running this through my phone so I have no way of scaling to fit the forum.


An 8.5" wrist is HUGE man. That's at the upper end of the bell curve for wrist sizes.

That said, I have 7-3/4" wrists - still pretty big - and 40mm is about the smallest I'll wear.

If the watch hugs your wrist (and judging from the Hamiltons I've tried on, they all do nicely hug the wrist) 40mm is a good size if your 'average' assertion holds.


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## Scottish Steve

ken_sturrock said:


> Having said that, if a 40mm flat out doesn't feel right then I'd look at a smaller watch. Vintage?


Are you having a laugh? You think 40mm is the smallest watch size being made today?

To the Original Poster, I think you need to get to a good watch shop and spend some time wearing different models. It's possible that the 40mm Mov had too thin a bezel. There are plenty of alternatives out there under 39mm. And don't forget unisex models. Your take on watch size might be slightly unusual, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. There is no point getting anything you don't like, jsut because we tell you it's ok. :-d


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## ken_sturrock

Scottish Steve said:


> Are you having a laugh? You think 40mm is the smallest watch size being made today?


Did I say that I thought 40mm was the smallest watch size manufactured today?

Vintage was merely a suggestion for a source of really interesting watches that often have the smaller size that the OP was looking for and share some of the same design characteristics that the Jazzmaster series is modeled on.

I apologize if I was unclear the first time.

-Ken


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## Doom

Hey snowman, you say your Hamiltons nicely hug your wrist, this is how my Khaki King stock band hugged my 6.5" wrist. But you were able to fit yours? Seems another inch and I'd be wearing this in my pocket.


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## Nicky J

Well, I've just ordered the 37mm Jazzmaster Viewmatic H32455555 and I have an average female wrist. If it's any help I do wear the Khaki Field auto 38mm and it looks just fine IMO - and that's what counts. Beautiful watch.


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## haziz

Nicky J said:


> Well, I've just ordered the 37mm Jazzmaster Viewmatic H32455555 and I have an average female wrist. If it's any help I do wear the Khaki Field auto 38mm and it looks just fine IMO - and that's what counts. Beautiful watch.


Is that watch still available in the US? I would prefer it to the 40 mm version if it is still around.


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## TseTse

I have the Hamilton Jazzmaster Traveler and it is 42mm. I once tried a 45 and this felt like a clock on the wrist. 42 is the absolute largest size I can wear without looking weird because my wrist is below average. I'd say if you can, try it, and if you still like the watch, go for it.


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## Nicky J

They're phasing the 37mm out here in the UK, low stock left - although it's still on the UK Hamilton website. Couldn't find any AD with this model in stock, so I ordered it for £390. Believe me, I done an awful lot of searching! I think you would still be able to get hold of this model still in the US. Good luck, I'm chuffed to have managed to get hold of one before it runs out)


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## NWP627

haziz said:


> I ducked into a local jewelery store and asked them to measure my wrist which measured 7 3/4 inches. I also tried one of their Movado 40 mm watches (they don't carry Hamilton) which definitely felt too big.


In that case a 40mm Hamilton will certainly feel too big.


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## gouverneur

FYI the watch you're discussing is a woman's wrist watch.

H32455555 Hamilton Jazzmaster Automatic Silver Dial Watch

Not saying you shouldn't get it, as the styling seems pretty gender-neutral and the size is actually a good men's wristwatch size (and a slightly large woman's wristwatch size).



haziz said:


> Is that watch still available in the US? I would prefer it to the 40 mm version if it is still around.


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## haziz

gouverneur said:


> FYI the watch you're discussing is a woman's wrist watch.
> 
> H32455555 Hamilton Jazzmaster Automatic Silver Dial Watch
> 
> Not saying you shouldn't get it, as the styling seems pretty gender-neutral and the size is actually a good men's wristwatch size (and a slightly large woman's wristwatch size).


I don't care if it is marketed as a "ladies" watch so long it looks gender neutral. I am looking for a modern, and new, equivalent to vintage watches from the 50s & 60s, including their proportions in size and equaly importantly thickness. The watches I saw recently are, to my eye, quite ugly, at least partly due to their size. I am a fairly large (and unfortunately quite overweight ) guy but I have no qualms whatsoever about wearing a "ladies" watch.


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## Perseus

I would go try it on and see what you think.


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## akasnowmaaan

Doom said:


> Hey snowman, you say your Hamiltons nicely hug your wrist, this is how my Khaki King stock band hugged my 6.5" wrist. But you were able to fit yours? Seems another inch and I'd be wearing this in my pocket.


lol

Not sure why that one was short. I had two of their GMTs, the Khaki Navy and the Traveller 2. Both had relatively long straps. I ultimately didn't keep the watches because I realized I need more visibility of the hands than either of those watches had. They ticked the boxes right in many other ways, though. I'm super-picky though, so keep that in mind.


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## ljb187

I have 6.75" wrists and would prefer the 37mm Viewmatic (though not the one with the blue hands) - particularly if I was going to wear it on a strap and have it do double duty as a dress watch. However, on a bracelet the 40mm size works really well as an all-arounder. Check out the power reserve version if you can find it. I'm not sure if I like it better or not, but it's a cool feature:


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## haziz

*Definitely too Big!*

I went ahead and ordered it from Amazon. To my surprise it was delivered today. My fears were confirmed. Definitely too big (and too thick). I am afraid it will have to go back to Amazon.


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## ManMachine

*Re: Definitely too Big!*

Actually the watch looks really good on you.

I think you just need to spend more time at WUS, especially the diver watch forum. You'll see that people with your wrist size often get 45mm watches, which look fine - you just have to get used to the look. Most of the time it's the lug to lug distance and the width of your wrist. I have a skinny wrist (6.25 in on a hot day) and recently got a 43mm watch with 49mm lug-to-lug distance. I think it looks perfectly fine on my wrist - it's the bracelet that's a bit loose.

I'm 5'10" also, 145lb. You should keep this watch, or get a bigger one.


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## RogerP

There is no calculus of wrist size to watch diameter that can tell you if a watch is "too big". If you think it looks too big (or too small for that matter), it is. If you don't, it isn't. 40mm certainly isn't a large watch by today's standards, though it would be huge by 1950's standards. The Jazzmaster is a very nice watch. If you want something smaller, the suggestion to consider vintage is a very good one. Most of my dress watches are vintage pieces in the 35-37mm range. Most of my contemporary watches are sportier pieces in the 42-45mm range.


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## johnj

I have the same issue with the Jazzmasters. The jazzmaster style just doesn't appear to go well with sizes over 38mm. I think thr Jazzmaster chronos look fine in the 40-42mm sizes. Traditionally, sport watches have been the "larger" pieces. E.g. the Rolex sub. The Jazzzmaster is pure style and this compliments a more subtle size on the wrist.


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## ROBERT A

good, solid advise here. 


gouverneur said:


> My sense is that 40mm is absolutely fine and within the moderate to low end of the contemporary size range for watches. I also had this concern recently while shopping for my first classic dress watch. I have slender wrists (6.6 inches), which is smaller than the average (which I'd peg closer to 7), but I found that 39mm was a perfect dress watch size for me and that I could easily wear a 40mm without it appearing off. I think if you have average wrists, a 40mm dress watch is ideal. A large watch for that wrist size would be something beyond 42mm.
> 
> If you want a "classic" size (since watch sizes historically have been much smaller, with men's watches often being more like 34-36mm), then Hamilton also offers the Thin-O-Matic, which offers a 38mm dress watch that is slightly smaller and much thinner than the Jazzmaster:
> 
> Hamilton Watch · Thin-O-matic 38mm
> 
> View attachment 757417
> 
> 
> The picture is the two Thin-o-matic variants, the 42mm and the 38mm. The dial design is very classic and it's a beautiful watch.


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## The Naf

Dude you sure your wrist is 7 3/4. Mines about a 7 1/4 or 7 1/2 and 40mm watches dont look anywhere near as big on my wrist. hmm...

It looks good on your wrist though. I wouldn't be sending it back. If you ask the watch snob 39mm is apparently the golden diameter so ur only 1mm off that hehe...



haziz said:


> I ducked into a local jewelery store and asked them to measure my wrist which measured 7 3/4 inches. I also tried one of their Movado 40 mm watches (they don't carry Hamilton) which definitely felt too big.


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## aliasfox

The watch looks to be the perfect size on that wrist, matches stylistically too.

I have a 6.5" wrist and I wear a 38mm Khaki Field - I sometimes wish Hamilton made a 40mm in this style - the 42mm is chunky on my wrist, and I don't like the day function on the 40mm Khaki King (though I miss the crown protector).

I'd suggest wearing it around the house for a few days (or out, if you're very careful with it) and see how you get used to it. If you're coming from not wearing a watch, it might feel a bit awkward at first, but give it a few days to settle in then make a decision. It looks great in those shots.


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## Citizen V

The watch looks like it fits well. But as a dress watch, I can see how it might look too large.


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## topher512

Add me to those who think 40mm is not too big. It's on the end of the size I'll wear, that being from 40-45mm. At 7.5" wrists and 6'4" (and also a big guy) anything smaller is too small. End of day, try it on. 40mm should do the trick.


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## gnuyork

That actually looks good on your wrist from the photos. I remember when I got the Khaki Conservation (42mm). I took it out of the box and I thought it was HUGE. I was used to wearing a swatch which is about 36-38mm or so. After a few days of wearing it it became normal for me. I still wear that watch everyday. Sometimes I feel a little self conscious when I wear the watch with shorts and a t-shirt. Then I do feel it's too big for some reason. I can't explain why.

A while ago I was visiting a friend who has a rolex Air King (34mm) and I tried it on and I fell in Love with the small size. I know - bucking the trend.

I think the 38mm Thin-O-Matic and the Intra-Matic line are nice looking Hamiltons. That said I'd much rather have the Air King.


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## ihansterx4i

I just received my Viewmatic yesterday and it wears very small for me. Im 6 ft tall and weigh 190, athletic build. With this size, this watch definitely becomes more dressy than sporty. The watch is amazing, I just need a bigger version.








Looks much bigger in this photo than in real life.


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## drx86

Does anyone has some pictures of the 37mm or 40mm version of this watch on a 6.5" wrist?


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## don.carleto

drx86 said:


> Does anyone has some pictures of the 37mm or 40mm version of this watch on a 6.5" wrist?


I have a 40mm version and fits well on my 6,75 wrist


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## drx86

drx86 said:


> Does anyone has some pictures of the 37mm or 40mm version of this watch on a 6.5" wrist?


Thanks, do you have more wrist shots? Some sites advertise them with a honey brown strap and deployant clasp but others don't. Is that something you'll have to specifcally ask for?

Is this a watch u should get at an AD or on the grey market? I'm in dubio.


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## JazzyfromJersey

Th case is as wide as your wrist, how much bigger would you like it.
View attachment 970713


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## drx86

Not bigget that's for sure. I'm more leaning towards the 37mm version to be honost.


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## johnj

Why not go for a 38mm Jazzmaster? They look fantastic as a dressier watch.

View attachment 973845


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## drx86

Well i really like the guilloche dial of the viewmatic.


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## Siggy1978

does anyone have any wrist shots of the 40mm on the bracelet? most of the shots online appear to be on a strap.


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## dtstrombone

View attachment 1292657


Here is my Jazzmaster maestro small second auto on a bracelet. I love it.


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