# Steinhart Ocean 39 VS Steinhart OVM for a 7 inch wrist



## spwatch (Jan 22, 2018)

Hi everyone! First of all congratulations for having maybe the best community on watches and the amazing content around here.
I would like to buy my first automatic watch but I am torn between these two watches. I prefer the look of the OVM but I'm afraid that the straight lugs will look too big on me. On the other hand the 39 maybe will be a bit too small? I wear a 40mm at the moment. Any thoughts and maybe some wrist shots with either of them on a similar sized wrist? 
Thanks!


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## kit7 (Mar 25, 2015)

spwatch said:


> Hi everyone! First of all congratulations for having maybe the best community on watches and the amazing content around here.
> I would like to buy my first automatic watch but I am torn between these two watches. I prefer the look of the OVM but I'm afraid that the straight lugs will look too big on me. On the other hand the 39 maybe will be a bit too small? I wear a 40mm at the moment. Any thoughts and maybe some wrist shots with either of them on a similar sized wrist?
> Thanks!


 There seems to be a trend downwards in size at present. Lugs on the OVM might stick out too much, but it depends on your wrist shape, flat vs rounded. What is the lug to lug measurement on your 40mm watch?


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## lvt (Sep 15, 2009)

The lugs aren't really a problem, I had the same concern before buying my Steinhart but it turned out ok. My 42mm Pepsi looks bigger in photo than in real life.

Btw my wrist size is 6.5"


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## jerseydan31 (Sep 27, 2015)

lvt said:


> The lugs aren't really a problem, I had the same concern before buying my Steinhart but it turned out ok. My 42mm Pepsi looks bigger in photo than in real life.
> 
> Btw my wrist size is 6.5"


I have super tiny wrist (6 inch) and the 39mm is already pretty big....so it might fit you well. Love the Ocean 39 and have a OVM 39 on the way!!


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## Pneuma (Feb 23, 2012)

There is a special edition of OVM 39mm sold by Gnomon but it is currently out of stock.

http://www.gnomonwatches.com/ocean-vintage-military-39-gnomon-exclusive


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## skipwilliams (Apr 15, 2009)

spwatch said:


> Hi everyone! First of all congratulations for having maybe the best community on watches and the amazing content around here.
> I would like to buy my first automatic watch but I am torn between these two watches. I prefer the look of the OVM but I'm afraid that the straight lugs will look too big on me. On the other hand the 39 maybe will be a bit too small? I wear a 40mm at the moment. Any thoughts and maybe some wrist shots with either of them on a similar sized wrist?
> Thanks!


I have two 42mm Steinharts, an OVM and a OVGMT. Both are great for my 6.75" wrist. I tend to wear the OVM on a leather strap these days, but they're both OK on the bracelet. I have the older 22/20 bracelets, not the newer 22/18 ones.

I also have a 39mm Ocean and it's much more wearable with its 20/16 bracelet than the 42mm watches, IMO. The new 39 OVM is a nice option and several have popped up on the sale forum. If I were you, I'd just grab one of those and if it doesn't fit, sell it quickly.

Skip


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## lvt (Sep 15, 2009)

jerseydan31 said:


> I have super tiny wrist (6 inch) and the 39mm is already pretty big....so it might fit you well. Love the Ocean 39 and have a OVM 39 on the way!!


Yes 39mm and 40mm are my official watch sizes. But actually they only have the Pepsi at 42mm so I don't have other choice.


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## spwatch (Jan 22, 2018)

kit7 said:


> There seems to be a trend downwards in size at present. Lugs on the OVM might stick out too much, but it depends on your wrist shape, flat vs rounded. What is the lug to lug measurement on your 40mm watch?


I think its around 48mm


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## spwatch (Jan 22, 2018)

Glad to hear that. Most probably will go with the 42.


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## spwatch (Jan 22, 2018)

skipwilliams said:


> I have two 42mm Steinharts, an OVM and a OVGMT. Both are great for my 6.75" wrist. I tend to wear the OVM on a leather strap these days, but they're both OK on the bracelet. I have the older 22/20 bracelets, not the newer 22/18 ones.
> 
> I also have a 39mm Ocean and it's much more wearable with its 20/16 bracelet than the 42mm watches, IMO. The new 39 OVM is a nice option and several have popped up on the sale forum. If I were you, I'd just grab one of those and if it doesn't fit, sell it quickly.
> 
> Skip


So you'd say that you prefer the 39?
I'd like the 39 ovm but it's only available through gnomon, currently sold out and i'm afraid of extra customs charges


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## spwatch (Jan 22, 2018)

skipwilliams said:


> I have two 42mm Steinharts, an OVM and a OVGMT. Both are great for my 6.75" wrist. I tend to wear the OVM on a leather strap these days, but they're both OK on the bracelet. I have the older 22/20 bracelets, not the newer 22/18 ones.
> 
> I also have a 39mm Ocean and it's much more wearable with its 20/16 bracelet than the 42mm watches, IMO. The new 39 OVM is a nice option and several have popped up on the sale forum. If I were you, I'd just grab one of those and if it doesn't fit, sell it quickly.
> 
> Skip


Also I didn't know they come with 22/18 bracelets now. I thought it was 22/20


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## lvt (Sep 15, 2009)

spwatch said:


> Also I didn't know they come with 22/18 bracelets now. I thought it was 22/20


They started using the 22/18 since June last year.


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## Nayche (Apr 22, 2012)

I’ve had two 42’s (a MK2 and a Max.) I ended up selling both. I always said to myself if they were to release a smaller size I’d be on it. 

Had the email about the 39 OVM come through and I got on board. Gone straight to the top of my favourites in my collection. 

I’ve always been a Steinhart fan but to be honest that case design simply doesn’t work in 42mm. The lugs are too long and flat and makes wearing the watch on a NATO look awkward. Bit of shame considering it is a homage to a fixed bar watch! 

People talk about the dimensions of the 39mm being ‘off’. Yes they are different to the 42mm but again, coupled with the case dimensions I think they work in the 49’s favour. The bezel appears thinner and the dial is larger which brings the lug and case design in check. 

I would say an Seiko SKX is my sweet spot for my wrist size. The 39mm wears slightly smaller, ideal for shirts etc whereas the 42mm is a much larger presence on the wrist. Mine didn’t have the 22/18mm it had the 22/20 which would of course make it feel hefty.


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## Nayche (Apr 22, 2012)

Just to add I have 7 inch wrists


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## skipwilliams (Apr 15, 2009)

spwatch said:


> So you'd say that you prefer the 39?
> I'd like the 39 ovm but it's only available through gnomon, currently sold out and i'm afraid of extra customs charges


Saw an OVM39 went 3 days ago for $450. Next stocking at Gnomen is May.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## RotorBoater (Mar 31, 2016)

I have a 7" wrist and had the 42 before. If fit just right but I thought it still looked too big for my taste so I bought the 39 and couldn't be happier. Because the lugs are long and flat it wears larger than you think a 39 would. The last pic of of the 42.


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

▲▲▲ - Now see, to MY eyes the OVM 42mm looks "just right" on your wrist. From where *I* sit, 7" is "the cutoff" for a 42mm watch; any smaller wrist size begs for 41mm and down...

Try as I might, I STILL think that the hands on the 39mm variant just look "out of scale" compared to the rest of the watch - too beaucoup!


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## spwatch (Jan 22, 2018)

RotorBoater said:


> I have a 7" wrist and had the 42 before. If fit just right but I thought it still looked too big for my taste so I bought the 39 and couldn't be happier. Because the lugs are long and flat it wears larger than you think a 39 would. The last pic of of the 42.


Wow! Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for! I think it looks good on you with the bracelet. The nato looks a bit weird in size. But since I don't think I can get the 39 ovm (out of stock and also afraid of extra custom charges) most probably will risk it for the 42.


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## RotorBoater (Mar 31, 2016)

spwatch said:


> Wow! Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for! I think it looks good on you with the bracelet. The nato looks a bit weird in size. But since I don't think I can get the 39 ovm (out of stock and also afraid of extra custom charges) most probably will risk it for the 42.


Had the 39mm not came out, I'd be just as happy still wearing that 42mm. You can't go wrong either way!


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## RotorBoater (Mar 31, 2016)

Here's another pic of the 42 on a leather strap.


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## sticky (Apr 5, 2013)

Steinharts have a rep for wearing big but I like big watches so I’m in no way qualified to say which size would fit you best but I’d play safe and go 39mm.


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## Ard (Jul 21, 2014)

Hello,

My wrist is about 7 1/2 and I had an Ocean One a number of years ago. I liked the watch and even modified it to some extent but............The watch sat on top of my wrist, it never felt like it fit me or was part of me, it was 'on top' and it did seem big.

Here are pictures of the watch and wrist also.









As you see I changed the hands to Apollo style and removed the original bezel & replaced with ceramic.









I fit a good quality jubilee bracelet to it and bought the OEM rubber as well.









No doubt the watch looked good, it was well made, I regulated it so that it ran within +/- 2 per week, but it was still very large. It completely covered my wrist on the top side.

And from the side, it just sat there on top of my arm / wrist............









I'm a tall guy, 6'5" and weigh 225 pounds but the watch seemed too large for me. If you aren't as large a person as I am and you have slimmer wrists my bet is the full size will look huge on you. Even at 39mm if they have not redesigned the case / lugs it may look large and tall. Find something you like in the 39 - 40 size range that has lugs that slope with the bracelet & wrist. The Steinhart looked great but was too big.

[PS.] This really needs to be said; look at picture #3, I can still palm a basketball with that hand! I am not a small person, the watch was too big for a big man with big hands...........


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

▲▲▲ - I'm not quite as big/tall as you, but from where *I* sit, it appears that you wear your watch quite far up your arm/close to your hand; in other words, "past" your wrist bone(s). Myself, my wrist(s) do not accommodate that position very well, and when *I* try to do so, it too makes the watch in question appear too large on my wrist, at least to MY eyes. Innately, where you wear your watch SEEMS to be "the correct position" for a man to wear a watch - I guess that in a roundabout way I am agreeing with you, LOL; although I would bet that if you wore the same watch/bracelet "behind" your wrist bones and a bit snugger, it might just look/feel "righter"...

On the other hand, you might just HATE it in that position, LOL!


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## VeryHumerus (Sep 2, 2014)

Ard said:


> Hello,
> 
> My wrist is about 7 1/2 and I had an Ocean One a number of years ago. I liked the watch and even modified it to some extent but............The watch sat on top of my wrist, it never felt like it fit me or was part of me, it was 'on top' and it did seem big.
> 
> ...


Where did you get the Apollo Hands? I really like them over the Mercedes hands and would like to get one myself


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