10 Small Women’s Watches for Petite Wrists You Probably Didn’t Even Know About!

Watch regrets are the worst. Regardless of whether you’re a man or a woman, experienced or a beginner, anyone can make a mistake. Maybe you chose the wrong dial colour, or a complication watch that you never wear or use. Perhaps you bought a watch as an investment piece, and it ended up costing you money or losing value. What makes a mistake even more painful is when you misjudge the size of a watch.

Maybe it looked and felt great when you tried it on in the store. Perhaps you were caught up in the moment and made an impulse purchase. Your heart ruled your head, and you caved. But a couple of days later, it just isn’t settling on the wrist. It’s too clunky. Too overbearing. A couple of millimetres out, maybe…

A luxury watch should sit on your wrist like a second skin. However, finding the perfect fit depends on several factors, not just the size of the case. It depends on the lug-to-lug length of the case, the material, the design of the bezel and dial, and the shape of the lugs. The same applies to you if you’re a man looking for a small watch as well.

But there’s a heap of guides out there to help small-wristed males find small watches. So, what exactly do you do if you’re a lady with a particularly small wrist? Where do you start?

It’s a problem that doesn’t get discussed enough, so we thought we’d tackle the topic here at Exquisite Timepieces and provide a list of women’s watches for small wrists that sit outside the average sweet spot dimensions of around 34mm to 36mm.

All the options in this guide measure below those dimensions, varying from 24mm to 30mm in diameter. The list encompasses a range of prices, including timepieces manufactured by non-Swiss brands, as well as a variety of styles.

Before we get started, you should measure your wrist and work out what case size to focus on. As a starting point, you can use the following recommendations as a rough guide.

·        Small wrists up to 5.5 inches – 26-30mm

·        Medium wrists up to 6 inches – 30-34mm

·        Large wrists up to 6.5 inches – 34-38mm

Now that you know which case size is best for your wrist, let’s take a look at the 26-30mm options for those with small wrists. Shall we begin?

Omega De Ville Mini Trésor Quartz 26mm 428.57.26.60.04.003

Big on luxury but in a petite package, the OMEGA De Ville Mini Tresor Quartz watch boasts small proportions, measuring just 26mm in diameter, yet compromises on nothing in terms of functionality and superior craftsmanship.

Designed to be slim and lightweight, the case is crafted from the brand’s own 18K Moonshine Gold, which is less susceptible to colour and lustre fade than traditional yellow gold. It also features beautiful diamond decoration running up the sides of the sweeping lugs and case, along with a white Grand Feu enamel dial. This age-old technique has been used here to complement a set of fuchsia pink-coloured Roman numeral hour markers and gold-coloured feuille hands.

The OMEGA De Ville Mini Tresor Quartz is fitted with a no-fuss, Swiss-made quartz movement, known for its reliability and durability. But here’s the fun bit. Flip the watch over to reveal the steel and gold caseback, and there you’ll see a special “Her Time” engraving in a spiral-come-floral design, adding a nice artistic touch to this elegant lady’s OMEGA watch.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Lady Quartz 26mm H32121430

Don’t let the size of the Hamilton Jazzmaster Lady Quartz fool you. This is a petite watch with a stack of wrist presence, thanks to carrying the Jazzmaster design language. The quality design of the Jazzmaster is well above what you’d find in any fashion watch, yet it remains one of the most affordable watches in the brand’s portfolio.

The Jazzmaster series combines classic American style with traditional Swiss craftsmanship. As a whole, the collection comprises models like the pure and straightforward Viewmatic, the Open Heart (which features a cutout on the dial to expose the watch’s mechanically beating heart), and the Performer (a sportier and altogether more contemporary design that blends elegance with utility). There are also the Chronograph models for those seeking something a little more technically sophisticated, and the Thinline sub-series, which offers models with a sleek and comfortable fit for those who prefer minimalist, lightweight timepieces.

Jazzmaster watches are equipped with reliable ETA movements and provide a gateway to affordable luxury watch collecting, as many are priced lower than those of other luxury watch brands competing in the same space.

In this Jazzmaster watch for women, Hamilton keeps things simple with a rose gold-coated stainless steel case measuring 26mm in diameter, a quartz-powered movement, and a smooth, matte black dial with gold-coloured appliques. A delicate diamond decoration has been applied to the dial between 3 and 6 o’clock, adding a touch of opulence to what is an otherwise very classic-looking dress watch.

Frederique Constant Classics Art Deco Round Ladies White Dial FC-200MPW2ARD6B

The Frederique Constant Classic Art Deco watch is a masterpiece in miniature form. Thoughtful dimensions and a clean, classic aesthetic evoke Art Deco-inspired sensibilities, resulting in a visually pleasing and timeless design.

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Frederique Constant crafts the 30mm model from steel, equips it with a polished bracelet and adds a sprinkle of delicate round brilliant-cut diamonds around the dial for an extra touch of panache. This is another quartz-powered watch, allowing for the case to sit at a mere height of just 5.65mm. The “clous de Paris” guilloché dial and black Roman numeral hour markers also infuse this watch with a vintage-inspired essence.

Grand Seiko Snowflake Ladies Diamond Quartz STGF385

Don’t let a tiny wrist hold you back. Petite watches are just as impactful, if not more, especially when you think about the level of complexity involved in creating a luxury timepiece with all the grandeur and sophistication of a man’s watch, but in miniature form. The iconic Snowflake dial is, without doubt, its most fetching feature, boasting a pattern inspired by the windswept snow on the Hotaka mountains surrounding Grand Seiko’s Shinshu Watch Studio.

For six months of the year, the Hotaka mountains are coated with a crisp white layer of fresh snow, providing the perfect backdrop from which Grand Seiko experts take their inspiration when creating some of the brand’s most beautiful wristwatches. Shinshu Watch Studio, after all, is the home of the Grand Seiko Spring Drive movement and its many exquisite mechanical instruments.

The challenge behind recreating the landscape lay in the hands of the skilled artisans at the brand’s famous ateliers, who were tasked with creating a heavily textured surface using a stamping die with a force of 200 metric tons. To finish the dial, a silver plating process has been applied to its surface.

The Grand Seiko ref STGF385 is powered by a superior thermocompensated quartz movement that promises an astonishing accuracy of just ±10 seconds per year. And measuring in at just 28.9mm thickness, the beautiful Zaratsu-polished case certainly won’t overbear a slender wrist.

Blancpain Ladybird Ultraplate 0063F 1954 63A

Finally, a watch that understands a woman’s appreciation for cutting-edge innovatio

n and top-tier craftsmanship. The fact that a watch can look this beautiful and house some of the industry’s most impressive technical language is extraordinary. Women like complex timekeeping instruments too, and Blancpain incorporates its ultra-thin technology into this Ladybird Ultraplate watch to give rise to this very notion.

The Blancpain Laybird Ultraplate is a serious and technically impressive watch. Its best features are the ultra-thin Calibre 615 – a descendant of the original Ladybird movement from the 1950s – and its artistic mother-of-pearl dial. This watch sits at a mere depth of 8.23mm, making its slight 21.5mm proportions even more wearable.

The watch also features a high-end decorative diamond finish on its 18ct white gold case and an exhibition caseback, allowing for admiring the super-slim movement as it performs.

Omega De Ville Prestige Quartz 24.4mm 424.10.24.60.05.001

Small in size but big on style, this Prestige watch by OMEGA is another member of the De Ville collection. New buyers and seasoned collectors can appreciate its understated and pure aesthetic, making it a perfect watch for everyday professional wear and formal occasions.

The OMEGA De Ville Prestige watch measures a small and compact 24.4mm diameter, which is its most important feature. Its size is both rare and desirable on the market today, especially given the recent trends for smaller-wearing watches. Made from polished stainless steel, its mother-of-pearl dial shimmers with an iridescent quality, adding an extra layer of dimension and depth to this two-zone dial.

The Omega De Ville Prestige watch is designed for daily, regular life, featuring a 30-meter water-resistant case and a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective sapphire crystal front. Being a quartz-powered movement, it also needs little upkeep or maintenance, a significant advantage for those seeking a no-fuss companion.

Michele Meggie Gold Diamond Stainless Steel Watch MWW33B000003

Michele Meggie may not be the first brand that springs to mind when you think about luxury timepieces, but this underdog crafts exceptional timepieces for women who want to break the rules of conventional design. This watch excels at what it is intended to be – an attention-demanding, high-quality jewellery watch. Its indulgent golden tones create that all-important radiant look, achieved by applying 18k yellow gold plating on top of its stainless steel bodywork.

The Michele Meggie Gold Diamond watch celebrates a very feminine silhouette, with rounded corners that soften the square shape of the case. This modern and graceful alternative to the rectangular watch is adorned with a total of 124 hand-set diamonds, which frame the dial and also feature on the mother-of-pearl display.

The signature feature of this Michele Meggie watch, and its key selling point, is its quick-release system built into the bracelet, which allows for it to be swapped with another Michele Meggie strap when needed.

Of course, being powered by a Swiss-made quartz movement means that you don’t have to worry about regularly winding the watch or wearing it all the time to keep it running, especially since this is the type of watch you’d only wear to certain formal occasions and special, dressy events.

NOMOS Glashütte Tetra Die Fuchsteufelswilde Exhibition Caseback

The Nomos Glashutte Tetra Die Fuchsteufelswilde watch proves that the most beautiful things come in perfectly proportioned packages. It rejects conventional feminine watch design, favouring a bolder, artistic design that is more intellectually satisfying for those ladies who appreciate substance over traditional glamour.

The Tetra watch boasts an unconventional colour palette, sporting an aubergine dial – a rich and moody colour that complements the rose gold-coloured small seconds sub-dial perfectly. A pop of humour is also afforded in the bright turquoise hand of this complication.

What really departs the Tetra from other classically crafted watches today, however, is its square-shaped case, which frames a minimalist dial that adheres to Bauhaus principles. Inside the case is an in-house developed manual-winding movement, which is put on display through an exhibition window on the reverse. It allows you to admire the blued screws, perlage, and ribbing of the meticulously crafted movement, all within petite 29mm proportions.

Longines L4.330.4.87.6 Elegant Collection Moonphase White Dial on Bracelet

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This guide to the best small women’s watches wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Longines – a name that epitomises elegance in every possible way. It’s a truly great ladies’ watch, especially for those who have smaller wrists, thanks to its ideal 30mm size.

The Longines Elegant Collection Moonphase watch, as its name suggests, features a moonphase complication decorated in blue and silver at 6 o’clock. It sits against an uncluttered, shimmering mother-of-pearl dial and uses diamond indices instead of traditional hour markers for the hour track. Without being flashy, these finer details add a touch of finesse to this elegant lady’s dress watch, making it ideal for work, formal occasions and everything in between.

Of course, a high-quality finish is a given in any Longines watch. This steel model features a blend of polished and brushed finishes across its 30-meter water-resistant case, offering a unique combination of refined elegance and functionality.

A quartz movement powers this lady’s Longines watch, so you’ll only need to change the battery every few years. It’s a “set it and forget it” watch that delivers luxury and opulence but within a highly practical and versatile design.

Frederique Constant Art Deco Oval Ladies White Dial FC-200MPW2V2B

Oval watches can appear and feel smaller on the wrist due to their elongated silhouette. Unlike a traditional round watch, which is as wide as it is tall, an oval watch occupies less horizontal space on the wrist. More often than not, the lugs of an oval watch are integrated into the case itself, keeping them shorter than they would naturally be in a circular watch. A shorter lug-to-lug length reduces the risk of the case overhanging the edges of the wrist.

The focus on sleekness in this Frederique Constant Art Deco Oval watch is profound. The watch is distinctive and flattering, embodying the brand’s Art Deco heritage. It features a stainless steel case measuring 25mm in width. The case measures 30mm in length, making it an ideal size for females with small wrists.

The dial of this Frederique Constant Art Deco Ladies watch is rendered in a beautiful mother-of-pearl, decorated with a guilloche technique that creates a stunning visual effect alongside traditional Roman numerals and crisp black classic Breguet hands. If it were not for the rose gold coating across the surface of this stainless steel watch, its delicate rope-effect case trim and cabochon-adorned crown would be lost.

Instead, the graceful shape of this oval watch and its meticulous details are all brought together in a beautiful compact design that embodies the brand’s philosophy of traditional Swiss watchmaking and affordable luxury.

The Power of the Petite Watch

The search for the perfect watch is a personal journey, but it greatly relies on getting the size, style, features and design of a watch right. For too long, there has been a narrative centred around the idea that “bigger is better”. But a recent shift in trends over the last three or four years has shown us that it’s not the case. True elegance lies in the proportions of a perfectly fitting watch, whether you have a larger-than-average wrist or a particularly small one.

Focus on the right case size by using our recommendations at the beginning of this guide and consider factors such as dial design, case shape, and lug-to-lug width. Most important of all – try lots of watches on to get a feel for how different designs fit. When you’re confident you know what to look for in a small watch, take some inspiration from the many designs we’ve featured in this guide, and discover the ideal place to complete your collection by perusing our many designs here at Exquisite Timepieces.