Wrist to hand size ratio

[Timtower]

I tried searching the forum and couldn’t find anything on this topic, so here we go. This is a bit long winded, but I want to fully explain the ‘issue’.

I recently purchased a Rolex Explorer 124270 from the local AD as a gift for my father, which I always wanted to do as a general thank you for everything.

The next time I see my dad won’t be until August so, naturally, I’ve been playing around with the watch for the last few weeks. In case anyone is wondering, it was about a year wait time with no purchase history and a couple of check-ins with the AD via email from time-to-time to make sure they hadn’t forgotten about me.

I digress.

About two years ago, I purchased a Rolex GMT Master 2 16710 on an oyster with a black bezel insert, which is my daily wearer and I also have a super-80’s gold Rolex Date 15037 with diamond hour markers on a jubilee bracelet that my father-in-law recently passed down to me that I wear when I get more dressed up.

All three watches have been sized to my wrist and I have no problem slipping the GMT or Date over my hand, but with the Explorer, it’s a real struggle to slip it over my hand. It’s as if my hand is too fat for the explorer’s bracelet relative to my wrist size.

I’m ultimately giving the watch to my dad, so it’s not really a problem, but is this a thing? Are my hands somehow freakishly large relative to my wrist, or has anyone else experienced this?

[Timtower]

I guess it’s just me ;)

[nickscaps]

I have skinny wrists relative to my large palms so watches with a smaller folding blade are definitely tricky to get over my hand. This results in most, if not all of my watches with bracelets being loose, which I prefer. It's not to the point where they can rotate around my wrist but they definitely sit an inch or so below that protruding wrist bone (down my arm).

[Mr Ben]

I don’t have the same problem with my Rolex but have had it with an old Tag watch where I had to open up the wetsuit extension link to put it over my hand so it is a thing! I have decent sized wrists as well.

I’d have thought it would be more of a problem these days with people buying unseen online. Maybe just affects those of us with big hands!

[brucethemanlee]

If your GMT and 15037 have been sized to your wrist and can go over you hand comfortably, that means the Explorer is sized smaller or the other two are looser. Your hand doesn't change sizes depending on what watch you put on. What am i missing here?

[Timtower]

Thanks guys. I took another look at the watches and the explorer’s folding blade is probably close to an inch shorter than the gmt or 15037 as shown in the photo. I think I attached the photo correctly to this post (apologies if it doesn’t work as I’m new to the forum - long time lurker, first time poster).

The top watch in the photo is the explorer, the gold watch is the date and the bottom watch is the gmt. So, I think the problem lies with the clasp size for the explorer (relatively small clasp compared to the bracelet size). Is this an explorer specific thing or do new rolexes have smaller clasps/folding blades relative to older Rolexes?

Tim

[Mr Ben]

Originally Posted by brucethemanlee

If your GMT and 15037 have been sized to your wrist and can go over you hand comfortably, that means the Explorer is sized smaller or the other two are looser. Your hand doesn't change sizes depending on what watch you put on. What am i missing here?

I’m not the OP but I’ve had the same problem so I’ll have a go at what I figured was causing it.

I think it depends on clasp size as well. If the clasp is smaller and folds out to about 2.5 times its size when putting it on, a clasp that’s 1cm shorter will have 2.5cm less clearance to go over the hand.

The “folding bits” under my Rolex clasp also run under the oyster bracelet whereas my tag one doesn’t. So the clearance difference must be at least 5cm.

[Kevzep]

Originally Posted by Timtower

I tried searching the forum and couldn’t find anything on this topic, so here we go. This is a bit long winded, but I want to fully explain the ‘issue’.

I recently purchased a Rolex Explorer 124270 from the local AD as a gift for my father, which I always wanted to do as a general thank you for everything.

The next time I see my dad won’t be until August so, naturally, I’ve been playing around with the watch for the last few weeks. In case anyone is wondering, it was about a year wait time with no purchase history and a couple of check-ins with the AD via email from time-to-time to make sure they hadn’t forgotten about me.

I digress.

About two years ago, I purchased a Rolex GMT Master 2 16710 on an oyster with a black bezel insert, which is my daily wearer and I also have a super-80’s gold Rolex Date 15037 with diamond hour markers on a jubilee bracelet that my father-in-law recently passed down to me that I wear when I get more dressed up.

All three watches have been sized to my wrist and I have no problem slipping the GMT or Date over my hand, but with the Explorer, it’s a real struggle to slip it over my hand. It’s as if my hand is too fat for the explorer’s bracelet relative to my wrist size.

I’m ultimately giving the watch to my dad, so it’s not really a problem, but is this a thing? Are my hands somehow freakishly large relative to my wrist, or has anyone else experienced this?

Not with my Rolex or Omega, but my TAG aquaracer is like this, its a tight slip over the hand....
I only own one Rolex which is a 44mm Deep Sea Sea Dweller, but I have tried on many other Rolex, GMT, Sky Dweller, Date Just, Submariner, none had that issue with me.
I have a 7 3/4" inch wrist.

[ikincooper]

Originally Posted by Mr Ben

I’m not the OP but I’ve had the same problem so I’ll have a go at what I figured was causing it.

I think it depends on clasp size as well. If the clasp is smaller and folds out to about 2.5 times its size when putting it on, a clasp that’s 1cm shorter will have 2.5cm less clearance to go over the hand.

The “folding bits” under my Rolex clasp also run under the oyster bracelet whereas my tag one doesn’t. So the clearance difference must be at least 5cm.

My experience with the Explorer has been the same as the OP’s. Whilst I noticed it, I never considered it an issue

You’ve explained the cause above precisely, at least versus my other watches anyway.

[Mr Ben]

Originally Posted by Kevzep

Not with my Rolex or Omega, but my TAG aquaracer is like this, its a tight slip over the hand....
I only own one Rolex which is a 44mm Deep Sea Sea Dweller, but I have tried on many other Rolex, GMT, Sky Dweller, Date Just, Submariner, none had that issue with me.
I have a 7 3/4" inch wrist.

Yep - my one watch with this problem is also an aquaracer.