When exactly did case sizes have their Great Leap Forward?

[Der Amf]

Looking at an old thread just now, I was reminded of a conversation that concluded that case sizes gently grew from ~32 to ~36 for classic designs during the post-war era, with with a couple of millimeters more possible for more modern designs, or for deliberately large watches.

Thirty years later, around 2000, I received two very nicely made quartz fashion watches, a Hugo Boss and a Kenneth Cole. The Cole was very classic in style and I liked and wore and lost it; the Boss was more sporty in styling, I didn't care for and thus still have. They were similar sizes, and the one I still have is 37mm. (So not a lot happened for this style of watch, though Casios with 200m WR gained a lot more plastic)

In fifteen years 37mm has gone from standard to being a non-existent option for a masculine-styled mass market watch.

When exactly between 2000, when I received the Boss, and 2013 when my watchyenthusiasm was raised from its dormant state, did the change occur?

I believe I vaguely recall, about ten years ago, overpaid footballers being ridiculed for their oversized statement watches. I guess we've caught up with them now?