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?

[OhDark30]

Was it down to one particular watch making everyone else question their masculinity?
I'm thinking Panerai or IWC, maybe

[FuzzyB]

I believe much of it coincides with the rise of modern Panerai. The Hublot Big Bang was released in 2005.

The Royal Oak Offshore was released in 1993 and apparently was nicknamed the Beast because it was 42mm. I'm sure that watch would have contributed to the growing sizes having been released by one of the big three.

[-JP]

When Panerai started to get bigger early 2000s I think they were peaking. Also U Boat followed by many fashion brands. Besides Panerai the military, pilot and dive craze was happening. i think with these kind of watches many were eager to justify their sizes for "visibility" and to help achieve great water resistant depths.

[is that my watch]

well think during the war small was the best option unless pilots and diver sizes was need then with the Paneral starting to become more then just military use the same can be said for the pilot watches size was needed so think came more the norm then for the larger sizes then but think it took off really maybe the 70's with some of the world times and the trench watch bug that took off so yeah not sure really as I love both

my smallest and largest together think I did a thread on that

a french yema diver and a Russian zlatoust diver

[Der Amf]

Yeah, I wasn't meaning individual watches of unusual sizes, I know about 55mm Fliegers, and Italian divers etc, I meant just the general trend which

(a) drifted up in the 25 years post-war
(b) bobbed about for 30 years
(c) suddenly escalated in about decade

I presume that some of the animus for (c) must have come from the bringing into fashion the large scale divers etc, and that the general drift was the rest of watches attempting to partially match the impact that these were making.

(Big Bang in 2005 does feel like a proclamation that an Ars Nova ​is now established?)

[is that my watch]

still would have said from the 70's there was an increase in size personally I think the crazy big ones was the last 10 years or so but there have been a good few in the 70's 80's too so think saying a set date like 2005 is not really realistic from maybe a personnel point of view could be spot on but from a general point of view early is my thoughts

[is that my watch]

well

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/whats-de...ece-explained/

[iyonk]

its in 2008.


nah... i know nothing... i just want to sounds like i know something... but i really dont..
i got my first big watch in 2011 and i didn't really like it... its just this year 2015 i'm starting comfortable with bigger watches.

[is that my watch]

well I goggle it just now well the comment before and found that article interesting reading on sizes but still say 70's