Find Big Value in Small Packages
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 ($6,500)
Grand Seiko Quartz SBGX347 ($3,300)
Zenith Chronomaster Revival el Primero a385 ($7,900)
If you do a quick scan of the wrists in a hotel lobby in New York, L.A., or London, you’re likely to see a whole lot of mass clanking around. The most popular watches on the planet are also, thanks to their roots in aviation and mountaineering and racing, some of the biggest. But when even a watchmaker like IWC decides to release a scaled-down version of its iconic 46.2-mm Big Pilot’s Watch (left), you can be sure that the tide is turning. These days, if you want your timepiece to fly under the radar (or fit under your shirt sleeve), you no longer have to wear a dainty dress watch. Zenith’s iconic sporty chronograph (right) now comes in a relatively svelte 37-mm case. And if you do need a subtle dress watch, Grand Seiko’s SBGX347 (center) clocks in at 34 mm.
