As a nation, we’re obsessed with size. From fat-zapping supplements to fast-track gym hacks, tummy tucks to tabloid coverage of Rob Kardashian’s weight struggles, we’re hell bent on getting slimmer. But maybe it’s time we cut ourselves some slack and took a break from berating our slightly-bigger-than-cover-model bodies. After all, as noted chart-fodder philosopher Justin Bieber once said, “you should go and love yourself”.
That is unless of course you’re a watch. In horology, natural curves are no longer celebrated as the trend for plus-size watches – fed by the likes of Hublot and Audemars Piguet – makes way for something much more slender.
All the craftsmanship is still there, but cases are becoming smaller, thinner, more sleek in silhouette – proving that you don’t need a big brand (and diameter) to dress like a man.
Not convinced? Time to trim down with our edit of the best super-slim watches.
Rado True Thinline
Neither corporate drone fare nor Mayfair heirloom, the Rado True Thinline embeds a sleek, contemporary design within a tiny 4.9mm case.
If you want a timeless watch, but none of the pretense, this murdered-out timepiece will kill any elitist streak.
Available at Rado, priced £1,560.
Citizen Stiletto
Not all good watches need a bank loan. As classic as it is thin, this boardroom-friendly piece clocks in with a 5mm thickness and minimal branding – perfect if you need style, but still unable (or unwilling) to drop a cool £20k on a Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Available at Francise & Gaye, priced £231.20.
Junghans Meister
With a case that’s just 7mm deep, Junghans’ Meister is on the stockier side of super-slim watches. That said, it does have an entire hand-wound mechanical movement sitting inside it (how it fits, we’ve no idea), making it something of a horological Tardis.
The clincher? It looks just as good on the outside.
Available at The Watch Shop, priced £1,050.
Skagen Grenen Titanium
Many watches are stuffily prestigious, and despite embodying decades of history (as many watch brands tell us ad nauseam), some timepieces lack a contemporary sense of cool to keep them relevant.
Not so Skagen’s Grenen. This Scandinavian take on super-slim is an everyday watch that is more jeans and tee than black tie.
Available at The Watch Hut, priced £87.
Slim d’Hermès
Fashion and watchmaking aren’t complete strangers, but the former rarely gets it right. That’s unless we’re talking Hermès of course. The brand’s elegant spin on slimline is 100 per cent Swiss made, meaning it conforms to all the strict quality controls that come with such a stamp.
Yet despite the Jura craftsmanship, there’s still a strong Hermès streak thanks to an alligator leather strap and a clean, classic dial.
Available at Hermès, priced £4,750.
Frédérique Constant FC Slim Line
A solid brand that won’t sell you down the river, Frédérique Constant offers Swiss authenticity without the soaring price tag.
Case in point, the FC Slim Line. Featuring a self-winding movement housed within a tiny 6mm case, it’ll sit comfortably underneath a shirt cuff. Because an arm cannon at a wedding isn’t classy.
Available at John Lewis, priced £1,510.
Piaget Altiplano
The Piaget Altiplano is the godfather of slimline watches: at just 2.35mm in thickness, it’s the world’s thinnest. But don’t let the depth fool you: the Swiss manufacture didn’t scrimp on style in the pursuit of a fat-free alternative.
Featuring an in-house 1280P self-winding movement and 44-hour power reserve, along with an 18-carat white gold polished case and black leather strap, this is the skinny watch pinnacle.
Available at The Watch Gallery, priced £17,200.
