About The Slender Wrist

If you’re a budding watch enthusiast or expert horologist, you’ve landed at the right place.

The Slender Wrist is so much more than just a website about watches. We publish high-quality, in-depth watch guides with a special emphasis on watches for small wrists. We’re here to give you the best tips, tricks, and recommendations. 

You’ll also find a collection of hands-on watch and watch accessory reviews.

So, if you’re a small-wristed watch enthusiast, happen to prefer smaller watches, or just have an overall love for all things watch-related, we’re happy to have you.

Who Owns This Website?

Hi, my name is Shawn, and I love watches. I recently took over the site from Brock McGoff, and I couldn’t be more excited and lucky to be a part of The Slender Wrist.

The first watch I ever owned was, ironically, a Rugrats watch. I got it from Toys R Us when I was in 2nd grade. It was a battery-operated watch with a digital display and a stopwatch.

I was the only kid in my class that wore a watch. I was especially proud because it was bright orange. I wore that watch for about a year before I started asking my parents for a more dressy quartz watch. 

One year later, we were at a local thrift store and children’s suite store shopping for a wedding. My parents bought me a $25 quartz watch that looked like a Seiko brown leather wristwatch knockoff. The watch band didn’t have enough holes, so my grandmother punched two for me to refine the fit.

When I started playing sports, mainly tennis and basketball, I stopped wearing watches completely until I got into middle school. My dad and I were at the outlet mall, and we walked into a small watch shop. I saw this beautiful Esquire fashion watch that I loved. It was more expensive than I thought my parents would ever go for. But surprisingly, my dad purchased it for me.

I did not let that watch go for three years. I wore it for junior high and high school dates and to family dinners. I still have this watch and ended up giving it to my brother when he went to junior high school.

My Big Boy Starter Watch

In my senior year of high school, I started dating my now-wife. She bought me a brown and black Hugo Boss battery-operated watch that I wore all throughout college. I adored that watch, especially because it was a gift from someone so special to me.

I spent a lot of time with her family when we started dating. Her father, a very successful businessman, always wore a different Panerai. I started to tell myself that when I got a good job and “made it,” I would get a Panerai. 

My First Luxury Watch

After achieving success with my company in 2019, I finally rewarded myself with my first luxury watch. I purchased my first “big boy” watch, a Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 Automatic Men’s Watch PAM01351. 

I loved that watch so much because it symbolized all of my hard work. I felt like I had set a goal and achieved it. I purchased multiple straps for it: rubber, calfskin, canvas, and leather. I wore the watch so much that no strap lasted more than six months. 

I realized that watches are symbolic for me. They represent how precious and important time is. I told myself that I’d always invest in a watch if and when I hit certain milestones in life.

My First Rolex

In 2020, I was “window shopping” at a Rolex authorized dealer in Artesia, California, as Rolex never has any inventory. 

As the store rep walked by, I jokingly asked, “Have anything without a thousand diamonds on it actually for sale”? She chuckled, then pulled out a 2-tone Rolex Submariner.

She said, “I’ve seen you in here many times before, so just today, I’ll offer you this.” 

I immediately fell in love but hesitated, as I had never purchased anything that luxurious before. I asked her to give me 5 minutes, and I called two watch collector friends. They urged me to buy it since it was an amazing investment. I couldn’t have been happier after the purchase. That was the start of my watch-collecting adventure.

Since then, I’ve purchased a number of Panerais, Rolexes, Cartier, and many other watches. I’ve gotten to know a number of good friends who collect. We’ll sit and talk for hours about new releases and new styles. We’ll even compare their ’90s watches to some of the more recent watches I’ve purchased. 

For example, one of my best friends has a Rolex Submariner from the early ’90s. I bought my Dad the 2022 Rolex Submariner when they changed from 40mm to 41mm. It’s crazy that the face, bezel, and everything is almost identical. It’s not until you look at the clasp and the small details that you can tell the difference.

Watches for Small Wrists

No one really tells you to consider your wrist size when buying a watch. Most men and women are wearing watches that are too big for their wrists (because most contemporary watches are oversized).

When I first started buying watches, my wrists were very small, so I punched holes into my Panerai bands. My wife still does this to this day. Even if she gets the smallest woman’s size, we ask the shop to punch holes so it fits her wrist. 

My wrists have grown from working out, so I do have a bit more flexibility these days. But I’m often advising on which watches to get for friends and family.

If you really think about it, there are thousands of watches that look amazing on smaller wrists — more than I could ever own or need. Don’t let wrist size hold you back. 

I don’t think anyone’s wrist size should prevent them from wearing or collecting watches. With so many options available, you can find the perfect timepiece that suits your style and fits comfortably. 

There’s a Watch for Everyone…

While this site started as a place for those with small wrists, it has evolved to include a broad spectrum of watches. We will always have suggestions, reviews, and much more about watches for small wrists. After all, it’s been a huge part of my journey as well. But we will also continue to curate and write about all types of interesting watches.

Our Editorial Promise

Every watch enthusiast knows that authenticity is important. 

It is to us, too. 

That’s why the authenticity of our content is just as important as the luxury watch you wear. 

Here’s our promise:

1. We’ll always provide accurate and trustworthy information. If we get it wrong, we’ll make it right. 
2. Our reviews are absolutely genuine and transparent. We’ll always let you know if a review is hands-on or from common knowledge and other user experiences. 
3. Speaking of reviews, we NEVER accept payment for them. Sometimes, brands ask us to sample products, but our reviews are always unbiased and based on our experience with the product. 
4. We’ll always write quality content. That’s something you can count on.

Feedback is a stepping stone to deliver better content. If there’s something you’d like us to cover or if something doesn’t deliver quite right, let us know. 

If you have any other questions, check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Meet Our Team

The Slender Wrist content is written and published by a hand-picked team of watch enthusiasts. Our contributors represent a wide range of watch wearers with different style preferences and budgets. Here is a list of active and past contributors to The Slender Wrist:

Can you trust this site?

Let’s be honest: most online content sucks. No doubt, you’ve come across sponsored watch “reviews” written by people with no expertise or passion.

You’ve seen the “buying guides” that are really just lists of affiliate links to junk fashion watches.

We hate this stuff as much as you do...

Here’s our editorial promise:

1. We don’t accept payment for reviews, ever. We do sometimes receive press samples.
2. Every review is hands-on, meaning we actually test drive the products.
3. We only recommend products we believe in and would buy for ourselves or a friend.
4. We cover brands regardless of our relationship with them (i.e., brands that don’t offer payment for traffic).

Our approach to content is the same as our approach to building a great watch collection: it’s about quality, not quantity.

Your trust is our #1 priority, always. Please reach out with any questions, concerns or suggestions (info at theslenderwrist dot com).

We appreciate you 🙏🏻