One of the things that people frequently consider when buying a watch is whether or not it will fit them. This applies on a few levels — obviously there’s much to be said about whether a watch fits your style and your personality, and I don’t think I’m going too far to say that this is a major deciding factor. However, that’s not to say that the more practical sense of whether or not a watch physically feels right on your wrist is of less importance. It doesn’t really matter how well a timepiece aligns with your personal style and preferences, if it doesn’t feel comfortable when you put it on.
As someone with a small wrist who likes watches with high mechanical value, this is something that I frequently have to deal with. The pieces that are mechanically interesting to me often come in cases that measure over 40mm in diameter, because of the size of their movements — particularly if they’re complicated. This is not exactly an optimal case size for a 13cm wrist circumference. That said, it’s not necessarily the case diameter that determines if a larger watch will fit a small wrist. In my extensive experience, it’s more about the strap attachment points. I have a 44mm dive watch that looks and feels great on me, because of its short lugs and well-articulated straight springbars. Conversely, there are 39mm watches that sit awkwardly on my wrist and feel uncomfortable, especially those with integrated bracelets.
In all the reactions to the Patek Philippe Cubitus that I read or heard, not one single person brought up the fact that it’s the only integrated-bracelet watch with a large case diameter that works well on smaller wrists. Not everyone may be convinced by its design or other features, but no one can deny that it physically feels great when you put it on, no matter the size of your wrist. This isn’t an easy feat. The only other brand I can think of that manages to regularly incorporate this sizing versatility in their watches is De Bethune, and I’m specifically referring to the floating lugs that you see in their DB28 collection.
Recently MB&F released new iterations of two of their existing models, the Legacy Machine Perpetual and the Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback. These two pieces are now available in the Longhorn case that debuted in the Legacy Machine N° 1 Longhorn from 2021. The distinguishing feature of the Longhorn case is the double-drilled lugs that allow the wearer to position the watch strap closer or nearer to the case in order to adjust the level of comfort and fit. Further distinguishing these two limited editions (each available in 20 pieces) are the black lacquer dials, an inversion of the white lacquer dials that usually feature in Legacy Machine models.
I personally adore the increased versatility in user experience that the Longhorn models bring to MB&F, as it makes the collection accessible to more people. Not that it wasn’t before, but I’m pretty sure these new pieces will strike a chord with some members of the small-wristed tribe who always wanted to see an MB&F fit perfectly on them.
