Women's Oval Watch

An oval watch, measured against our catalogue

We compared oval watches with our full range of women's watches. The clearest difference is slimness. The case size listed on our product pages has a median of 28 mm, compared with 36 mm for our women's watches overall, and the strap is only 12.5 mm wide at the median, compared with 17 mm. These are noticeably slimmer watches than average.

The dial is also more stripped back. Nearly one oval watch in four has no hour markers, roughly four times more often than elsewhere, and none displays a date or a chronograph. The chic style is more common here, with almost one watch in four compared with one in seven. Leather is slightly more present, on nearly a quarter of models compared with one in six.

One last difference, and it matters: water resistance. Nearly three oval watches in four are rated 3 ATM, compared with a little over one in three across the whole range, and none reaches 10 ATM. This is a city watch, not a holiday watch.

Size: think in height and width

On a round watch, the diameter tells you everything. On an oval, you need two measurements: the height, from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock, and the width, from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. Our product pages only list one case size, so use the photos worn on the wrist to judge the other. Half of the models have a size of roughly 24 to 32 mm.

The rule is simple. A vertical oval, taller than it is wide, lengthens the wrist and suits slim wrists. A horizontal oval, wider than it is tall, covers more of the wrist and works better on an average wrist. In both cases, the width of the case should not extend beyond the width of the wrist when seen from above. If you are torn between several shapes, compare with our women's rectangular watch, which is more architectural, and our women's square watch, which is more graphic.

Steel, leather or jewellery clasp: wearing it every day

Steel makes up more than three oval watches in four, often silver-coloured, sometimes gold-plated or rose gold. Fastenings vary: pin buckle on leather straps, adjustable buckle, and on certain models a jewellery-style clasp that turns the watch into a bracelet in its own right. The Vivienne Westwood Armour, Guess Ruby, Michael Kors Maude, Calvin Klein Impetuous and Incentive and Swarovski Crystalline lines all play this jewellery register. To go further, our women's jewellery watch selection brings together more, across all shapes.

In everyday use, caution comes down to water resistance. At 3 ATM, the watch withstands rain and hand washing, nothing more: take it off for the shower. A quarter of the models rated 5 ATM can handle an occasional shower, but not swimming pools.