While you’re trying to decide which Apple Watch you want – assuming you’re planning to buy one – you might want to check, first, to see if the watchband you want will fit your wrist. Apple has a sizing guide, which shows the various models, and gives the watchband sizes.
In this guide, you’ll find, for example, that the Classic Buckle is the longest watchband, fitting wrists up to 215mm.
Others aren’t so generous. The Milanese Loop only goes to 200mm, but the Leather Loop and Sports Band go to 210mm.
I happen to have large wrists, and found that, with fitness trackers, I needed the largest size. I can just wear 210mm, but it might be a bit tight, depending on how the band is built. When Apple says that a watchband “fits wrists” of a certain size, it’s not clear if there’s some margin above the high end.
But you may also have smaller wrists, or want the smaller, 38mm watch. In this case, again, check the chart to see if the watchband you want is the right size. Most people are unlikely to have problems at the lower end, but petite women might.
A quick way to measure your wrist is to cut a band from a standard sheet of paper. If you’re in the EU, you’ll have A4 paper, which is 210mm; if you’re in the US, letter sized paper is 216mm wide. Wrap that around your wrist, and have a friend draw a line with a pencil where one end of the paper overlaps the other. Then measure with a ruler, if necessary.
I’ll probably get the sports band; I like the Milanese Loop, especially the way it clasps with magnets, but it looks too short. Once the watches go on sale, you’ll be able to try them on in Apple Stores, but if you want to pre-order, measure your wrist to be sure of what will fit.
You can also get a better idea of the size of the watch itself. In Apple’s Apple Store app, there’s a Compare Case Sizes screen, where you can see the actual size of each case: 38mm and 42mm.
Hold your iPhone on your wrist – yea, this is pretty clunky; it would be a lot better if they made something you could print – to see approximately how big it is. The 42mm looks quite large, as you can see below.
I’ve created a PDF file you can print to try out the Apple Watch on your own wrist.