This is the big one, pun intended. As we’ve previously written, proportion is everything when it comes to aesthetics, and in the case of choosing a timepiece, every dimension is pivotal. The key question is: what kind of statement do you want to make? If your wrists measure eight inches around or more, for a watch to look “just right”, you actually don’t need to look much beyond a 43mm or 44mm design, depending on how thick it is, the type of strap and so on.

If you still want it to turn heads, go up to a 46mm case. The IWC Big Pilot on the wrist of Mr Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, pictured above, looks pretty normal-sized on his arm, but unless you really are his equal – and fair play to you if so – this is still going to bring big watch energy.

Alternatively, consider the statement downsizing can make. We’ve written about the fascination a lot of Hollywood stars currently have with pretty dainty watches – even styles usually considered as ladies’ designs – but everything’s relative. Mr Timothée Chalamet, a man who’d start looking nervously for hand-holds in a stiff breeze, can wear a dinky Cartier Santos. You will achieve the same effect with a medium-sized watch. Handily, the Santos actually comes in a variety of sizes, but anything from about 39mm to 42mm will work. Mr Jason Momoa nailed the brief recently with a rare A. Lange & Söhne on his wrist for Fast X, but has also been seen deploying a Cartier Tank XL to the same end.

If you go big on both size and colour, the effect will be multiplied. A black watch dial, or all-black case, is the safest bet for those seeking to disguise a rather large timepiece. It works for Mr Micah Richards, former Man City defender and no stranger to a (presumably respectably heavy) set of dumbbells, with his Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea. Sticking to the basics is sensible in this size range, and has the added bonus of being, well, timeless. But if you’re willing to experiment a bit with the diameter, that’ll give you scope to be a bit braver with the hue. This also goes for gold and gem-set watches. Our friend The Rock is your guide once again: he wore a rose-gold IWC Portugieser Chronograph to the Jumanji premiere in 2019 that, at 44mm, should in theory be “a lot of watch”, but it’s just right. (In fairness, he was also wearing a fuschia-pink tuxedo jacket, which may have pulled focus just a little. But still.)

OK, we hear you, it can feel like you’re boxed in to choosing either a diver’s watch or a pilot’s watch. Both are valid options, but as we’ve seen, there are other ways. It’s about having the confidence to realise that no matter your wrist size, there are dressy options as well as sporty ones. We mentioned Jason Momoa and his penchant for Cartier – sometimes it’s about picking the bigger sizes from a dressier brand, or family of watches. Like the IWC Portofino, which comes in a generous 45mm but has all the styling of an elegant, formal watch.

It bears repeating: the proportions make the watch. Consider the Bulgari Octo Finissimo, which you can see Mr Chris Hemsworth wearing above. It’s a wide watch, but ultra-thin, and has a wide bracelet that tapers around the wrist. That helps balance out the case diameter and gives you a dress watch option that’s both substantial and subtle.

For sure, you might not be averse to doing a few arm curls (OK, we promise, that’s our last reference to weightlifting) but that doesn’t mean you necessarily want a watch that could accidentally leave a dent in parked cars. Watch manufacturers are alert to the obvious truth that above 44mm, a watch in steel or gold is a hefty item, and now commonly give you options in titanium, carbon fibre or ceramic, all of which weigh considerably less.