We have a thread on the Santos on the wrist, nothing yet on the Panthère and the Tank Française, two watches people choose mostly by size. Both come in several sizes depending on the collection; the exact dimensions are on the brand’s product pages, which I have not rechecked here, so check them reference by reference. The real question: what do wrist shots show, and what do they distort? For the Santos method, see Santos Medium or Small on a slim wrist.
[[PHOTO: Panthère et Tank Française posées côte à côte sur une règle, vue de dessus]]
Editorial summary, not independently verified.
With the Panthère, the bracelet sets the size. Its supple links wrap around the wrist, so:
- the case looks smaller than a case of the same width on leather;
- a badly adjusted (too loose) bracelet lets the watch slide and completely changes the wrist shot;
- on a photo, look at where the bracelet falls on the side of the wrist, not just the dial.
The Tank Française: rectangular case, integrated steel bracelet. On a slim wrist, what matters is the width of the bracelet compared with the top of the wrist, more than the height of the case. Two wrist shots of the same size can give a very different impression depending on whether the bracelet overhangs the sides or not.
A simple method to compare without relying on other people’s photos: measure the flat top of your wrist once and compare it with the width and length of the case. That is the card described in this thread on size beyond diameter. It does not tell you which size you “should” get, it lets you compare honestly.
What wrist shots exaggerate:
- The lens: a phone held close to the wrist enlarges the case. A photo taken from further away, zooming in, is more faithful.
- The angle: a wrist turned towards the lens looks wider, a wrist in profile looks slimmer.
- The comparison: without a reference in the frame, it is impossible to judge. A ruler or a card placed next to it helps.
[[PHOTO: Même montre au poignet photographiée de près puis de plus loin en zoomant, pour comparer la déformation]]
For women hesitating between these two and a Datejust, the Lady Datejust thread deals with the same question for round watches: Lady Datejust 28, 31 or 36. Same logic: no universal rule, one measurement and comparable photos.
A practical point: on the Panthère as on the Tank Française, adjusting the bracelet changes how it looks worn. A wrist shot taken before sizing is not representative. Worth keeping in mind before concluding “too big” or “too small”.
Recap of the thread:
- Sizes: several sizes depending on the collection, dimensions to check on the brand’s product pages, not rechecked here.
- Panthère: the supple bracelet sets the size; look at where it falls on the side of the wrist.
- Tank Française: compare the bracelet width with the top of the wrist.
- Method: measure the top of the wrist and compare, rather than follow a universal rule.
- Wrist shots: distance, angle and no reference in the frame distort the impression; size the bracelet before judging.
Editorial summary, not independently verified.
The remark about shooting distance is the most useful one. A lot of “too big” verdicts come from a photo taken from twenty centimetres away.