I could hug you for this post.
I get so tired of listening so some guys who say anything smaller on their 7.5" wrists looks tiny, or that 36m, is feminine of looks like a girls watch.
Just have to shake my head at the ignorance.
As you so correctly point out, watches, and specifically men's watches, were usually around 32-24mm for decades, 36mm was a step up, and 38-40mm seemed to be where it ended up.
I'm 6'4", 7.5 wrists, and have no problem wearing 36mm and I'll admit, I wouldn't mind an SeaDweller 43, but that would pretty much be my limit in size, anything bigger you get into the "Dinner Plate" on your wrist, which is a trend that I hope is about to hit the pavement with a bullet in it's head.
But you look back to the classic films of the 40's - 70's, you generally wouldn't see, probably couldn't find, anything bigger than 40mm, and in the 40's-50's, mostly 34mm, Bogart, Cooper, all the stars, and now you've got some saying they're "ladies watches".
Great post BS :-)