Daniel Wellington Watch Review

daniel-wellington-watch-review

Daniel Wellington watches provide a traditional look and wear experience, but also focus on modern technologies and innovations within the industry. You can find a watch that speaks of sophistication, yet won’t break your budget with its MSRP. Shop by color, size, or a combination of both to create the right look and you’ll be able to make sure you’re always on time.

After purchasing a Daniel Wellington watch today, you can also have your image featured by this brand. Upload a photograph to your Twitter account with the hashtag #danielwellington and your image might be used throughout social media. 

The History of Daniel Wellington Watches

Filip Tysander founded this brand in 2006 after a chance meeting with an interesting individual. He was a British fellow who had what was described as an “unpretentious” style. He had a vintage NATO strap that was old and weathered, yet very much loved. This fellow’s name just happened to be Daniel Wellington.

The first watches manufactured under the DW brand began to hit the market in 2009.

This encounter inspired Tysander to begin creating his own minimalistic line of refined watches with a classic design. Many of the watches in this brand have interchangeable straps, which give them an extra level of appeal for many.

You’ll find that Daniel Wellington watches offer a crisp design that blends together well with a NATO strap or leather strap so that it can appeal to a wide ranging audience. These watches are refined, thin, and perfectly round with the features you need instead of a bunch of features you may not want, but drive the cost upward for other brands.

Where Does the Daniel Wellington Brand Originate?

Daniel Wellington will bill itself as a Swedish company through its extensive social media and networking presence. Each watch produced by this brand features internal quartz movements, so a battery and a vibrating crystal help to keep the time. It is technology that originates out of Japan, was adapted to modern tastes and aesthetics in Sweden, and then was outsourced to the APAC region to be build.

The first watches under the DW brand were sold in Sweden and initially were only available to local storefronts. In 2010, Tysander brought his brand to New York City and formed partnerships with US department stores like Bloomingdale’s. With more than 5,800 partners around the world that are authorized retailers for DW watches, even you can become a promoter for this brand.

How? Because of the fact that DW prefers to avoid traditional advertising. Thousands of celebrities, bloggers, and online influencers are hired instead, given free watches, to promote the brand. Grab your first watch today, start posting about it, and you might find an email one day offering you a free watch in the future.

That’s the real power of the Daniel Wellington brand.

Where is the Manufacturing Located for Daniel Wellington?

Most of the manufacturing for Daniel Wellington watches is based out of China.

Out of an initial $15,000 investment to establish the first timepiece models for this brand, it is believed that the DW brand is now currently worth more than $200 million today. In 2014 alone, this watch brand sold more than 1 million timepieces and earned an estimated $70 million in revenue.

This makes it one of the most popular individual brands in the world today.

The movement components are manufactured for Daniel Wellington in Japan by Miyota. This is done because of Miyota’s history of producing very reliable products at affordable pricing for timepiece manufacturers who produce watches in the APAC region.

The remainder of the watch components are made and assembled in Shenzhen, a Chinese manufacturing hub that many brands use through outsourcing for their products.

Is Daniel Wellington a Good Brand to Wear?

You will find a mixed bag of opinions when going through the average Daniel Wellington watch review. Because this is considered to be a fashion brand of watch, most serious collectors will automatically have a tempered opinion of this brand. Comparing a DW watch to a high-end brand like Rolex would simply be inappropriate to do.

Which means to determine if this is a good brand to wear, it must be compared to other fashion watch brands, such as Emporio Armani, Fossil, or even Tissot. Here are the key observations we have when making such a comparison.

  • It’s a practical timepiece. Daniel Wellington watches are all about offering a subtle level of elegance. It’s a way to embrace your personal style without screaming at the world, “Hey! I just bought this ridiculously expensive watch and you HAVE to see it!”
  • It’s remarkably thin. Compared to most other fashion brands, a DW timepiece is very thin and light. Add in the NATO strap and you barely even remember that you’re wearing a watch when you have it on.
  • It’s got quartz movements in virtually every model. If you want a fashion watch that offers a complex mechanical movement, then DW does not produce a timepiece that will seem interesting to you… but you’re also not their target market. Daniel Wellington watches offer style and substance with a reliable quartz movement.

When you wear a timepiece, you’re also wearing the story of that brand everywhere you go. Since DW is a relatively new timepiece producer, there isn’t much of a story to tell, and that can affect how some consumers may view this brand. These watches will not gain in value after purchase either.

This means if you want a subtle, elegant watch as a fashion piece, DW is a good brand to wear.

 What is the Quality of a Daniel Wellington Watch?

“Daniel Wellington makes watches that are both instantly recognizable and so generic they verge on invisible.”  – Stephen Pulvirent for Bloomberg

When you purchase a Daniel Wellington timepiece, there is a good chance your model is going to come with either a polished steel case or a rose-gold colored case – not actually gold in most cases. This brand offers five standard sizes throughout their various models, ranging from 26mm and going up to a somewhat large 40mm.

The trademark of the DW brand is the all-white dial, featuring slim lines that mark the hours. The hands of the watch are usually undersized compared to the size of the dial.

What really sets this brand apart from the other fashion brands of timepieces is the strap. The NATO strap comes with several different color options, with all of them being made from nylon. Leather straps are also available, but generally on the more expensive models, and still with the subtle style that DW features.

Minimalism is its own form of value in our industry today, but Daniel Wellington watches are highly affordable.
Each watch within this brand features an internal quartz movement. The battery and a vibrating crystal are what basically keep the time, which is a trademark of the Miyota movements from Japan.

In the end, this essentially creates a boring watch. DW has recognized this and introduced what they call their “Dapper Collection.” It’s priced at $250 and features Roman numerals on the dial, but otherwise, the other elements described above are essentially the same.

What is the Price Range of Daniel Wellington Watches?

Daniel Wellington watches are priced very affordable. Entry level watches tend to be priced in the $100-$150 range. You can find basic models that are priced below $100 quite often, especially when shopping online.

Most watches from Daniel Wellington will be priced below $300 – even when it is a premium design with complicated movement. There are a handful of models that are available online right now which retail between $329-$357. These Daniel Wellington watches typically feature rose gold accents with leather straps.

Watches priced higher than this in a Daniel Wellington collection are either limited edition watches, a vintage model with high collectability, or overpriced.

Is There a Warranty with a Daniel Wellington Watch?

Daniel Wellington watches offer a warranty term of 2 years from the date of purchase. This warranty covers any possible manufacturing defects that may be included on the watch itself: the crystal, case, or movement specifically. All other parts are not covered by the warranty that is extended to these timepieces.

To have your warranty on a Daniel Wellington watch be able to include replacement in addition to repair, new watch owners must fill out the information requested on the “Contact Us” page for your country.

US customers will use this page: https://www.danielwellington.com/us/contacts/

UK customers will use this page: https://www.danielwellington.com/uk/contacts/

Australian customers will use this page: https://www.danielwellington.com/au/contacts

You will need to specify your personal contact information, including name and address, along with your order number and a detailed description of the situation you are facing. The email must also have “Reclaim of Purchase as its subject line.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Daniel Wellington Watches?

Pros

#1. Their most expensive watch is still affordable for most. In April 2015, DW announced its latest style would also become its most complicated watch every designed. It would retail at just $299, offer a metallic blue hue, and even removes the idea of wearing it with the popular NATO strap.

#2. Most designs offered by Daniel Wellington are unisex. Men and women both love the classic fit and design of the various styles that are offered by this brand. The rose gold models are particularly popular because they mix elegance with personal style and affordability. You can wear a DW watch with virtually any outfit.

#3. The straps on a DW watch are surprisingly durable. Whether you prefer the classic leather strap or you go with the nylon NATO option, these watches wear well, feel comfortable with extended wear, yet still offers a simple way to slip the watch on when you’re getting ready to start your day.

Cons

#1. You pay a lot for an inexpensive watch. The prices of a Daniel Wellington watch are very affordable compared to premium brands, but that’s also because the watch itself is quite inexpensive to make. On a $149 DW watch, the company could easily make $100 profit.

#2. You won’t find a lot of features with a DW watch. Daniel Wellington watches are designed to tell time. That’s about it. They’re not watch-based computers that can send texts, emails, or take pictures of a beautiful sunset. In many ways, it’s more of a way to unplug from the world when you purchase this watch brand.

#3. The crown is felt to be too small by many who own this brand. The most common complaint about the DW brand is that the crown on the watch is almost too small. It can be difficult sometimes to tell if you’ve even pulled out the crown properly in order to change the time on the watch.

Is a Daniel Wellington Watch Right for Me?

Daniel Wellington is a relatively new watch brand in our industry today, which means there is a good chance you could be the only person you know wearing this style of timepiece. With 1 million units sold per year, however, there is also a chance that everyone in your office or workplace is already wearing this watch.

Because the style of a DW timepiece tends to be understated and quiet, those who like to live life “out loud” may not always like or want the subtle elegance that these timepiece models provide. They may be “cheap” to some and not highly collectible, but they also help guys express their style in a very specific way. If you appreciate that style, then you’re going to like the watch.

And if you don’t like that style, then this timepiece isn’t going to be for you.

This is the attitude that is reflected in each Daniel Wellington watch review. If you aren’t attracted to the design of the watch, then there are other fashion watches at a similar price point that can meet your needs. If you are, then you’ll be able to find a great timepiece at a fantastic price thanks to DW.

Last update on 2020-09-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API