Popular watch startup Daniel Wellington has sold over 11 million watches to date - after wearing one, I understand their universal appeal
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- Swedish brand Daniel Wellington takes its style inspiration (as well as its name) from a man the founder met while traveling. He paired a classic, luxury timepiece with a casual NATO strap.
- The 8-year-old watch company has found success selling its own versions of this cool and stylish combination, in addition to mesh and leather varieties.
- The Classic Petite Melrose, 32mm ($189) is one of its most popular styles and sums up the brand in one watch: minimalist yet versatile, affordable yet high-quality.
In any mention of affordable watch brands today, it's impossible not to acknowledge the dominance of Daniel Wellington, the Swedish start-up that, if you follow even just a couple of online influencers, you've seen on your Instagram at some point.
Daniel Wellington isn't the name of the founder (that would be Filip Tysander), but of a man who Tysander met while traveling. Wellington was spotted wearing a vintage Rolex with a rugged, military-inspired NATO strap, a high-low pairing that inspired Tysander to create his own line of stylish watches with interchangeable straps.
Since its founding in 2011, Daniel Wellington, or DW, has sold over 11 million of its minimalist, timeless, and mostly under-$200 watches worldwide.
Such success has to be attributed at least in part to its thriving social media community of members who bring Daniel Wellington along for all their picturesque travels or make it the finishing touch on their composed outfits of the day.
Read more: 4 cool watch startups that make stylish timepieces you can actually afford - some of which are under $100
However, the brand would be nothing if it didn't balance the intersection of style, versatility, and affordability with poise and confidence.
Its men's and women's timepieces aren't actually sold in a large variety of styles, which makes your decision easier and is part of the brand's appeal. With its Classic, Classic Petite, and Dapper Collections, you can usually choose between black or white dials; silver, gold, or rose gold accents; and two different watch face sizes.
One of its bestsellers is the Classic Petite Melrose ($169-$189), available in 28mm and 32mm sizes. I tried out the 32 mm rose gold version powered by Japanese Quartz movement and loved that it felt super light and slim on my wrist. It's also water-resistant (up to 100 feet), and the shiny mesh strap is pretty, but also easily interchangeable if I want a change.
It's an accessory that's perfect for when you want to dress up your look without practically shouting at passersby to admire your watch. While it isn't flashy, it's just striking enough that when someone does notice it, they'll love it and ask where it's from. Until someone does that, you may even forget you're wearing it since it's so light.
Of course, the brand has to acknowledge its original inspiration by selling nylon-strapped watches ($179-$199). The combination of a sleek, simple round case and a durable, sporty strap makes the watch casual, but not sloppy or chunky like many other brand's attempts at casual style.
If you don't like mesh or nylon (or do, and want to expand your collection), Daniel Wellington also offers genuine Italian leather strap watches in a variety of colors for a more classic look and feel. So, despite the limited number of watch cases, you can still find a DW watch that suits your style and tastes.