Review: Daniel Wellington Classic Cardif Watch

If you’ve been following me for a while now, you already know that my fixation for horological wristwatches was passed down to me by my father, literally…Not only did he share his passion for timepieces with me, but a part of his collection as well. However, as much as I love wearing high-end watches, sometimes, be it for practical, functional or even safety reasons, it’s nice to have a worthy alternative. Recently, the guys over at Daniel Wellington contacted me for a feedback on their recently released line of wristwatches.

Undeniably inspired by a preppy aesthetic, the Swedish brand draws its name from a great friend of its founder Filip Tysander, who had a thing for wearing Rolexes with his old army Nato Straps. Presenting an outstanding looking model suitable for every occasion, from a relaxed beachside cocktail party to black tie events, Daniel Wellington delivers a classic watch with sleek design: the lightweight, super slim 6 mm case is available in both silver or rose gold, with matching batons and hands over an eggshell dial. A generous 40mm case gives it an imposing character and there’s a wide array of bracelets available, from genuine leather to colorful nato straps. 

Taking into account my current collection I decided to go with a more casual allrounder: silver casing with a brown vintage looking leather bracelet. Easy to pair with almost any look, I’ve been wearing it a lot these last few days making the most of its appealing aesthetic and light weight. The Japanese quartz movement is reliable and provides a “ready-to-wear” alternative when I’m in a hurry in the morning and lack the time to prep the automatics, as I don’t have a winding box (yet). If I had to name a downside, the only one I can think of is that the genuine leather bracelet takes a while to break in and adapt to your wrist, but it’s a minor issue which fades within a week.

They were kind enough to provide all Beyond Fabric followers the chance to purchase their watches with a 15% discount. Just enter the code “beyond” at checkout on their website (valid until the end of November).