Daniel Wellington
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Stockholm brand of minimalist watches and jewellery, owned by Timex Group.
There's no proof Daniel Wellington pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in China, India and Thailand, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From press and retailer reports; Daniel Wellington doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where jewellery and watches are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| ThailandUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ItalyUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| SwitzerlandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Relies on gold and gemstones from artisanal mines where workers face mercury poisoning, silica dust and deadly collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Daniel Wellington designs in Sweden and has its watches and jewellery made by a small number of unnamed suppliers in Asia; its watches have been reported as made in China. Timex Group took full ownership in July 2026. The brand says all suppliers sign a code of conduct, Asian suppliers are audited every year, it is a Sedex member and it trained over 3,000 factory workers on their rights in 2020. Leather straps come from Leather Working Group certified tanneries and gold is described only as conflict-free. It publishes no supplier list, production countries, audit results or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Good On You - Daniel Wellington · search the archive · People rated 2/5 (2022); some supply chain SMETA audited; no evidence of living wages.
- Timex Group acquires Daniel Wellington (FashionNetwork, July 2026) · search the archive · Timex Group took full ownership of Daniel Wellington in July 2026, after buying 25% three years earlier.
- Bloomberg: How Daniel Wellington made a $200 million business out of cheap watches (2015) · search the archive · Founder Filip Tysander built the company selling inexpensive, Chinese-built timepieces
- Sustainability Tracker - Daniel Wellington · search the archive · No factories, production countries or suppliers named; worker training since 2019.
- Middlebury's Timex Group sells majority stake to Boston investment firm (Hartford Business) · search the archive · Timex Group majority stake sold to The Baupost Group.
Published by Daniel Wellington or its owner
- Daniel Wellington - Sustainability · search the archive · Few suppliers; code of conduct; Asian suppliers audited yearly; Sedex member; 3,000+ workers trained in 2020; LWG leather; conflict-free gold.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Sweden
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Daniel Wellington ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/daniel-wellington, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded watches
No watches brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Daniel Wellington.