Obaku Denmark
Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Danish-designed minimalist watch brand.
We couldn't find where Obaku Denmark makes most of its minimalist Danish-design quartz watches, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most jewellery and watches are made in countries such as India and China, where pay is usually below a living wage and unions are heavily restricted.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Obaku Denmark? Send a right of reply.
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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, unaudited production, probably 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 rightsWhere jewellery and watches are usually made, such as India and China, 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: Probably made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- 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
We couldn't confirm where Obaku Denmark makes most of its products, so this shows where jewellery and watches are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| China | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Thailand | 20% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Italy | 10% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Switzerland | 10% | 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 Obaku watches are made by Comtech Watches Co. Ltd., which also owns the brand, using Japanese stainless steel and quartz movements, but the country of assembly is not disclosed. Its social responsibility page covers charity projects and carbon offsets only. The brand publishes no factory locations, supplier list, audits, modern slavery statement or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | Obaku has no Australian reporting entity on the Modern Slavery Register; it is sold here through distributor Olympic Watch. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse allegations involving Obaku or Comtech Watches were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Obaku to launch 50 new styles at Hong Kong fair (Europa Star, 2009) · search the archive · Obaku watches are manufactured by Comtech Watches Co. Ltd., which is also the brand owner.
- Olympic Watch profile (Jeweller Magazine, August 2025) · search the archive · Family-run distributor Olympic Watch supplies Obaku to retailers in Australia and New Zealand.
- Obaku Watches - Shade Station · search the archive · Danish design; Japanese stainless steel cases and Japanese quartz movements; available since 2007; assembly country not given.
- Obaku - Indian Jeweller · search the archive · Designed by Danish designers Lau Liengaard Ruge and Christian Mikkelsen; steel and titanium watches.
Published by Obaku Denmark or its owner
- Obaku - Social Responsibility · search the archive · Covers donations, a house built in the Philippines and carbon offsets; nothing on factories, suppliers, audits or wages.
Company details
- Owned by
- Comtech Watches Co. Ltd.
- Headquarters
- Denmark
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Obaku Denmark ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/obaku, 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 Obaku Denmark.