Skagen
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Brand of minimalist watches and jewellery.
Skagen can't show that the workers who make its products in India earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
Also worth knowing
It has no full independent audit.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Skagen? 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 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: 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
These are Fossil Group's countries across all its brands; Skagen doesn't say where its own 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 |
| India | 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.
- Modern slavery statement
- 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 Skagen watches and jewellery are made by independent manufacturers, mainly in China like the rest of Fossil Group, which also has limited watch assembly at an owned site in India; no supplier list or shares by country are published. Fossil audits factories with its own staff and third-party firms, mostly with notice, and says it has found no forced or child labour. It has no living wage commitment. Fossil restructured its debt in 2025 and is closing stores, but still owns Skagen. Many Skagen watches use leather straps, and the group does not disclose where its leather comes from.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Transparency Index (Fashion Revolution) | Listed | Parent Fossil Group scored 16% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, below the 26% average. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Covered by Fossil Group's FY2025 supply chain statement (UK, California and Canada laws), which describes mostly announced audits of Tier 1 and some Tier 2 factories. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | No Ethical Fashion Report score is listed for Fossil Group or Skagen. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Fossil Australia - Shop Ethical (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · FTI 2023 16%; Leather Working Group member; no Ethical Fashion Report score.
- Fossil Group Form 10-K, Fiscal 2025 · search the archive · Skagen an owned brand; watches mostly made by independent makers in China; limited owned assembly in India; 2025 debt exchange via UK plan.
- The Complete Buying Guide to Skagen Watches (Gear Patrol) · search the archive · Skagen's production is based in China; quartz watches with steel, leather and recycled-plastic straps.
- Myer - Skagen Hagen analogue watch · search the archive · Skagen watches sold by Myer, an Australian department store.
Published by Skagen or its owner
- Fossil Group Supply Chain Disclosure FY2025 · search the archive · UK/California/Canada statement; mostly announced audits; no supplier list; no living wage commitment.
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Skagen ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/skagen, 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 Skagen.