I return to the Kickstarter universe to cover an unlikely project that has caught the attention of the watch world- Winston Watches. Winston Watches launched a project on Kickstarter that surpassed its $15k funding goal in 1 day! Regardless of what you think of crowdfunded watch projects, those results are impressive and deserve a further look.

Winston Watches are “inspired by travel.” When I first read that tagline admittedly, I thought the watch would have some GMT function but I was wrong by a mile. In fact these watches feature a very svelte three-hand design, a minimalist 40mm case and a Swiss Ronda 763 movement. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between Winston and the wildly successful Daniel Wellington line of watches but there are some differences. As previously stated, Winston pieces are meant to be the ultimate travel companion but what exactly does that mean? Each watch includes a genuine leather travel case, 2 straps ( one NATO and leather) as well as a Winston pen and strap changing tool. While I love the idea of including a travel watch case some of the other accessories seem to dilute the package but then again at this price you can’t argue with it.

On a personal note, the primary reason why I am attracted to Winston is how their travel ethos manifest itself in the product offering. They have incorporated two really important elements that most companies overlook regardless of price point, additional straps and a carrying case. Additional straps give any timepiece more versatile appeal. In this case, Winston opted to go with two industry standard strap variations - leather and NATO. The inherent versatility that these straps offer help the watch transition from more formal occasions to relaxing days by the pool. If you have read the blog before, you know by now that I am proponent of additional straps becoming an industry standard with any watch purchase but I digress. Regarding the travel case, I find this element to be the most attractive and useful element of the offering. I can’t count the number of times I have travelled with a number of watches stuffed in socks and other odd places. Even with my watch roll, I find that in the affordability department you can’t beat this deal that Winston is offering.

With fashion watches gaining market share year after year, I think Winston is truly onto something and people should take note. The idea that a quartz watch has to be hundreds of dollars just based on brand prestige is pretty ridiculous. Brands like Winston are offering a ton of value at a fraction of the price. Across the board I would love to see more brands take elements from Winston’s successful campaign such as the travel case and additional straps. It seems as though Winston has gained a respectable following on their own and will definitely be successful on the open market. Available in three varieties- silver case & white dial, rose gold case & white dial and silver case & black dial. Packages are available starting at $123 USD.

Check out the campaign here- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/624380658/winston-the-watch-inspired-by-travel