Review: The Hexagonal Bennett Winch Watch Roll
If there’s one useful accessory for a watch guy, it’s a watch roll. I’ve had and tried many, but only a few make it to become one of my “travel essentials”.
Before I start with the review of this Bennett Winch watch roll, I think it is good to spend a few words on what I think makes a good one. For me, the most important thing is that a watch roll is sturdy. I often put it in my cabin luggage, and it might float around in there as I don’t overpack. A soft watch roll, especially those that are not made of leather, provides too little protection in my opinion.
What Makes A Good Watch Roll?
I also want to have at least two spots for a watch. If I travel with just one extra watch, I could live with a service pouch. However, you never know what you will bump into when traveling, so I like to keep a free spot as well. A good watch roll also needs a divider, as I don’t want to have the watch touching each other. I don’t mind a scratch on a watch, but this is just silly. Every scratch should have a good story behind it and that wouldn’t be one.
Also important to me is the way it closes. I don’t like zippers, as I am always afraid the metal parts will touch the watches. Then, there are watch rolls that use a strap with buckle and those using poppers. I am not against a strap with buckle to close a watch roll, but the buckle often does stick out a bit much. However, there will be no metal (or hard) parts near the watches. The same goes for poppers, as long as there’s no sign of them on the inside of the watch roll.
Last but not least, the watch roll should have a soft inside. Preferably leather, felt, or fabric.
Bennett Winch Watch Roll Review
I had never heard of Bennett Winch before, but that doesn’t mean much. I did remember seeing this watch roll on the Instagram channel of our friend Wei Koh, founder of The Rake and Revolution. Somehow it didn’t stick with me, but apparently he was involved in the design of this hexagonal watch roll. Bennett Winch designs and makes beautiful bags. Weekenders, commuters, and backpacks. All products use the finest materials and the products are handmade in England. Including small(er) leather accessories, like wallets, cardholders, luggage tags, and this watch roll.
Leather, Alcantara, Kevlar
When unboxing the Bennett Winch watch roll (it comes in this white cardboard box), it really feels like your getting something luxurious. It all feels perfectly made and uses beautiful materials. The design is well thought out, especially the hexagonal shape of the Bennett Winch role. All my other watch rolls are round, like a cylinder. Also fine, but this one will sit in place once you put it on the table, or in your suitcase. It doesn’t roll over. Opening and closing the Bennett Winch watch roll is easy by using the three brass poppers.
The lining is made of olive green Alcantara, ensuring great protection for your watches. There are two dividers, also covered with Alcantara. Even when your watches are a bit loose on the olive green cylinder, the dividers will prevent them from hitting each other. Under the fine leather, there is a molded Kevlar lining to keep it safe from moisture.
Fiddling Around
If you are like me, and you like to fiddle around with your watches. Be it at home, in the office, hotel room, or when meeting with watch friends, I always dislike putting the watch on a hard surface. Again, I don’t baby my watches, not even those made of precious metal, but you don’t need to unnecessarily damage or scratch them. With this Bennett Winch watch roll, there’s no longer need to worry. If you “unroll” it, you can use the Alcantara as underground for your watches.
Hotel Safes and Rimowas
I briefly touched this above, but the Bennett Winch watch roll is a perfect travel companion. Not only because of the hexagonal shape but also due to the dimensions, it easily fits my Rimowa cabin luggage and most hotel safes. One of the first things I check in a hotel is if there’s a safe in the room. Since most of my hotels are in Switzerland, there are. The roll is 20cm long and the height and width are 9cm. Just as a side note, always be careful what you take with you when traveling, as you might remember this story from Mike about the Swiss customs.
Bennett Winch Watch Roll
There are many watch rolls out there, from very cheap to very expensive. With a price tag of €650, I wouldn’t call the Bennett Winch watch roll cheap. It might not make sense to buy a watch roll like this for three Seiko 5s. But if you travel a lot, you will invest in a safe place for your watches. It is as expensive as a few proper watch straps, but this will probably last a lifetime, while straps need a replacement at some point. The Bennett Winch watch roll is incredibly well made and offers better protection than any of the other (more expensive) rolls I had and have (by Cartier, Tod’s, etcetera). Louis Vuitton, for example, charges €690 for a full leather watch roll for three watches, but no dividers. It also has, like many watch rolls, a soft leather outside that is vulnerable when storing it in your cabin luggage for example.
Besides the outstanding quality, I am also a huge fan of the hexagonal design, and the divider system. And last but certainly not least, the possibility to use it as a tray for your watches. Brilliant. It is available in brown (like in this review) and black. More information via Bennett Winch online.
