It was only a matter of time before I wrote a What I’ve Got on Shinola. This is a company that fully understands the power of brand, ensuring that their story is present in every product they sell; their “About Us” page is present in the strap of each watch and the spokes of each bike.
Shinola is a luxury brand based in Detroit, Michigan (being from Ann Arbor, this of course is bonus points to me). They are best known for their high-end watches but also sell bicycles, and other leather based accessories. Shinola’s mission is a commitment to quality American-made products. The company was headquartered in Detroit as the heart of American manufacturing, and claims to be the only watch manufacturer producing at scale in the United States since the 60s. The brand just shouts domestically-made, and consumers and their wallets are both very into the idea.
The Shinola aesthetic blends the traditional rustic flavor of Detroit with a hipster vibe of a city on the rebound. It is the chic warehouse, the luxury garage. And that is what one thinks about when buying a Shinola product. I absolutely love my Shinola watch. Yes it looks nice, but I also consciously think about its quality every time I put it on. No it does not tell time better than other watches, but when I’m wearing it, I would certainly not look to find the time anywhere besides my left wrist.
