Benson Watch Co. was founded in 2016 by Barry M. Benson on the principle that “Time Should Be Spent Doing What you love.” Mr. Benson discovered his passion for watches after he received his first watch from his mother when he was seven years old. During the first year in his new career as a consultant, Mr. Benson realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing what he loved: designing watches. He worked hard to turn his passion into a business, raising $10,000 for the initial inventory on Kickstarter. Those watches quickly sold out and Benson Watch Co. received a loan from BCL to purchase additional inventory. “I have been told no so many times that I didn’t believe BCL would approve this loan,” says Mr. Benson. In fact, the company has been so successful that it received a second loan over a year later for additional inventory.
Benson Watch has been featured on the television stations ABC, Channel 8 News, and the Inhorgenta Trend Factory in Germany; and publications such as Black Enterprise, Rolling Out, Essence, Heart & Soul Magazine, Huffington Post, The New York Times, Town & Country Magazine. Benson Watch has also attained retail partnerships with powerhouses like MGM Grand, Macy’s, Gilt Groupe, and QVC/HSN. The New York Times has also named Benson the Top Black-Owned Watch Brand in the United States.
