Ben Winstanley
Deputy Editor
Ben Winstanley is Deputy Editor at Square Mile, London's leading luxury lifestyle magazine for the City, and Editor of its sister title HEDGE, where he covers the intersection of haute horlogerie, fine dining, travel, and sporting culture.
As Square Mile's head watch writer, he stands on the front line of the latest industry news and releases, regularly attending Watches & Wonders in Geneva and interviewing some of the most influential figures in watchmaking. Over his tenure, Ben has profiled industry titans including Breitling CEO Georges Kern, Vacheron Constantin's Laurent Perves, and MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, while taking readers inside esteemed manufactures from Jaeger-LeCoultre to Tudor. His writing spans the full spectrum of horology – from accessible gateway timepieces to seven-figure complications – always with an eye toward helping readers navigate the intricate world of mechanical watchmaking.
Beyond watches, Ben's expertise extends across the luxury landscape. He's interviewed Hollywood stars like Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, explored Michelin-starred restaurants from London to Tuscany, and profiled everyone from fashion dynasty scions to legends of Formula 1 like Lewis Hamilton. However, if you were to nail him down to a singular passion it would be his love affair with golf.
As an avid course aficionado and student of golf architecture, Ben has travelled the length and breadth of the planet in search of his next great round. Whether it be the wind-swept links of Northern Ireland or the dramatic coastline of Saint Lucia, he's experienced the lot – typically found in heated competition with his equally golf-mad wife, Sophie.
Outside of the office, you'll find Ben studying the art of cocktails and coffee making, or having the occasional flutter at the racetrack.
Ben Winstanley's articles
Carlos Rosillo: “Creativity is so important in our business”
Bell & Ross began life in 1992 as a university project by two friends. Fast forward 30 years, it’s now a widely respected brand for its stylish utilitarian timepieces. Ben Winstanley sits down with CEO and co-founder Carlos Rosillo
Published: Tuesday 31st May 2022
This hand-illustrated Burberry silk scarf fit for a royal celebration
To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Burberry has designed an item the Queen herself is very partial to wearing in cooler weather – a hand-illustrated silk scarf
Published: Thursday 26th May 2022
Piaget CEO Benjamin Comar on the secret to watch immortality
From the small Swiss village of La Côte-aux-Fées in the Jura mountains, Piaget has risen into one of the finest watch and jewellery brands on the planet. Ben Winstanley speaks to new CEO Benjamin Comar on his role and what’s next
Published: Wednesday 11th May 2022
The best novelties from Watches & Wonders 2022
What took us by surprise at Watches & Wonders 2022? From a world-first watch mechanism to a new look for an iconic model, this year's timepieces prove the continued innovation of the world's best watchmakers
Published: Thursday 7th April 2022
Audemars Piguet Jumbo Extra-Thin Openworked | Watch of the week
Openworked (AKA skeleton) watches are something of a speciality for Audemars Piguet, so it’s no surprise the brand is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak with a very special release: the Jumbo Extra-Thin Openworked
Published: Tuesday 5th April 2022
"It’s like steering a car that’s going 150mph" – Leonardo Ferracina from Louis XIII
Dating back to 1874, Louis XIII is the most prestigious cognac maker on Earth. Tasked with the next phase of its story is incoming global executive director Leonardo Ferracina. Ben Winstanley sits down with him to find out more
Published: Tuesday 22nd February 2022
Bremont's Nick and Giles English are returning British watchmaking to its glory days
Over the past 20 years, brothers Nick and Giles English, founders of Bremont, have painstakingly rebuilt the foundations of the British watchmaking industry. Ben Winstanley hears their story
Published: Tuesday 22nd February 2022
"There’s always another level." Maro Itoje is ready to step up
Meet Maro Itoje: the talismanic England forward who carries the weight of a nation on his broad shoulders. But there’s more to this supremely talented rugby player than meets the eye, as Ben Winstanley learns…
Published: Thursday 3rd February 2022
Gymkhana proves perfection is real
Gymkhana might be the best Indian restaurant in London. Head to Mayfair and enjoy the meal of your life
Published: Wednesday 26th January 2022
The ten most expensive watches auctioned by Phillips in 2021
Phillips smashed its annual sales total in 2021, with more than $209.3 million worth of rare, unique and vintage timepieces sold in the past 12 months. We take a look at the ten most valuable watches sold by Phillips last year
Published: Wednesday 19th January 2022
Square Mile Watch Awards 2021: Industry Heroes
This year, the Square Mile Watch Awards Industry Hero award goes to two legends of the watchmaking game who have brought back mechanical matchmaking to Britain, Nick and Giles English from Bremont Watches
Published: Monday 20th December 2021
Inside the Sotogrande estate: Europe's premier golfing destination
The Costa del Sol’s Sotogrande estate has been synonymous with glamour and luxury for decades, but it’s never looked better, writes Ben Winstanley
Published: Friday 3rd December 2021
Sumi is the neighbourhood restaurant we wish was on our doorstep
From the mind of sushi master Endo Kazutoshi, Sumi is a Japanese restaurant located in Westbourne Grove that brings high-end sushi to a more relaxed and casual setting than many of its peers
Published: Friday 26th November 2021
Phillips Hong Kong XIII auction: five of the best watches up for sale
Looking to invest in your first vintage timepiece? Phillips auction house has you covered. Here are our highlights from the prestigious Hong Kong Watch Auction XIII this November
Published: Wednesday 24th November 2021
77 Diamonds: no stone unturned
Buying diamonds, whether for investment or pleasure, comes with a host of challenges. Ben Winstanley heads to 77 Diamonds to find an easier way
Published: Thursday 18th November 2021
Inside Les Bordes: Europe’s most exclusive golf club
Welcome to Les Bordes: a private golf club in France’s Loire Valley that is one of the most exclusive in Europe. Ben Winstanley is granted a rare visit to golf heaven
Published: Friday 12th November 2021
A super-rare Rolex Deep Sea Special is going up for auction at Phillips' The Geneva Watch Auction XIV
The super-rare Rolex Deep Sea Special is being offered at The Geneva Watch Auction XIV in November, and we’re a little bit in love. Here’s everything you need to know about one of the most historically important tool watches in Rolex’s archives
Published: Friday 29th October 2021
Wilhelm Schmid: “We didn’t launch a watch, we launched an idea”
How do you modernise a brand that was originally founded in 1845? That’s the question A Lange & Söhne CEO, Wilhelm Schmid, has pondered during his decade at Germany’s finest watchmaker. Ben Winstanley reports
Published: Wednesday 20th October 2021
Is Furlan Marri the best new budget watch brand?
Furlan Marri is on a mission to bring the great watch case designs of old to a brand-new audience – and, judging by its first timepiece, it’s going to succeed. Find out more about the most exciting affordable watch brand on the planet
Published: Wednesday 20th October 2021
Nico Rosberg: "If you ask me, ‘When did you decide to retire?’ That was the moment…"
Nico Rosberg – the Formula One champion who conquered Lewis Hamilton and retired at the top of his game – is one of sport’s great enigmas. He tells Ben Winstanley what it takes to beat the greatest racing driver of all-time