Daniel Wellington Dapper 38 St Mawes DW00100087: Slim Silver-tone Dress Watch

The Daniel Wellington Dapper 38 St Mawes DW00100087 is a 38 mm quartz dress watch in a steel case with a white dial and a leather strap. It is the silver counterpart to the rose gold-tone St Mawes in the same Dapper range, and it follows the same plain recipe: Roman numerals, blue hands and a date window on a slim, polished case. Silver is the cooler and more neutral of the two case finishes, so it pairs more easily with a mix of metal accessories.

Daniel Wellington lists this model in its Dapper line, where cases are cut slim and dials are kept minimal. This reference measures 38 mm, which under our sizing guide makes it a unisex watch, even though the brand has often marketed the 38 mm Dapper to men. The pieces below set out what is on the dial, what drives it and how it behaves in daily use.

Case and Wrist Presence

The case is round, 38 mm across and roughly 7 mm thick, made from stainless steel with a silver-tone finish and a fixed bezel with no rotating parts. A slim case of about 7 mm and a 38 mm diameter put this watch between the small and large ends of a dress watch range. The polished stainless steel reflects light cleanly, and the fixed bezel keeps the outline smooth with nothing to snag on a sleeve.

• 38 mm round case: a mid-size diameter that suits a wide range of wrists
• Slim profile: about 7 mm thick, so it slides under cuffs
• Silver-tone finish: applied to stainless steel for a consistent tone across case and buckle
• Fixed bezel: a clean outline with nothing to catch on clothing

Dial Layout

The dial is white and clean, with the black numerals and blue hands providing the only contrast. Black Roman numerals mark the hours around the edge, and the hour and minute hands are blue, which gives the face a small touch of colour without breaking the neutral scheme. A thin seconds hand sweeps around the outside of the dial, and a date window sits above the six o’clock position. There are no sub-dials, no chronograph pushers and no extra text, so the dial can be read in a glance.

• Roman numerals: classic hour markers that give the dial a formal feel
• Blue hands: easy to pick out against the white face
• Date window: shows the day of the month
• Mineral crystal: a hardened glass cover that resists everyday scratches

Movement and Functions

The watch runs on a Japanese quartz movement powered by a battery. It keeps accurate time without winding, and the only adjustments are setting the time and the date through the crown. The functions are hours, minutes, seconds and date. Quartz is a sensible choice for a slim dress watch because it needs no winding and allows the case to stay thin. A battery change is needed every few years, and it is best done by a watchmaker who can check the seal at the same time.

The St Mawes Strap

The St Mawes strap is brown leather in the Dapper style, about 19 mm wide, and it closes with a buckle. Brown against a silver-tone case gives a lower-contrast, more relaxed result than black, and the combination suits smart casual clothing particularly well. As with all leather, the strap will soften and take on a slight patina with wear, and it is the part of the watch most likely to need replacing first, which is simple to do with a standard 19 mm strap.

Water Resistance in Practice

The watch is rated to 3 ATM, or 30 metres. In everyday terms that means it copes with splashes, hand washing and a light shower of rain. It is not made for swimming, bathing or showering, and hot steam and soap can damage the seals over time. Leather straps in particular dislike water, so remove the watch before washing up or exercising.

The Dapper Collection and Daniel Wellington

Daniel Wellington is a Swedish watch brand founded in 2011 by Filip Tysander, and it became known for slim cases, clean dials and interchangeable straps. The Dapper collection is its dressier line, with Roman numerals, blue hands and a date window, available in 34 mm and 38 mm. The strap names such as Sheffield, St Mawes, York and Bristol refer to the strap style fitted to the watch. Because the straps share a standard width, they can be swapped to change the look of the watch.

Who This Watch Suits

• Wearers who prefer a silver-tone case to rose gold
• Anyone who wants a quiet dress watch that works with both denim and tailoring
• People who like Roman numerals and a date window on a slim case
• Buyers who already own silver cufflinks, belt buckles or rings and want the metal to match

Care and Maintenance

Wipe the case and crystal with a soft dry cloth, and keep the brown leather away from water, perfume and long periods in direct sun. Store the watch flat or on a watch cushion rather than in a pile with other jewellery, as silver-tone plating can pick up marks from harder metals. Let the strap dry naturally if it gets damp. If the watch stops, the battery is the first thing to check, and a watchmaker can replace it and confirm the 3 ATM seal is still intact.

Technical Specifications