Bani McSpedden steps aside as AFR watch editor

Bani McSpedden has stepped aside as watch editor at The Australian Financial Review, ending a two-decade tenure that helped establish luxury watch journalism as a dedicated editorial category in Australia.

The Financial Review has appointed its watch writer, Luke Benedictus, as watch editor, while McSpedden will remain with the masthead as senior watch columnist.

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Passing the baton

McSpedden began covering watches for the Financial Review in 2005 before launching the publication's first dedicated watch magazine in 2007.

Over the following 20 years, he interviewed the leaders of the world's biggest watchmakers, covered landmark product launches and chronicled the evolution of the luxury watch industry.

AFR Magazine editor Matthew Drummond said McSpedden had helped define a new form of journalism in Australia.

"Bani pioneered a type of journalism that hadn't before been seen in Australia, a hybrid of lifestyle and business journalism that looked critically at newly released watches," Drummond said.

"He treated the companies that make luxury watches as serious businesses worthy of proper analysis. And he revealed the enthusiasm that our subscribers and readers have for watch content that is relevant, accurate and aspirational."

Reflecting on the transition, McSpedden said the category had continued to evolve despite the rise of digital technology.

"It's been fascinating to see watches not just survive in a digital world but morph from a trusty tool to a talking point," he said.

"Luke, with his knowledge and experience, is well placed to keep readers abreast of the continued evolution of both timekeeping mechanics and the social experience of watch ownership."

Benedictus takes the helm

Benedictus joined the Financial Review as watch writer in 2025 after previously serving as editor-in-chief of Men's Health and editor of specialist publication Time+Tide.

He said he first met McSpedden more than a decade ago and had continued to draw on his expertise throughout his career.

"I remember meeting Bani at my first-ever watch fair in Basel in 2012, and he kindly gave me a few illuminating pointers," Benedictus said. "I've continued to benefit from his depth of knowledge and industry know-how ever since.

"What excites me about this role is the chance to cover the watch world through the multiple lenses of business, culture and design. I look forward to reporting on how economics and craftsmanship shape the industry, while also delving into watches as cultural artefacts that reveal broader shifts about society at large."

Transition ahead of flagship event

The leadership change comes ahead of this year's Financial Review About Time Watch Weekend, which returns in September across Melbourne and Sydney. 

The annual event, launched in 2023, has become the masthead's flagship luxury watch showcase, with McSpedden and Benedictus set to appear together in conversation during the Sydney event.

McSpedden said the event reflected the growing appeal of watch collecting.

"The Watch Weekend is a fitting celebration of yet another decade that's seen watches appeal to more people than ever," he said.

"Be it for the simple pleasure of wearing one, their investment potential, or the challenge of collecting, the horological community has never been stronger."