SEVERANCE AGREEMENT


          THIS AGREEMENT  made and entered into as of the 1st day of July,  1997
     (the "Effective  Date") by and between SWISS ARMY BRANDS,  INC., a Delaware
     corporation,  (hereinafter  referred  to as "SABI" or the  "Company"),  and
     STANLEY G. MORTIMER III (hereinafter referred to as "Mr. Mortimer").

          WHEREAS,  Mr.  Mortimer  has  served as an  officer,  director  and/or
     employee of SABI since 1984;

          WHEREAS,  Mr.  Mortimer has resigned from the office of Executive Vice
     President of the Company and as a director of the Company effective May 23,
     1997;

          WHEREAS,  the Company  desires to provide Mr.  Mortimer  with  certain
     severance benefits; and

          WHEREAS,  Mr. Mortimer desires to accept such benefits under the terms
     and conditions contained herein.

          NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and the  mutual
     covenants and  agreements  contained  herein,  the parties  hereto agree as
     follows:

          1. SEVERANCE BENEFITS. The Company agrees to provide Mr. Mortimer with
     the following severance benefits:

          (a) Mr.  Mortimer  shall be paid the sum of two hundred fifty thousand
     dollars  ($250,000.00),  in a lump sum payment within seven (7) days of the
     termination  of the  waiting  periods  set forth in Section 13 hereof.  All
     other  compensation  shall cease as of the Effective Date, and Mr. Mortimer
     shall thereafter not be entitled to the payment of any bonus (in respect of
     his employment in 1997 or otherwise), car allowance or any other amounts.

          (b) On the  Effective  Date,  SABI shall cease to pay  premiums to the
     Company's  insurance  carrier  for  medical  and dental  insurance  for the
     benefit of Mr.  Mortimer and his  dependents.  Mr.  Mortimer shall have the
     option of continuing  medical and dental  coverage  under COBRA at his sole
     expense.

          (c) The Company agrees to reimburse Mr. Mortimer for the purchase of a
     computer and related equipment in the amount of up to $3,000,  payable upon
     receipt  of  appropriate   invoices  evidencing  such  expenditure  by  Mr.
     Mortimer.

          (d) The Company shall pay for outplacement  services to be provided by
     Lee Hecht  Harrison for Mr.  Mortimer  for a period of up to one year.  The
     Company  shall have no  obligation  to pay and Mr.  Mortimer  shall have no
     right to receive cash or other payment in lieu of such services.

 

          (e) SABI shall maintain phone,  voicemail and secretarial  services at
     SABI for Mr.  Mortimer  for a three  (3)  month  period  commencing  on the
     Effective Date.

         
          (f) Pursuant to the Stock Option  Agreements  dated July 15, 1994 (the
     "July Option Agreement"), January 26, 1995 (the "January Option Agreement")
     and  November  14,  1996 (the  "November  Option  Agreement"),  the Company
     granted to Mr.  Mortimer  options to purchase an  aggregate of up to 60,000
     shares of the Company's common stock. In order that Mr. Mortimer shall have
     until the close of business on  February 1, 1998 to exercise  such  options
     that have vested by the  termination of his employment  hereunder,  Section
     7(c) of the July Option  Agreement  and Section 3(d) of the January  Option
     Agreement and the November  Option  Agreement are hereby amended to read as
     follows:

               "If the employment of the Grantee shall be terminated and Grantee
          shall not have fully exercised the Option, the Option may be exercised
          to the extent  that the  Grantee's  right to  exercise  the Option had
          accrued at the time of the  termination  of his employment and had not
          been  previously  exercised,  at any time on or  before  the  close of
          business on February 1, 1998 but may not be  exercised  in whole or in
          part  after  the  close  of   business   in   February  1,  1998." 

 
          2.  CONFIDENTIALITY.  Mr.  Mortimer  will  keep  secret  and will not,
     without the express written consent of the Company:

          (a) knowingly  divulge or communicate to any third person,  or use for
     the  benefit of Mr.  Mortimer  or any third  person,  any trade  secrets or
     privileged,  proprietary or confidential  information  used or owned by the
     Company or any affiliate or disclosed to or learned by him in the course of
     his employment by the Company  including,  without  limitation,  non-public
     information  concerning  products,  profitability,  the  identity  of,  and
     information relating to dealings with customers and suppliers; or

          (b) retain for the benefit of himself or any third person any document
     or paper used or owned by the Company or any  affiliate  or coming into his
     possession in the course of his  employment by the Company or make or cause
     to be made any copy, abstract, or summary thereof.

          3. REMEDIES.  Because the Company does not have an adequate  remedy at
     law to protect its interest in its trade secrets,  confidential information
     and  similar  commercial  assets,  Mr.  Mortimer  agrees that any breach or
     threatened   breach  of  any  provision  of  this  Agreement   relating  to
     confidentiality  shall entitle the Company,  in addition to any other legal
     or equitable  remedies  available to it, to apply to any court of competent
     jurisdiction to enjoin such breach or threatened breach without the posting
     of any bond or any security.

          4. RELEASE. Mr. Mortimer,  for him and for his successors and assigns,
     does hereby  fully and  completely  RELEASE,  ACQUIT and FOREVER  DISCHARGE
     SABI, and its affiliates, subsidiaries or other related entities as well as
     its shareholders,  officers,  directors,  employees or agents, from any and
     all claims,  debts,  demands,  actions,  causes of action,  suits,  sums of
     money,  contracts,  agreements,   judgements  and  liabilities,   including
     attorney's fees,  whatsoever,  both in law and in equity  ("claims") of any
     kind and any character  that he ever had,  might now or hereafter  have, or
     could  have  had,  whether  in  contract,  tort  or  otherwise,   including
     specifically any claims of  discrimination  that he may claim in connection
     with his employment or the  termination  thereof.  This includes but is not
     limited  to,  claims  arising  under  the  federal,  state  or  local  laws
     prohibiting   discrimination   on  the  basis  of  one's  sex,  race,  age,
     disability,  national origin, color or religion,  or other reason forbidden
     by  federal,  state  or  local  laws or  claims  growing  out of any  legal
     restrictions  on  SABI's  right  to  terminate  its  employees.  This  also
     specifically  includes the waiver of any rights or claims arising under the
     Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 621 et seq.). It is
     also  understood that the execution of this Agreement shall be construed as
     a release and covenant not to sue,  that Mr.  Mortimer will not sue SABI or
     any  subsidiary,   affiliate,  officer,  director,  employee  or  committee
     thereof, or file any claims of any sort with any administrative  agency for
     anything  arising out of his  employment,  and the terms of this  Agreement
     supersede any and all other agreements  relating to his employment  whether
     written or oral.

          5. CONFIRMATION OF RESIGNATION.  Mr. Mortimer  acknowledges,  confirms
     and agrees that (i)  effective  May 23, 1997,  he resigned from any and all
     positions  held  as an  officer  and  director  of SABI  and all of  SABI's
     subsidiaries   and  (ii)  he  resigns  as  an  employee  of  SABI  and  its
     subsidiaries as of the date hereof.

          6. SPLIT DOLLAR LIFE  INSURANCE.  On the  Effective  Date,  SABI shall
     cease payments to any split dollar life insurance policies paid for by SABI
     for the benefit of Mr. Mortimer. Mr. Mortimer shall have the right to repay
     SABI within ninety days of the  Effective  Date an amount equal to the cash
     surrender  value of such policies and to continue such policies at his sole
     expense. If Mr. Mortimer elects not to repay such amount, he shall promptly
     execute any and all  instruments  that may be required  to  relinquish  his
     interest in and terminate such policies.

          7. ADVICE OF COUNSEL. SABI encourages Mr. Mortimer to carefully review
     the terms of this Agreement  and, if he wishes,  to seek advise and counsel
     from an attorney before signing this Agreement.

          8. DIVISIBILITY OF AGREEMENT. In the event that any term, condition or
     provision of this Agreement is for any reason  rendered void, all remaining
     terms,  conditions  and  provisions  shall remain and continue as valid and
     enforceable obligations of the parties hereto.

              
          9. NOTICES. Any notices or other communications  required or permitted
     to be sent  hereunder  shall  be in  writing  and  shall  be duly  given if
     personally  delivered or sent postage  pre-paid by certified or  registered
     mail,  return receipt  requested,  or sent by electronic  transmission  and
     confirmed  by mail  within  two  business  days of  such  transmission,  as
     follows:
                                    (a)     If to Mr. Mortimer:
                                            Mr. Stanley G. Mortimer III
                                            117 East 72nd Street
                                            New York, New York  10021

                                    (b)     If to SABI:
                                            Swiss Army Brands, Inc
                                            One Research Drive
                                            Shelton, Connecticut 06484

          Either  party may change his or its  address for the sending of notice
     to such party by written notice to the other party sent in accordance  with
     the provisions hereof.

          10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT;  AMENDMENT.  This Agreement  contains the entire
     agreement and  understanding  between the parties  hereto in respect of the
     subject  matter  hereof  and  supersedes,  cancels  and annuls any prior or
     contemporaneous written or oral agreement, understandings,  commitments and
     practices between them respecting the subject matter hereof. This Agreement
     may not be altered or amended  except by a writing,  duly  executed  by the
     party against whom such alteration or amendment is sought to be enforced.

          11.  GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed
     in  accordance  with the laws of the state of  Connecticut  with respect to
     agreements made and to be performed wholly therein.

          12.  ASSIGNMENT.  This Agreement is personal and non-assignable by Mr.
     Mortimer.  It shall  inure to the  benefit of, and be the valid and binding
     obligation of, any corporation or other entity with which the Company shall
     merge or  consolidate  or to which the  Company  shall lease or sell all or
     substantially  all of its assets and may be  assigned by the Company to any
     affiliate  of the Company or to any  corporation  or entity with which such
     affiliate shall merge or consolidate or which shall lease or acquire all or
     substantially all of the assets of such affiliate.

          13. PERIOD TO REVIEW AND REVOKE. After Mr. Mortimer has had the chance
     to review this Agreement and to consult with his attorney, if he wishes, he
     should  sign the  Agreement  and the  Acknowledgement,  attached  hereto as
     Exhibit A, and return them to SABI within 22 days.

          After Mr. Mortimer has executed and delivered this Agreement, he shall
     have seven (7) days  following  the date of execution  during which time he
     may revoke this Agreement,  provided, however, that, if he elects to return
     an executed  copy of the document to SABI before the  expiration of 22 days
     from the date hereof,  he may revoke this  Agreement at any time before the
     later to occur of seven (7) days following the date of execution or 22 days
     after the date hereof.  If SABI does not receive a written  revocation from
     Mr.  Mortimer,  or his attorney,  prior to the  expiration of the period in
     which he may revoke this Agreement, this Agreement will become effective on
     the date after the expiration of the applicable revocation period.

          IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each of the  parties  hereto has  executed  this
     Agreement as of the day and year first above written.


                                              /s/ Stanley G. Mortimer III     
                                              Stanley G. Mortimer III



                                              SWISS ARMY BRANDS, INC.



                                              By:/s/ J. Merrick Taggart 
                                              Title:  President