Watch on the wrist does more than just tell time. It provides a glimpse of your personality. Therefore, you spend a lot of time finalizing a watch that can represent your style. In addition to being a style statement, now you can consider a watch – fueled with inventive ingenious – that helps the environment for a little more time.
Watchmakers today are taking green strides in their own ways, while the likes of Omega are operating out of eco-friendly factories, Hublot and Chopard, for instance, are providing proceeds for conservation. And the third lot – horological geniuses have worked around materials for the cases, parts and straps to make them environmentally friendlier than their stainless steel counterparts; heralding a future where most watches will be made from eco-friendly materials. Take a look at some of these watches baked in green conscience, and see which one fits the bill for you.
Ulysse Nardin Diver NET concept watch
Ulysee Nardin is working around a 44mm Diver NET watch that comes with a case, caseback, and bezel made using 100-percent upcycled plastic sourced from abandoned fishing nets. This material is created by a French recycling group and it’s touted to be friction-resistant and highly robust. A Diver X-lookalike in appearance, the Diver NET watch face is also divided into four quadrants – highlighted with lot of green color. Powered by in-house caliber UN-118 automatic movement offering 60 hour power reserve, the watch is paired with a nylon strap also made from recycled plastic.
Joago Soleos, Eos and Terra
A sustainably driven startup called Joago has fashioned a trio of limited edition watches that are made from ocean waste and recycled stainless steel. The watch cases are made from recycled stainless steel and the colorful, interchangeable straps are made using recovered ocean plastic, pineapple waste and vegan velvet. The three watches in the collection include a solar-powered Soleos; Eos – a moon-phase watch inspired by the ocean; and the affordable Terra.
BIOCERAMIC Big Bold’s from Swatch
Swatch is one of the newer watchmakers to jump onto the bandwagon of eco-friendly watch materials. The company has worked around its own sustainable material which is scratch resistant yet very soft. Called BIOCERAMIC, this is a mixture of bio-sourced plastic and ceramic. Since colorful ceramic watches have just hit the markets in a great number this past year, Swatch is keeping up with the trend. Offering BIOCERAMIC on the Big Bold watches, Swatch has brought these in five bold colors. With their see-through dial and 47mm form factor, these watches are definite work of art.
Tom Ford 002
Designer Tom Ford’s eponymous 002 is unlike any of the watches in his luxury collection since it is made from plastic. But as you’d guess, this is no ordinary plastic. Tom Ford 002 is made from ocean plastic totaling 35 bottles. Built to echo the sentiment that “ethical luxury is THE greatest luxury” this is a 42mm diameter watch that comes paired with a paracord braided strap, which like the case, is made from recycled ocean plastic. While the other parts of the watch are not equally sustainable, the watch does come in a package made from the same plastic as the watch case and strap.
Panerai Submersible eLAB-ID
Panerai kicked off its sustainable timepiece journey with the Submersible Mike Horn Edition made from recycled titanium and paired with a strap made from recycled PET bottles. Going strong with the idea, the brand – at the recently concluded Watches & Wonders – announced the Submersible eLab ID, which is made from lightweight EcoTitanium. This material is recycled aerospace-grade alloy and it finds its way past the case and into the dial as well. Powered by the sustainable P.900e caliber movement, the watch’s strap and its buckle are also made from EcoTitanium.
