Our environment. Though this can sometimes be dragged into a huge political discussion on how we are affecting it, our article today is specifically not about that. But the considerable efforts that are being undertaken by many companies, including watch manufactures who have rallied together to make a difference in conservation and education. Hence, in this week’s Throwback Sunday, we look at six different watch manufacturers who have produce watches with such causes, and attempt to make a difference to Mother Earth.
As usual, in no particular order:
Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition II
The Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition II in its natural habitat.
The first watch that we have here is the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition II, from Oris.
Launched in 2016, this timepiece is the second collaboration with the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS). The first collaboration was introduced in 2010, and the demand for the watch was phenomenal. The second iteration, notably, has big shoes to fill but fill it well it did!
The Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition II is based on Aquis, the diver’s watch collection from Oris. The watch features a stunning blue dial, with coral yellow accents to accentuate and remind collectors of the coral reefs. The 46mm timepiece is also rather solid in its built, in which it has a watch resistance of up to 500 metres.
Fitted with a Sellita-based movement, the diver’s watch features an additional day and date indicator. Only 2,000 pieces will be produced, each with a price tag of CHF 2,100 (approximately S$2,983). A portion of the profits will also be donated to AMCS for their conservation efforts as well.
IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau”
The IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau”.
Since its partnership with the Cousteau Society in 2004, IWC has been producing several limited edition timepieces to support the work of Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the endeavours of his society. For the uninitiated, Jacques Cousteau pioneered the invention of Gagnan, the first diving regulator. In addition, he had done many research and produced many films, to educate people about our fascinating planet.
The Aquatimer Chronograph Edition “Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau” is one of the watches that were produced in honour of the man himself. The watch comes with its signature deep blue dial, in which it complements the yellow and orange details nicely. In addition, it comes with a special caseback featuring Jacques and his trademark woolen beanie. Some other interesting features also include the SafeDive bezel, as well as its quick-strap change mechanism.
Priced at € 6,900 (approximately S$9,800), the 44mm diver’s watch is definitely something that is worth a double take for fans of Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s works.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M GMT GoodPlanet
The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M GMT GoodPlanet.
In recent years, Omega has worked with various organisations with environmental concerns. One of them is GoodPlanet Foundation, in which both the entities aim to educate people about our fragile ecosystems, and carry out conservation projects to protect our environment.
One of the watches that was produced under this partnership is the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M GMT GoodPlanet. Featuring a sublime blue dial and orange accent, this particular Planet Ocean is eye-catching to say the least. Besides its aesthetics, the watch is also fitted with Omega’s Co-Axial Calibre 8605. It is a self-winding movement, featuring both the date display and a GMT function. In addition, it comes with a Si14 silicon balance spring, as well as a power reserve of around 60 hours.
The watch is available at a price of €6,090 (approximately S$9,430), and a portion of the proceeds will be used to fund projects to preserve mangroves and seagrasses in Southeast Asia, as well as to educate the local population on the importance of these natural resources.
Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT Automatic Titanio (PAM719)
The PAM00719, otherwise known as the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days GMT Automatic Titanio. Picture courtesy of Officine Panerai.
The relationship between Officine Panerai and Swiss-South African explorer Mike Horn is a long-standing one, which dates way back to 2002. Over the years, Mike Horn had taken on many extreme expeditions, in which his latest one in 2016 requires him to circumnavigate the globe and travel across two poles.
This two-year long epic voyage is not just for fun – it aims to educate citizens on the importance of protecting the environment, as well as the threats that nature is facing in today’s age. To celebrate this partnership, Panerai produced a watch to accompany Mike on his journey. The watch – PAM00719 – is based on the 47mm Submersible GMT, with yellow accents on the midnight blue dial which gives it a great colour contrast. In addition, the watch is powered by Panerai’s self-winding P9001 Caliber which boast a power reserve of around 72 hours.
The watch is priced at S$14,600, and it is only limited to a production of 500 pieces.
Jaeger LeCoultre Geophysic True Second
A pair of Geophysic True Second, in different metal cases.
The Jaeger LeCoultre Geophysic had an interesting history. The watch, which was initially conceived back in 1958, was created to celebrate JLC’s 125th Anniversary. Simultaneously, it also celebrated the world’s first “International Geophysical Year”. The International Geophysical Year was a scientific exploration to lay groundwork for sharing knowledge in Earth sciences, in which the Geophysic Chronometer E168 was produced to accompany the scientists in their expedition.
Back in 2014, Jaeger LeCoultre had reintroduced the Geophysic 1958 Limited Edition. The new watch is a reinterpretation of the original model, with a few changes. Moving on to 2015 at Watches and Wonders, JLC introduced yet another model – the Geophysic True Second, with a seconde morte mechanism. The 40mm watch is fitted with JLC’s Caliber 770, an anti-magnetic movement which also uses the Gyrolab balance wheel.
While the new Geophysic is not directly linked to any organisations,the original model in 1958 had played a significant role in laying the groundwork for the research on Earth. The watch is priced at S$13,300 and S$25,900, for the steel and rose gold variant respectively.
Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono
A close-up of the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono.
Finally, we wrap up the article with Chopard’s L.U.C Perpetual Chrono.
Launched last year, the Perpetual Chrono is the flagship model from the L.U.C line-up. The L.U.C collection, as many might have known, features some of the finest timepieces that were produced from the Geneva-based watchmaker. We particularly like how this timepiece has a rather contemporary design, with a ruthenium-toned sunburst gold dial that comes with both satin-brush and hand-guilloché finishing. The movement – Chopard’s L.U.C Calibre 03.10-L – is a lovely sight to behold as well, with its exquisite array of polishing and decoration.
More importantly, the watch’s 45mm white gold case is produced using “Fairmined Gold”, in which the gold must be mined in a responsible and sustainable way. On top of that, the premium that is paid for such gold will be reinvested for community projects and other environmental initiatives.
There are two variants of the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono that is fitted with “Fairmined” gold case, in which they are available in either rose or white gold. The watches retail at S$121,890 each, and only 20 pieces are available for each version.
Concluding Thoughts
It is definitely heartening to see brands supporting initiatives pertaining to the environment, in terms of either education or conservation efforts. We are glad to see more watch manufacturers coming together to collaborate with organisations that deal with such matters in recent years, and we only hope that more brands will come forward and support such endeavours as well.
One of the more interesting initiatives would be Chopard, in which they have made a great effort in using “Fairmined” gold for their watches. The “Fairmined” gold is definitely much pricier than the ordinary variant, but they are much better since these golds sourced ethically and sustainably. It will be wonderful if many manufacturers will follow suit, since a large amount of gold is mined annually to keep up with the demand.
What are your thoughts on such initiatives? Let us know in the comments section below!
1 Comment
You left off the Blancpain ocean commitment