Elite Traveler Summer 2021

INSPIRE 20TH ANNIVERSARY GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE LUXURY

SUSTAINABILITY AND RECYCLING

Eye on the future

We are witnessing another revolution in watchmaking materials as brands seek ways to utilize recycled and recyclable products in their watches. Many watch pundits argue that a mechanical watch is sustainable by the very nature of the fact that it can virtually work forever with the proper care. However, true conservationists want more than that convenient explanation. Panerai may have the answer. The brand has worked tirelessly with a host of different companies and suppliers to unveil its 99% recycled and upcycled watch. Unveiled during the digital Watches & Wonders Geneva show in April, the Panerai Lab-Id is the world’s first watch to be made almost entirely of sustainable materials. We are not just talking about the strap here — the strap, the case, the movement and even the Super-LumiNova treatment on the dial. Additionally, in an effort to be totally transparent and to lead the way for other watch brands to make similar sustainable efforts, Panerai has released the names of all of its partner companies. The monumental Panerai collaboration was years in the making, and not every brand can afford such a sweeping change. However, those that can are making their own commitments to sustainability. Ulysse Nardin partnered with a couple of companies to create its unique Diver Net watch. Late in 2020, the brand first released the R-Strap, made of recycled fishing nets. It followed that with the Diver Net concept watch that uses recycled fishing nets in the bezel, and a more environmentally friendly ceramic glass instead of a sapphire crystal. Swiss brand IWC recently unveiled its first paper- and plant-based watch strap called TimberTex — that’s right, a luxury brand with a strap made from paper and plant cellulose. The straps are responsibly sourced and eco-friendly, as they are composed of 80% natural plant fibers from Forest Stewardship Council-certified trees. They’re made in Italy using papermaking techniques, are padded with microfiber and are colored using plant-based dye. They look like luxurious leather straps. Other brands have also been working with recycled PET bottles to create straps, and others are producing high-quality vegan straps.

As we look ahead to the next decade, we see that brands are already sowing the seeds of long-term commitments to ethical sourcing, sustainability and innovative partnerships to conserve Earth’s resources. While we have witnessed a great deal of growth over the past 20 years in watchmaking, the future lies in the ability of brands to demonstrate their awareness of the planet’s resources and to make efforts toward conservation and sustainability. Today’s customers care about these factors when considering what to buy. They also have concerns about ethical sourcing of products and materials, and watch brands need to continually address this issue. Thankfully, many brands have taken considerable steps in the right direction, from working to become carbon free and environmentally sustainable in workshops, to getting involved in supporting charitable endeavors that ethically and consciously preserve the planet.

Right IWC releases an eco-friendly watch strap made of paper and plant-based substances and colored with plant-based dyes. The material’s irregular graining imprint makes each TimberTex strap unique. TimberTex strap ($155) on the IWC Portugieser Automatic 40mm watch, $7,250, available at IWC, New York, iwc.com

Above Panerai e-Lab 1 is the world’s first 98% recycled watch with recycled movement, recycled case, Super-LumiNova hands and even a recycled PET strap. It is the result of years of collaboration with 10 suppliers, and the first versions are expected to be out in early 2022. Price on request, Panerai, New York, panerai.com