Set for release on World Oceans Day tomorrow (8 June), a limited-edition diving timepiece from Spinnaker Watches will benefit UK-based charity the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).
The Hong Kong-based watchmaker says it considers the design and packaging of its Spinnaker Hass model “to be an operating, wearable reminder of the sustainability, long life, recyclability and circular economy possible and necessary to preserve the health and integrity of the ocean”.
Only 500 examples are being produced in each of the two colourways, Grey Turquoise and Blue Fade, with at least 5% of sales of each unit going towards funding the MCS’s work – that’s £18,750 or more if it sells out.
Designated the Spinnaker SP-5104 Hass X MCS, the model is named after Austrian diving pioneer and marine biologist Hans Hass. It is rated water-resistant to a depth of 300m, and has a stainless-steel case and dual-register countdown and time-elapsed bezel.
The lens is scratch-resistant sapphire and the indices and hands are treated with Super-LumiNova for low-light visibility. There is a battery-free Japanese TMI NH16 automatic movement with roulette-style date-wheel, and the strap is a choice between a stainless-steel bracelet or arPet nylon Nato strap made from recycled discarded plastics.
Asked what makes a watch “sustainable”, Vishal Tolani of Dartmouth Brands, the company behind Spinnaker, explained: “From the watch movements which are self-winding, battery-free and repairable to other parts of the manufacture, it is important to remember that better watchmaking is efficient, sustainable and long-lasting.
“Well-made watch components can be repaired, upcycled, refurbished into new components, minimising eventual waste and reducing the ecological footprint of a finished timepiece.
“A watch can also be easily broken down into its constituent parts, with each part being able to be repaired individually and reconstructed into the complete timepiece, further reflecting on the sustainability and efficiency in manufacture.”
“We’re so pleased to be working alongside Spinnaker on this watch collaboration, which puts the ocean at its very heart,” said MCS corporate fund-raising team-leader Anne Weinhold. “We hope these watches are a reminder of the incredible world under the surface of our seas, and inspire people to get out and explore more of it.”
The SP-5104 Hass X MCS watch, priced at £375, is available at the Spinnaker UK site.
