Top 10 watch brands with sustainability in mind

1. Rolex 

Portugal’s Azores Archipelago, an oasis in the Atlantic Ocean known for its rare and valuable ecological and biological qualities, is a new Mission Blue Hope Spot. Mission Blue is one of the pillars of Rolex’s Perpetual Planet initiative, aimed at exploring, restoring, reviving, and guarding the world’s oceans. Legendary oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue, says, “The Azores Archipelago is a magnet for life. It really is a magical place. Launching the Azores as a Hope Spot is so logical — just ask the whales.”

2. IWC 

Sustainability drives everything at IWC. It began this journey more than 10 years ago, starting with its supply chain. It was the first watchmaking brand to publish a sustainability report, and is now on its fourth. The company focuses on transparency (showing what it does and how it does it), circularity (ensuring that its watches are built to last multiple lifetimes), and responsibility (such as adapting its internal processes in line with certified codes of good practices).

3. Chopard

Chopard’s Alpine Eagle collection of sporty-chic timepieces now includes two 41mm models with a dial in an original “Pine Green” colour and available in Chopard’s exclusive ultra-resistant and highly luminous Lucent Steel A223 or ethical 18kt rose gold. A portion of sales of these models will be donated to the Alpine Eagle Foundation, whose programmes have enabled the reintroduction of the whitetailed eagle in the Lake Geneva region.

4. Blancpain

Blancpain works closely with divers, scientists, underwater explorers, environmentalists, and photographers dedicated to preserving the world’s oceans. This happens under the Blancpain Ocean Commitment banner and is linked to the brand’s legendary Fifty Fathoms watch.

5. Omega

Omega supports a critical mission to track satellites and debris that pose hazards to human activity in space by collaborating with Privateer as it maps space objects in orbit with unprecedented accuracy and transparency. Omega’s Speedmaster ’57 returns this year with a Master Chronometer upgrade and a slimmer profile.

6. Breitling

Breitling’s sporty sea watch, the SuperOcean, is now an essential accessory for diving, surfing, swimming, or hitting the beach bar. All Breitling watches are presented in an eco-friendly, foldable, and reusable watch box made from 100% upcycled plastic bottles.

07. Oris

The Aquis Date Upcycle, a version of Oris’s high-performance diver’s watch, has a colourful dial made of recycled PET plastic.

8. Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin launched the Diver collection with straps upcycled from fishing nets. The Ocean Race Diver is the official timekeeper for the open-sea sailing race scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain, on January 15, 2023.

9. Panerai

This year, Panerai released a new 44mm line of watches in steel, recycled eSteel, and Carbotech. The Submersible QuarantaQuattro eSteel is made of Panerai eSteel, comprising 95% recycled steel.

10. Bulgari

Bulgari set an eighth consecutive world record for the Octo collection when it created the thinnest mechanical watch yet at 1.8mm thick. All 10 of the limited-edition Octo Finissimo Ultra pieces have an engraved unique QR code that links to an exclusive NFT artwork. They sold out almost immediately