Tom Ford might not be in the business of creating extremely high-end timepieces in the same way that Gucci and Louis Vuitton have become known for in recent years, but the American fashion designer’s watches deliver an environmental impact as much as they do visual. The latest timepiece to leave the Tom Ford studio is the No. 004, a rectangular watch that continues his commitment to ocean conservation by using ocean plastic for the watch.
It was a couple of years ago that we saw one of the first ocean plastic watches by Tom Ford which, despite being round in shape, still had a number of design similarities to the latest environmentally friendly timepiece. More recently, however, we saw the release of the classic rectangular shape in the No. 003 watch, which was executed in polished stainless steel.
Ever the king of minimalist restraint, the new No. 004 takes the same shape as the sparse No. 003, boasting modest rectangular case dimensions of 27mm wide by 48.5mm long. The entire case and the woven textile strap are all made from recycled ocean plastic with the exception of the caseback, buckle, and other details made from steel.
RELATED: The Tom Ford No. 003 Watch Is A Study In Monochromatic Minimalism
Powered by a Swiss-made quartz movement, the watch is available in Tom Ford’s favourite colours, which are obviously white and black. As is reasonable to wonder about a product that sells itself as more sustainable, the amount of plastic that each timepiece is responsible for taking out of the ocean is the equivalent of 32 plastic bottles. It’s also impressively versatile with a screw-down crown and a water resistance guarantee down to 30 metres.
If all of those elements weren’t compelling enough, it’s also refreshingly affordable in the scheme of things. A timepiece from Gucci or Louis Vuitton might set you back thousands, but Tom Ford’s No. 004 ocean plastic watch has an RRP of US$995 (AU$1,428). We just hope that if Tom Ford is successful in selling his company, the new owners continue this sustainable and affordable collection of cleanly designed watches.
