Just two years on from launching their very first watch, fashion power house Tom Ford has entered the growing world of ethical horology with the 002 Ocean Plastic Watch.
After teasing the announcement back in September, the US$995 ~ AU$1,345 watch has hit the market and is being touted as the first luxury watch made from 100% recycled ocean plastic and, appropriately, comes packaged in recycled material.
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In a statement released to the media, eponymous founder Tom Ford said “sustainability is a key issue in our lives right now [and] in particular, the amount of ocean plastic that we are generating is perhaps taking the greatest toll on our environment of all”.
For every 1000 Ocean Plastic Watches produced and sold, roughly 490 pounds of plastic waste is permanently removed from or prevented from entering the ocean.
Sporting a classic aesthetic many have come to love from the brand, the Tom Ford 002 Ocean Plastic watch features a traditional round 40mm case with a black DLC stainless steel screw case back, rated for water resistance up to 100m. Both the case and the strap are made from ocean plastic, spun in a braided style with fibres from repurposed material.
The dial is a slick matte black with super luminova numerals and diamond cut white super luminova painted hands. Sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating has been used on top – and beneath: a Swiss-made quartz movement
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Importantly, the timepiece contains no virgin plastics, and everything that is used is traceable to the collection source. Even behind the scenes, painstaking efforts have been taken to ensure an ethical footprint – the plastics journey to Switzerland is a carbon neutral one, and the watchmaking process is powered by solar energy.
With the watch now available for pre-order – both from the brand’s official website and select Tom Ford boutiques – a partnership with 52HZ initiative has also given birth to the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize.
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The initiative is simple, calling out for a replacement for thin-film plastic bags, with the winning submission afforded the opportunity to work with the Tom Ford team on a product which will be available to the public as early as 2025. The winner will be announced in 2022, and ideas will be vetted not only for their ability to help the environment, but also to ensure scalability.
