Swiss watch brand Oris has recently achieved climate neutral status. This is a huge step for the brand and has put them at the forefront of sustainable watchmaking in a modern world. Over the course of recent years, the brand has invested in conservation and sustainability projects as part of the Change For Better campaign. Oris is very passionate about this campaign and instills the values of it into everything that it makes and does. Very few Swiss watch brands have come anywhere near achieving climate neutral status, so this is a significant feat for Oris. However, watchmaking as a whole is making a great effort to become more sustainable, and now it can follow in Oris’s lead.
Becoming Certified as Climate Neutral
Becoming a climate neutral brand is not something that happens overnight. It takes years of work and awareness to build up to such an achievement. Additionally, a brand has to be formally assess in order to officially be considered climate neutral. Oris has worked closely with one of the world’s leading independent climate action experts – Climate Partner – to gain this official recognition. Climate Partner calculated Oris’s carbon footprint, considering both the company and its project. No stone was left unturned. The assessment considered absolutely everything from emissions created when heating the factory to how people were travelling to work.
Climate Partner has confirmed that Oris offsets more than 2500 tonnes of CO2 through supporting the ‘Clean Oceans’ movement. This effort is run by Plastic Bank who have successfully prevented one billion plastic bottles from entering the ocean. It takes 10kg of plastic waste being collected to offset one tonne of CO2. Oris’s contribution to this effort has been massive.
Making Eco-Friendly Choices
As with everything in life, it is the smaller things adding up that makes the biggest difference. Although Oris’s partnerships with environmental charities has had a huge impact on the brand achieving climate neutral status, Oris has had to consider everything in how the company runs. Small adjustments have been made to the everyday running and functioning of the company to ensure that no unnecessary waste is created at any stage. It is these smaller everyday decisions that other brands can follow to become more climate friendly.
Oris have become more aware of the materials that are used in its watches and packaging in recent years. The brand now uses recycled PET straps, sustainably sourced leather and watch boxes made from algae in many of its horological creations. Additionally, it is said that 60% of the electricity used in the brand’s factory is generated using solar panels. Oris has found this success by shifting the focus so that being climate neutral is in the first line of every brief.
Moving Into the Future
Oris is not planning on slowing down just because it has reached this achievement. The brand recognises that simply being climate neutral is not enough. To seriously help the environment, the overall waste needs to be reduced and not just offset. Therefore, Oris has set the goal of reducing its CO2 emissions by 10% every year, starting in 2022. The brand has said that it will continue working towards the United Nation’s sustainability goals. The first ever Oris Sustainability Report will be published in the Spring of 2022.
Some of Oris’s Eco-Friendly Watches
Oris Aquis Date Upcycle 26.5mm Watch 01 733 7770 4150-SET
This model is one of the more recent additions to the brand’s portfolio of eco-friendly watches. The dial of the watch is created using recycled PET plastic. The dials all have a stunning rainbow colour palette. The dial of each model is entirely unique due to the way that they are made. These watches are part of Oris’s effort to incorporate more recycled materials into each timepiece, and it is executed in a fun and vibrant way.
The bold dial features a date aperture with luminous hands and indices. A grey ceramic bezel surrounds the dial. Ceramic is a very desirable material in watchmaking due to its hard wearing nature. The stainless steel case houses an automatic movement that provides the watch with a power reserve of up to 38 hours. This timepiece is secured on the wrist using a timeless stainless steel bracelet. Additionally, the watch is water resistant up to 300 metres.
ORIS Limited Edition Carysfort Reef Bracelet 01 798 7754 4185-Set MB
This model is a limited edition with only 2000 pieces available worldwide. This means that the watch is incredibly desirable and collectable amongst watch collectors and fans of the brand. The watch was created to celebrate Oris’s partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation as well as the plantain of 30,000 corals in Florida.
The watch features a vibrant navy blue sunray dial which is adorned with large luminescent indices and hands. A ridged and polished blue bezel frames the dial and anti-reflective sapphire crystal protects it. An automatic movement is houses in the stainless steel case which measures 43,5mm in diameter. The case back features a special engraving to accentuate the limited edition status of the timepiece. A sturdy stainless steel bracelet will secured this watch on the wrist. The watch can be worn for most water sports activities thanks to its water resistance rating of up to 300 metres and screw-in security crown.
ORIS Okavango Air Rescue | Limited Edition | Green Textile Strap 01 751 7761 4187-SET
This model is inspired by the grasses of the Okavango Delta. The watch was created to celebrate the landmark achievements of Botswana’s aeromedical rescue organisation. The watch is a limited edition with only 2011 pieces available worldwide. The Okavango Delta is known for its rich wildlife and water based safaris, so this association will remind the wearer to take time to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around them.
The dial of the watch is green in colour and is uniquely textured to reflect the landscape of the Okavango Delta. It features a date display and easy to read Arabic numerals. An automatic movement is housed within the stainless steel case. This movement can be observed and enjoyed through th exhibition case back. The watch features a subsidiary seconds and stop-second with a fine timing system and date corrector. The watch is finished with a green nylon strap that is patterned with a single white stripe through its centre.
What do you think about Oris becoming climate neutral? Do you have your eye on any of the brand’s eco-friendly timepieces? Let us know in the comments!
