In its continuous effort to leave a lasting positive impact on the planet, Oris has announced its Cervo Volante collaboration. Earlier today, the brand revealed three new Big Crown models which have been created alongside the leather goods manufacturer. Over the last few years, the Swiss luxury watchmaker has partnered with many ecological charities, foundations and conservationists as part of its “Change for the Better” campaign. Understanding the responsibility it holds, Oris has been working tirelessly to ensure that it sets an example not only for its customers but within the watchmaking industry as well. The release of these new Big Crown watches is well-timed, as January also happens to be known as Veganuary, a month-long event meant to bring awareness to making more sustainable food choices.
Red Deer in Switzerland
Though red deer went extinct during the 1700s, the species has made a remarkable comeback. Due to low interest from hunters in the 1900s and a lack of their natural predators, red deer have started repopulating the area with some speculating their numbers have increased to 35000. In these large numbers, however, red deer have a negative effect on local forest ecosystems and many farmers see them as a pest. Now, every year in Switzerland’s countryside thousands of red deer are hunted as part of the Swiss government’s highly-regulated hunting season. The deer are hunted not only for sport but also for population control.
Who is Cervo Volante?
Cervo Volante is a Swiss manufacturer of deerskin leather products founded by friends Kadri Vunder Fontana and Conny Thiel-Egenter. Fontana is a biotechnology engineer and businesswoman, while Thiel-Egenter is a biologist specialising in wildlife and habitat management. The brand began its journey during the 2017 hunting season. In order to prevent thousands of deer skins from being burned at the end of every season, the brand takes them and turns them into high-quality leather products. The brand’s products also stand out due to their uniqueness. Unlike many other leather manufacturers, Cervo Volante uses skins that show “imperfections” that have occurred during the wild deer’s lives.
Beginning with shoes and lace-up boots, Cervo Volante has expanded its catalogue to leather accessories and coats. Driven by sustainability, Cervo Volante aims to bring awareness to the use of leather in the fashion industry. The brand’s other main goal is to prevent waste and reduce the leather industries ecological footprint.
The Watches
The three watches use the sophisticated Oris Big Crown watch as a base model. The case of the watch is made of stainless steel. It measures 38 mm in diameter. The model also features the iconic ridged Big Crown bezel. The watch is available in three colour schemes all inspired by the natural beauty of the Alps: a grey dial with a dark brown strap, a turquoise blue dial with an oak brown strap or a green dial with a cognac strap. All of the straps are made of Cervo Volante deer leather and feature a quick change system. Similarly to the traditional Big Crown watch, the dial features luminescent hands and hour-markers. No compromises have been made when designing this watch. A sapphire crystal covers both the dial and the see-through case back. The model is powered by an automatic movement with calibre Oris 754 and a power reserve of up to 38 hours.
To make each watch even more special, the watches also come with an added travel pouch and cardholder made of Cervo Volante deer leather.
Similarly to the Oris Upcycle watches, the Oris x Cervo Volante Big Crown watches are not limited edition. In an attempt to help its customer’s make better choices, the brand is making these models available to purchase for an unlimited time and in unlimited quantities.
Browse the whole line on our website here.
What do you think of the new Oris x Cervo Volante collaboration? Let us know in the comments below.
