Sustainability has long been an important point of discussion in the watch industry. With global supply chains and precious materials seeing frequent use alongside leather straps (gold mines aren’t exactly environmentally friendly), it’s a discussion we mustn’t shy away from. Detrash, members of the British Alliance of Watch and Clock Makers, are placing these environmental ethical concerns front and centre with their Cali – Melting Ice Cap Blue limited edition.
As the name suggests, the watch is designed to raise awareness of global climate change and the imminent natural disaster of the melting ice caps. For that reason, it features an ice blue dial with a grained texture, highlighting the damage we’re doing to our planet. It also has dark blue hour markers coated with Super-LumiNova for low light legibility, a classic feature of dive watches designed for use in and around the water. Those hour markers are arranged in a California style display that has Roman numerals in the top half of the display and Arabic in the lower half, making it instantly easy to read the time no matter the orientation of the watch.
While raising awareness for good causes like sustainability is all well and good, it would be highly hypocritical to do so while damaging the environment. So, the 41mm case of the Cali – Melting Ice Cap Blue is produced from 80% recycled steel and is presented on a #tide recycled ocean plastic strap. On top of that, Detrash are members of the 1% For the Planet initiative, where 1% of their annual revenue goes towards environmental advocacy and conservation programs.
Powering the Detrash Cali – Melting Ice Cap Blue is the Seiko NH35 automatic movement with 41-hour power reserve and -20/+40 seconds per day accuracy. It’s a ubiquitous calibre that’s used across wide swathes of the watch industry due to its easy availability, solid value and convenience of repair. That value means the watch has a price of just £375, so the entry level to support Detrash and their environmental cause is very low.
With a 200m water resistance rating and clean dive watch design, £375 is pretty amazing value in its own right. As a limited edition of 100 pieces, there’s also an exclusivity to the watch that feels appropriate for the environmental message it’s trying to spread. Just like the ice caps, when it’s gone, it’s gone.
Price and Specs:
More details at Detrash.
