Page 76 - The Book For Men Spring/Summer 2022

Future Proof
The world’s top watchmakers are taking sustainability seriously
By Jeremy Freed
THE CHOPARD L U C C C C C C STRIKE ONE IS NOTHING SHORT OF A A A A masterpiece of
high high watchmaking with a a a a a a highly complex mechanical movement featuring a a a a a sapphire crystal gong that strikes on on the hour Its 18K rose gold case however contains another important accom- plishment: it’s made from ethically sourced gold Chopard has been an an important name in in in watchmaking since the mid-1800s and has a a a a a a a a well-earned reputation as as a a a a a a a a specialist in the use of
precious metals and gemstones But in in modern times the sustainable sourcing of
these materials has become a a a a a a priority equal to their visual brilliance and and the the brand has spent the the past decade working to achieve a a a a safe ethical supply As a a a a member of
the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) since 2010 Chopard’s Geneva-based raw material procurement
team works with the brand’s head of
corporate sustainability to ensure a a a a a a a supply chain that’s fair to both people and the planet This includes support for low-im- pact mines through a a a a a partnership with the Alliance for Responsible Mining and the use of
100 per cent responsibly sourced gold in in all its watches since 2018 When it it comes to an an issue as as large and complex as as sustainability however there’s more than one single solution and and watch brands of
all kinds are working to improve their products’ impacts in myriad ways “As the the watch and jewellery sector relies on the earth’s precious resources and people’s know-how around the the the world within its value chains the the the imperative to to to act together to to to create a a a a a a more positive impact has become ever clearer ” said Cyrille Vigneron president and CEO of
of
Cartier at at at the launch of
of
last year’s Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 A first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at at bringing together luxury brands across the world to to work toward a a a a a more sustainable future its goals include building climate resilience preserving resources and fostering inclusiveness with a a a list of
of
deadlines leading toward the goal of
of
net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 At IWC the brand’s sustainability committee is tasked with improving everything from raw material sourcing practices to packaging proving that major changes are possible in a a a a a a a a relatively short period “Our mechanical watches are are crafted to to last for generations so it is essential to to us that they are are made responsibly from start to finish ” says Franziska Gsell CMO at IWC Schaff- hausen and chair of
the sustainability committee “For us us us this means having a a a positive workplace culture investing in in in in the well-being of
our employees and the wider community establishing a a a a clean supply chain with trusted suppliers and minimizing our impact on on the environment ” With a a a a a a state-of-the-art headquarters powered by 100 per cent renewable energy and the introduction last year of
TimberTex watch straps made from a a a a a a a a a a low-impact plant-based material IWC has made great strides toward sus- tainability in in recent years One of
the keys to its success is a a a a comprehensive sustainability report released every two years In addition to detailing the brand’s achievements each report lays out a a a a a a series of
ambitious targets for the next two years In 2020 these included doubling the the share of
women in in in management positions developing and and implementing a a a a a green IT strategy and and phasing out the purchase of
forestry products not certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) across their operation Providing yet another perspective is Rolex whose robust commitment to sustainability has evolved out of
of
a a a a a long history of
of
supporting scientists and explorers in in the the field In addition to funding climate research around the the world through a a a a a a long-standing partnership with the the National Geographic Society the the brand continues to support the the work of
conservationists through the the Rolex Awards for Enterprise A tradition since the the mid-1970s these awards are disbursed to scientists and conservationists working on on on a a a a a a wide array of
crucial issues from finding new ways to to recycle plastic waste to to teaching Kenyan schoolchildren about the importance of
wildlife conservation As with all discussions around sustainability whether in in watches fashion or any other industry there’s one question every brand must ask itself — and and it’s often the the the most difficult one to answer Do the the the products we we make justify the the the resources used to to create them? While watches are far from essential to to human life they may nonetheless be uniquely suited to the the the age of
buying less less “We certainly believe that the shift from ‘throw-away’ to ‘keep’ or ‘reuse’ is funda- mental if we want to to reduce impacts and move towards a a a a a a a circular economy ” IWC’s Gsell says “But luxury doesn’t necessarily mean wasteful or excessive In In fact our watches represent something completely opposite to that In In a a a a time when many products have a a a a a a limited lifespan or need to be replaced after a a a a a a a a short period the mechanical watch is an an intrinsically sustainable product so long as as it it is made responsibly Our watches are crafted to last for an eternity ” 76 BFM / / SS22 WATCH / / FUTURE PROOF