Luxury and sustainability once seemed like strange bedfellows — one built on rarity and indulgence, the other on restraint and responsibility. Yet, in recent years, the watch industry has discovered that the future of luxury depends not on excess, but on endurance. As the conversation around climate, waste and ethical sourcing grows louder, the best watchmakers are not just listening — they are reengineering their craft to keep pace with the planet.
It is no longer enough for a timepiece to look impeccable; it must behave impeccably too. The shift is not about green marketing gloss, but genuine material innovation — recycled titanium, solar-powered movements, and straps woven from reclaimed ocean plastics. Today, sustainability is the new benchmark of sophistication, a quiet statement that true luxury respects both tradition and tomorrow.
How Brands are Rethinking Sustainability
The change began with transparency. High-end watchmakers are mapping their supply chains, sourcing gold from responsible mines, and switching to recycled steel without compromising strength or lustre. Others are developing in-house foundries to reclaim production waste, cutting down on transport emissions and material excess.
Many timepiece makers are leading the charge, proving that environmental responsibility can coexist with elegance and performance. Some focus on the materials that make up the case, others on movements that sip energy rather than guzzle it. Even packaging has evolved — luxury boxes are lighter, recyclable, and often crafted from FSC-certified paper or plant-based composites.
Most importantly, sustainability has become integral to design, not just a footnote in a brochure. When a watch embodies care for the environment without shouting about it, it speaks to a more discerning, evolved collector — one who values legacy over trend.
Tissot PRC 100 Solar
Released this year, these watches work by turn light into electricity via a small solar panel, which is often incorporated inside the watch face. This panel converts solar or artificial light into electrical energy that is then stored in a rechargeable battery. The stored energy fuels the watch’s movement, allowing it to function without requiring frequent battery replacements. One of the primary benefits of solar-powered watches is their eco-friendliness, as they eliminate battery waste and use renewable energy. Furthermore, these watches require almost no maintenance and boast long-lasting battery life, with some versions lasting for months in the dark after a full charge.
Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV
Dedicated to a noble cause, the latest Oris release has various distinctive design elements that make it stand out. The Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV is based on the latest-generation 43.5 mm Aquis Date, which was introduced earlier this year. The stainless steel timepiece has a screw-incrown at 3 o’clock with protectors, in addition to a unidirectional rotatingbezel with a grey tungsten insert that shows a 60-minute scale and a triangleat the 60 minutes mark. In keeping with its sustainability initiatives, the timepiece maker has now launched the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV to support the Australian non-profit Reef Restoration Foundation — the sales proceeds from the watch will be contributed to the brand’s financial assistance for the Foundation’s coral tree planting initiative. The Great Barrier Reef is under serious threat, chiefly from human activity and climate change.
Ulysse Nardin Diver [NET VENDÉE GLOBE]
This 44 mm, 300-piece, limited-edition timepiece comes in two strap options: Ref. 1183-170LE-2A-VG/0B has a red strap and Ref. 1183-170LE-2A-VG/0A has a grey one. The case, case flanks, and lugs are made of 95% recycled steel container and NyloFoil (recycled fishing nets and upcycled carbon fibre), and the 60-minute unidirectional bezel is created using CarbonFoil (upcycled carbon fibre). The watch’s screw-down crown sits between two crowns. A tribute to the world’s toughest solo sailing race, the grey sandblasted dial is decorated with a red-and-blue X to echo the official colours of the Vendée Globe. There is a red-and-blue power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso
The watch possesses every characteristic that sets a Big Bang Unico watch apart. The main difference is that Nespresso’s characteristic green, which complements the case and strap, is now used on the skeleton dial and hands. Large Arabic hour markers, a seconds counter at nine, a 60-minute counter with an integrated date window at three, and a 60-minute track around the perimeter are all elements of the dial. The second hand on the central chronograph is also green, featuring an oblong tip and the Hublot logo at 12 o’clock. Two distinct green straps are used to finish the Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin watch: a rough rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp and a fabric strap with a Velcro-style closing. This limited-edition watch’s cloth strap was made by SingTex, a company that uses discarded coffee grounds to create a novel material called Scafé. To put it another way, these straps are the first to combine a combination of 95% recycled polyester and 5% coffee grounds in a strap.
Zenith Defy Extreme E Edition
The 45 mm watch (Ref. 10.9101.9004/60.I200) matches the DNA of the rally in its own ways. Crafted entirely in carbon fibre, the new Zenith DEFY Extreme E watch has a 12-sided bezel, a crown at 3 o’clock and chronograph pushers at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock to start and restart the function. The use of carbon fibre all the way makes this watch stiff, lightweight, resistant, crush-proof and waterproof, keeping in mind extreme conditions. Partially visible through the dial is the movement, the iconic automatic Calibre El Primero 9004, which powers the 1/100th of a second chronograph; this means the central chronograph hand will cover the whole dial in one second.
The Future of Time with Purpose
The future of sustainable watchmaking lies in quiet revolution rather than loud declarations. Expect more traceable materials, transparent manufacturing, and even closed-loop systems where parts are recycled back into production. The world of fine watches has finally understood that craftsmanship is not only about what one creates, but what one preserves.
For collectors, a sustainable watch is not simply a piece of eco-engineering — it is a reflection of values, a symbol of modern awareness dressed in timeless design. The next generation of luxury timepieces will not just tell the time; they will tell the story of a planet treated with respect.
