ReviewTime And Tide Wait For None: Presenting Maurice Lacroix’s Aikon #Tide

Sustainability is probably the strongest buzzword these days for priorities that brands have. Manufacturing processes have been altered, as the best possible practices are being devised to minimise the harm caused to the planet through the making of fine timepieces. Sure, analogue watches—especially mechanical—are quite sustainable, as products that are meant to last a lifetime and more, and don’t need to be discarded and replaced every five or seven years. However, the making of watches and the materials used could still be revised in order to reduce waste and the fresh production of harmful substances, and to limit the use of virgin materials, and hence the strain on the earth. While some manufacturers are even using recycled metals, others are playing a crucial role in helping reduce plastic waste in landfills and oceans. Panerai, Breitling, Ulysse Nardin, Oris and Carl F. Bucherer are just some of the brands who are developing various materials that recycle waste material. Maurice Lacroix are the latest to join forces with these valuable players who are doing their part for the planet. And they are making a mark with the new Aikon #Tide watches that significantly use plastic waste from the oceans in their construction.

Turning The Tide

To turn the plastic waste into the material used to construct these watches, Maurice Lacroix have partnered with #Tide, who are specialists in ‘upcycling ocean-bound plastic waste’. They play an important role in helping make the oceans a little cleaner and safer for marine life and the planet. As a part of this collaboration, Maurice Lacroix are working with #Tide to gather plastic bottles from various seas around Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. The goal is to fulfil their commitment of retrieving at least 10 million plastic bottles that are polluting the oceans, to begin with. This will include the sponsoring of plastic collection activities, paying for the boats and warehouses, and providing funds for educational programmes and equipment to support these activities.

Maurice Lacroix are working with #Tide to gather plastic bottles from various seas around Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Seen here is a fisherman loading a boat with plastic

The brand are sponsoring plastic collection activities as a part of this initiative. Here, plastic is being collected

The equipment used to compund the gathered plastic to be recycled

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The technology used to transform the discarded plastic bottles into the material used to create the watches itself is quite complex and advanced. Simply put, the bottles are sorted, shredded into flakes, cleaned thoroughly, and then compacted close to the collection sites, after which the compact plastic is transported to #Tide’s upcycling facilities. Here, the flakes are compounded further into smaller granules. Eventually, the resultant form is combined with an undisclosed formula of glass fibre, which gives them the upcycled plastic that is used for making the watches.

This resultant composite material is said to be twice as hard as standard plastic, and five times more resistant

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To top that, the carbon footprint of its production is significantly less than the production of virgin PET, in addition to the fact that it is reducing waste instead of creating more

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And it’s not used just use for one element as some kind of token. You’ll see the composite across the case, caseback, the bezel, and even the crown, the end-piece and the buckle of the rubber strap

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Seventeen bottles are used to make one watch and its packaging (seen below)

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This resultant composite material is said to be twice as hard as standard plastic, and five times more resistant. To top that, the carbon footprint of its production is significantly less than the production of virgin PET, in addition to the fact that it is reducing waste instead of creating more. And it’s not used just use for one element as some kind of token. You’ll see the composite across the case, caseback, the bezel, and even the crown, the end-piece and the buckle of the rubber strap. Seventeen bottles are used to make one watch and its packaging.

Colours Of The Tide

As though the use of recycled material itself wasn’t attractive enough, the new #Tide watches present a wide array of striking colours. There are 10 variants that present a spectrum of hues—blues, pinks, greens, an orange, a yellow, and even a full-black, for those who’d still prefer a neutral hue. Some colours are instant hits, with their combinations. The versions that pair their hues with white are definitely more pleasing to the eye and do justice to the bright and summery vibe of these watches.

The light blue and mint green are standouts for sure. Some of them even have diamonds on their indexes, for a little bling, while all watches are at a very agreeable size of 40mm, which should suit anyone. Adding a nuanced touch that reflects the oceanic theme of these watches is the geometrical wave pattern seen on the coloured dials. And water-resistant to 100m, these watches are as suitable for a day at the beach as they are for an indoor brunch.

Tide Times

Ultimately, these watches present the signature structure of the Aikon collection. Crafted as they are from the composite material, they retain the sharp edges and chiselled look of the Aikon’s mainline metallic timepieces. And even with a plastic-glass fibre case, these watches still have a sapphire crystal glass, which helps maintain the premium quality and durability associated with the Aikon collection’s steel watches. The glass also gives you a sharper view of the three-hand timekeeping as well as the date at three o’clock. These functions are powered by a very accurate and reliable Swiss quartz movement within.

Tide Of Change

With time, these watches will also be released with bracelets made from the same upcycled material used for the case and other parts. These will be easily interchangeable with the rubber straps that this present edition comes with, owing to Maurice Lacroix’s easy-strap-exchange system. The sustainable bracelets should also be available by themselves eventually, which should help make these #Tides have an external build that is almost completely upcycled.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon #Tide SHOP THE COLLECTION

It’s quite impressive how even players like Maurice Lacroix—who are known for their ‘high perceived value’ and products that are relatively quite accessible—are doing their bit, despite the inevitable higher production costs involved in using sustainable materials. If they can do it, surely a lot of other brands also can. This is clearly not something that only higher-end watchmakers can achieve. It’s high time the watch industry embraces this necessary tide of change in a larger, more widespread way, for a better future. Because time and tide wait for none.