Sustainability and innovation lie at the heart of the manufacturing process used to make the eco-watches conceived and developed by ID Watch. This fledgling company with a promising future is out to prove to the traditional watchmaking industry that the circular economy, luxury and profitability can go hand in hand.
ID Watch is a company with a conviction its founders all share. “Starting with a blank page, we set out to have a positive influence on the watchmaking industry by conceiving and developing the most sustainable and the least environmentally impactful wristwatch possible,” sums up Singal Depéry, the company’s designer. Guided by their avant-garde vision, Singal and his fellow co-founders Cédric Mulhausere and Nicolas Freudiger came up with an innovative, eco-friendly line of watches that adopts the principles of the circular economy. They produced the first model in their Geneva workshop in 2020.
To make its watch cases, ID Watch uses 100% recycled stainless steel, melted in a solar oven. Certified 1.4441, it is supplied by a company called Panatere, sourced from waste generated by machining companies in the Jura and surrounding area. “This is a world first in the watchmaking industry,” says Singal Depéry. “Its carbon footprint is 165 times smaller than standard stainless steel.” The watches’ movements are reconditioned upcycled parts. And the straps comply with the circular economy criteria too: they are made of organic materials – a ‘leather’ made from grape pomace, supplied by the Italian company Vegea. “Regrettably, suppliers are still using up to 20% plastic (polyurethane),” says Singal. “So, with a London-based start-up, we’re working on a 100% plant resin containing no chemical binders.” Lastly, to ensure the company has an impact on its entire ecosystem, ID Watch has come up with packaging made from algae and fungi and orders its cardboard boxes from companies that run return-to-work programmes. In addition to adopting the principles of the circular economy, ID Watch is therefore also contributing to social inclusion, the third pillar of the sustainable economy.
ID Watch used crowdfunding to kick off production, manufacturing and marketing two series of 300 watches by direct sale, through its website, and at promotional events. “We are also distributed in London and New York by Watches of Switzerland, and we take part in industry trade fairs,” adds Singal Depéry. The company has raised additional capital which should enable it to continue production, raise its profile and show the watchmaking industry that the circular economy can be profitable in the luxury goods market. “The traditional brands are watching us closely. They’ve taken on board our entrepreneurial spirit and the fact that we know what we are doing,” he concludes.
