As marine pollution has become a global crisis, Maurice Lacroix has entered a long-term partnership with #tide, a specialist in upcycling ocean-bound plastic waste.
The focus is on promoting cleaner seas surrounding various islands in Thailand as well as Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Swiss watchmaker sponsors plastic collection activities, pays for longtail boats and warehouses, and finances various types of equipment.
The goal is to collect 10 million plastic bottles, which will be sorted, shredded into flakes, washed and compacted close to the point of collection and then transported to #tide's upcycling facilities in Switzerland.
The flakes are compounded into smaller granules and then combined with an undisclosed formula, culminating in the upcycled plastic used by Maurice Lacroix to make Aikon #tide quartz watches.
The bezel, 40mm case, case back, crown, end-piece and buckle on this new model are all made from the composite material, which is twice as hard as standard plastic, five times more resistant and has a carbon footprint significantly less than the production of virgin PET.
It takes 17 bottles to make one watch and its tailor-made packaging, 100% made of #tide ocean material.
The variations in funky colours target a new generation who value sustainability, affordability and striking style.
Later this year, Maurice Lacroix intends to unveil a second version of the Aikon #tide equipped with a bracelet made of the composite material.
