Ulysse Nardin Makes The Ocean Race Diver From Recycled and Upcycled Materials

Ulysse Nardin has dropped a new dive watch with virtually every element containing recycled or upcycled material.

The Ocean Race Diver features a fabric strap 100% made from recycled fishing nets “transformed into reels of yarn by French company JTTI,” a bezel insert made of Carbonium, a carbon composite made from recycled material from the aeronautical industry, its 44mm case made from recycled stainless steel from the automative industry and case flanks and caseback made from a mix of Carbonium and Nylo, a material made from recycled fishing nets by French company FIL & FAB.

Even 95% of the UN-118 movement’s components are sourced within a 30km radius of Ulysse Nardin’s manufacture, with half made from recycled steel and brass. The watch is presented in a water resistant recycled PET pouch inside a Helly Hansen dry bag made from 100% recycled ocean plastic.

The watch – which is water resistant to 300m and named after the eponymous race Ulysse Nardin will support as Official Timekeeper from 2023 – features a small seconds and power reserve indicator on the dial and is based on Ulysse Nardin’s 2020 concept Diver Net watch.

Around 640,000 metric tons of polyamide fishing nets are lost or abandoned each year according to the UN.

The Ocean Race Diver is available as a 200-piece limited edition via Ulysse Nardin, priced $11,500 USD.

In other watch news, Hublot reveal Samuel Ross-designed Big Bang Tourbillon.