If a watch model claims to be progressive, it shouldn’t simply be as a result of they’re utilizing the latest leading edge supplies or patenting new mechanisms. Being progressive spans past the merchandise themselves and into the whole strategy of the model and its place on the earth.
Today, watches are now not an object we have to inform time. Instead, folks proceed to gather watches as a result of they’re sentimental, emotional objects usually marking a major occasion or milestone. People need a connection to the watch they buy and every thing that goes into it, together with the ethos and influence of the model behind it. It’s this understanding that has spurred Zenith to develop its HORIZ-ON program. This philanthropic initiative spans throughout a various array of partnerships that intention to transcend a easy monetary contribution and show core values of the model.
DreamHers
In 2020, Zenith established its DreamHers initiative. It started as a technique to elevate girls who’ve made outstanding achievements in traditionally male-dominated fields, from the culinary world to medication, sports activities, leisure, and music. In the years to observe, Zenith has taken its DreamHers mission past typical model ambassadors who merely function a consultant of the model and gone on to host Meet the DreamHers occasions. These embrace panel discussions that permit these girls to inform their tales of how they’ve pushed the boundaries and labored even tougher to attain their positions of their respective fields. Today, Zenith has prolonged its DreamHers initiative to incorporate a mentorship program for young women with its present vary of ambassadors.
Breast Cancer Awareness
As an extension of its help of feminine causes, Zenith has additionally partnered with each Pink Ribbon Switzerland and Susan G. Komen on plenty of collaborative watches. For the previous two years, Zenith has used its Meet the DreamHers occasions to launch these timepieces, first the Defy Midnight Pink Ribbon Edition for Pink Ribbon Switzerland’s charity public sale in 2021. A yr later, Zenith cast a partnership with Susan G. Komen—the world’s largest grassroots community of breast most cancers survivors and activists—and debuted a particular version of its Chronomaster Original with a pink dial on the Meet the DreamHers occasion in Singapore. Zenith launched this mannequin as a restricted version solely available throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month with 20% of the proceeds going to Susan G. Komen.
SGK Limited Edition, Courtesy of Zenith
Following its success, Zenith debuted one other restricted version mannequin in October of this yr, the Chronomaster Sport Pink, with 20% of the proceeds as soon as once more going to Susan G. Komen. In addition, Zenith contributed a singular version of its Chronomaster Original to Phillips’ New York Watch Auction: Eight in June. While the timepiece was solely anticipated to promote for $8,000-16,000, it went on to just about double its excessive estimate, bringing in $30,480 with all proceeds going on to Susan G. Komen.
SGK Special Edition Sold at Auction, Courtesy of Zenith
Extreme E
A yr after establishing its DreamHers program, Zenith took its mission to help girls in historically male-dominated fields a step additional with Extreme E. Extreme E is an off-road racing sequence sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation that makes use of spec silhouette electrical SUVs. Within the game, every workforce should consist of 1 male and one feminine driver in promotion of gender equality. In addition, every Extreme E race takes place in a vacation spot largely impacted by local weather change with the aim of bringing consciousness to those areas and the local weather disaster. Zenith first started working with Extreme E as an official timekeeper, and a yr later, the duo unveiled the primary of their collaborative timepieces: the Defy Extreme E.
DEFY Extreme, Courtesy of Zenith
Each watch incorporates recycled and upcycled supplies wherever doable. For occasion, take Extreme E tires, which already include round one-third recycled and renewable uncooked supplies like silica from the ashes of rice husks and recycled polyester produced from reprocessed PET bottles. After every racing season, these get a second life within the type of the strap for the Defy Extreme E. The consideration to element and sustainability extends to the packaging. Here, the case’s lid coating is produced from recycled E-grip tires from earlier races, whereas the plate masking is produced from components of an Extreme E racing tarpaulin. In their latest collaboration, launched in May of this yr, Zenith took issues a step additional with a Defy Extreme E made fully of carbon fiber, the fabric utilized in Extreme E’s race vehicles. While the amount of supplies being recycled or upcycled is arguably nominal, the watches function a dialog piece to lift consciousness for the local weather disaster and promote the usage of extra sustainable supplies in watchmaking.
MEDSEA Foundation
The day prior to every Extreme E race, Zenith participates in a public service day to assist clear up and restore a portion of the vacation spot that has been impacted by a pure catastrophe or local weather disaster. At the Extreme E race in Sardinia, Zenith had a chance to participate in MEDSEA‘s Local Legacy Program, a climate change initiative aimed at restoring the Posidonia Oceanica meadows in the Mediterranean Sea. Zenith was so moved by this experience that the brand forged a partnership with MEDSEA a year later.
Posidonia Oceanica, commonly known as Neptune grass, serves as a vital marine habitat and plays a pivotal role in CO2 reduction as a “blue carbon” store. Due to rising sea temperatures, Posidonia has suffered degradation to its natural habitat resulting in a drastic drop in the number of plants over the last few years. In fact, seagrass, one of the most effective sources of carbon storage on earth, is believed to be one of the most rapidly declining ecosystems in the world. Even though it only occupies 0.2% of the ocean floor, seagrass stores 10% of the oceans’ carbon and may seize 30% extra from the environment than its tropical rainforest equal. This distinctive capability to seize and retailer carbon makes preserving seagrass ecosystems one of the important steps in mitigating the consequences of local weather change.
Nona Source
When it involves the artwork of watchmaking, sustainability generally is a problem, however the strap is a simple place to start out. So, Zenith shaped a partnership with Nona Source, a web-based resale platform launched in 2020 with the aim of discovering a technique to permit manufacturers to repurpose luxurious maisons’ deadstock materials and acquire premium leftover materials at accessible costs. Within two years, Nona Source was acknowledged by and have become a member of La Fédération de la Mode Circulaire, an organization that helps round vogue corporations within the textile recycling business. For Zenith, these materials tackle a second life as watch straps. Each strap is completely distinctive, giving clients the chance to show their ardour for sustainability on their wrist.
Developing Products for a Cause
Now greater than ever, proudly owning a luxurious watch is simply that—a luxurious. We now not want a watch to inform time, notably not one with a five-figure price ticket. Some luxurious watch corporations are starting to acknowledge this shift within the strategy to gathering, one which goes past the utility of a timekeeper and spans to the deeper significance of the watch and the model behind it. Zenith is only one instance of a watchmaker who understands it has a sure duty to attempt to use its energy as an business chief to contribute to the world’s progress in a significant manner by means of the watches it creates.
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