Editor’s Note: Watches & Wonders (formerly SIHH) has moved online and Baselworld 2020 is canceled, but that hasn’t stopped watch brands large and small from debuting their new wares. Stay on top of this year’s best new watch releases here.
Known for affordable, design-oriented watches, Danish brand Skagen has launched a limited edition that focuses on sustainability, and is incidentally a perfect summer watch. With a solar-powered movement a case and packaging made from recycled materials, the new Henricksen watch has a unique look that emphasizes its environmental message.
To produce a strap made from recycled plastic bottles, Skagen worked with a local Danish textile mill called Kvadrat that uses energy-saving processes for eco-friendly production. Even the watch’s packaging is made from recycled materials, and its movement holder, which is made of castor oil, further reduces the need for new plastics in its construction.
While solar power is often championed for reducing emissions from other fuels, in a watch, it saves the tiny battery from needing more frequent replacement. That environmental impact might be relatively minimal, but solar-charging offers also a practical, inexpensive way to get longevity out of a timepiece.
At 40mm wide and just 8mm thick, the Skagen Henricksen will be lightweight, comfortable and unique-looking on the wrist. It’s limited to only 422 examples (in honor of April 22, which is Earth Day) and has a price of $195. It’s available directly from the brand online.
