The Breitling x Outerknown collaboration, now available in six colours and four different sizes

For a watch enthusiast, the appeal of the humble dive watch is certainly undeniable. And although there are more desk divers than certified divers these days, this robust and reliable timepiece would not have existed if man had not the urge to explore the depths of the ocean. Unless you have been living under a rock these past years, you would already know that our oceans are under siege. Global warming is heating the seas causing coral to die, pollution and oil spills are killing marine life. And perhaps one issue that is closest to the everyday consumer, is the fact that the plastics that we use are finding its way into the ocean and harming all form of marine life.

Understanding the plights that our oceans face, many brands that offer iconic dive watch collections are already undertaking projects and collaborations that aim to save it. One such example is the little known collaboration between Breitling and an outfit called Outerknown.

Outerknown was co-founded by Kelly Slater, often described as the best surfer in the world, and also part of Breitling’s surfer squad. And the goal of Outerknown is to show that they can be a profitable clothing company while having sustainability and responsibility to the environment at its core. And one part of how Outerknown does this is by using a material called ECONYL. ECONYL is a material created exclusively from recycled nylon waste, and one source of this nylon waste comes from the discarded fishing nets floating about in the ocean.

According to an article by The Guardian, “a recent study of the “great Pacific garbage patch”, an area of plastic accumulation in the north Pacific, estimated that it contained 42,000 tonnes of megaplastics, of which 86% was fishing nets.” And these “Nets and lines can pose a threat to wildlife for years or decades, ensnaring everything from small fish and crustaceans to endangered turtles, seabirds and even whales.”

The partnership between Breitling and Outerknown will see the latter using this Econyl material in the making of NATO straps that will accompany selected models of the Breitling Superocean timepieces. Just recently, Breitling has also announced that they have expanded their selection of Outerknown ECONYL yarn NATO straps to now encompass six colours and have four different sizes from 18mm to 24mm to fit all Breitling watches.