Sustainable Watches

Sustainability is an issue that concerns us all and shapes our times. Of course, the watch industry is not unaffected by this either. But what makes a watch sustainable? What should the environmentally conscious watch fan pay attention to if they want to make their collection more sustainable? We take a close look at sustainable watches and provide inspiration for making a purchasing decision that takes the protection of nature and our planet into account.

Sustainability in Luxury Watches: An Industry Analysis

The luxury segment in the fashion, jewelry and watch sector is not necessarily known for putting sustainability first in the design and production of expensive products. In recent years, however, a certain "green" trend has become apparent: more and more brands have begun to incorporate the idea of ​​sustainability into their value system and to align their products at least in part with it. At the same time, the number of companies that build their image right from the start on the above-average sustainability of the items they offer is growing. Modern brands such as Kerbholz or nordgreen Copenhagen make environmental friendliness a priority and show that solid quality and attractive designs can also be implemented sustainably.

There are now numerous approaches to more sustainable production of cases, dials and straps. For example, many companies build cases from natural wood, such as walnut, maple, sandalwood and teak, and even make sure to source the material from sustainable forestry. Some manufacturers use recycled paper or recycled plastic for various elements of their watch models, others make vegan straps and replace the leather with plant-based substitute materials, for example based on apples, cacti or cork.

Despite all these developments, the watch industry has certain limits when it comes to sustainable products, because a watch movement cannot function without rare earths and battery-operated watches always contain lithium, which is environmentally questionable. It will therefore be difficult to produce a watch that is completely sustainable and environmentally friendly. But that does not mean that efforts to make timepieces more sustainable, for example by using natural materials, are in vain. Because even if perfection may not be achieved in this respect, every sustainable product sets an example and makes a contribution to environmental protection.

Why Vintage Watches are Sustainable

In our view, the most sustainable watch is one that is not newly produced. This is because the production of watches from natural materials also requires energy. Accordingly, the most sustainable watch is a used vintage model - our specialty! At HORANDO, the search for high-quality CPO watches from well-known brands is over. With our large selection and variety of used models, we make it easy for our customers to make a sustainable choice.

Environmental Benefits of Buying Vintage Watches

A luxury vintage watch may not be made of wood, but of stainless steel, gold or platinum, may have a classic leather strap instead of a cork strap and therefore probably does not look like a particularly environmentally friendly product at first glance - but that is exactly what it is. The production of wooden watches and other sustainable alternatives consumes electricity and water. It should also not be forgotten that even a watch that is made of renewable natural materials on the outside has a movement inside. This contains components from finite resources, the extraction of which is anything but environmentally friendly. This of course also applies to the vintage watch, but it was not newly produced. The resources processed in it do not have to be obtained twice so that the watch can serve a second owner well. This makes buying used watches a responsible, sustainable decision and illustrates why CPO watches are sustainable watches regardless of collection and design.

Longevity and timeless vintage pieces

The lifespan and useful life of a product determines its sustainability. Giving a used watch a long life in its "new home" is therefore far more sustainable than buying a new wooden watch every few years. While many other accessories quickly go out of fashion and are rarely worn for more than one season by trend-conscious buyers, many CPO watches are also timeless classics, so you don't have to buy a new one to be "up-to-date".

The advantages of buying used watches

If you, as an environmentally conscious watch lover, browse through the wide range of watches that the market has to offer, you will naturally notice watches made of wood and other natural materials and may be primarily interested in items that are explicitly advertised as sustainable. The actually obvious option of using used watches is quickly overlooked. That's a shame, because the advantages of vintage watches are obvious:

Financial and environmental benefits

We have already explained in detail that buying a used watch makes sense from an ecological point of view. But there are also financial advantages. And who doesn't like to save money when buying a watch? Compared to a brand new watch, used models for men and women are often inexpensive. The products, which are rigorously tested at HORANDO and are therefore guaranteed to be genuine and original, are often in impeccable condition, have no significant signs of wear and function perfectly. This results in an excellent price-performance ratio for the buyer. Buying a sustainable watch doesn't have to be overpriced!

Unique history and charm of used pieces

A wristwatch that does not come directly from the manufacturer's warehouse, but has already spent a few years in this world, often has a lot more charm than products that have just "rolled off the production line". In the eyes of some watch collectors, it is precisely the tangible history that a CPO model brings with it that makes it so authentic and valuable. This is a fascinating facet of used watches that you probably have to see for yourself to fully understand.

Sustainable watch models

Even if used watches are the most sustainable choice from our perspective, we would like to take a short tour through the wooden watch market and introduce one or two wristwatches made of natural wood. Nature-loving women and men who want a watch made of solid wood will find what they are looking for at Holzkern, for example. The manufacturer, which also offers sunglasses and other accessories, counts the "Autumn Twilight" model in a solid wood design made of maple and walnut among its wooden watches for women, but also has sustainable watches with a stone dial in its range. The "Summer Evening" watch, for example, skilfully combines a walnut case with a leaf made of vibrantly marbled lapis lazuli.

The Kerbholz "CARLA" collection is a little less wood-heavy, with only the frame of the dial with the date made of wood. The nordgreen "Native" watch does not use any wood at all, but shows that a deceptively real leather look is possible even with 100% vegan designs. The black "substitute leather material", for which no animal had to lose its life, looks extremely classy and no less high-quality than comparable bracelets made of conventional leather.

The Laimer brand stands out from the crowd with solar-powered movements, such as those used in the "Milo Solar" men's and women's watches made of walnut wood with a date display and chronograph function. The company can therefore offer customers sustainable approaches that go beyond the material of the case and dial. Another interesting feature of this brand is the range of straps, which includes versions made of supple cork and robust felt.

Of course, we can only mention a tiny fraction of the products from the "Wooden Watches and Co." category that are available on the market. After all, there are now many products made from alternative, environmentally friendly materials. Women and men who do not want to buy a used watch but still want to make a sustainable decision should have no problems finding something chic for themselves.

Conclusion: The importance of sustainable choice

Ultimately, the growing range of watches made of wood and similar ecological materials is a truly welcome development in the watch industry. After all, for the future of our planet, it is essential that society and industry - and thus also the watch world - become more environmentally conscious. Nevertheless, our position is clear: when it comes to sustainability, nothing beats a well-preserved used watch. At HORANDO, we have over 4,000 of them in our range at all times, making our shop a promising point of contact for all those who are interested in sustainable watches but prefer to wear luxury products from renowned designers and brands. With our large product range full of authenticated branded products, we manage to combine sustainability, quality and pure luxury.