How One Watch is Trying to Protect Our Oceans

Modern society has evolved to a point where even the littlest things we do can have some form of social responsibility behind it. We use metal straws to save on plastic. We use refillable tumblers for coffee instead of disposable paper cups. We support businesses dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint. But there’s an even larger issue at stake.

Due to climate change, rapid disposal of plastic, and negligence in sewage treatment, the world’s oceans—comprising 97 percent of the water available to us—are at serious risk. Roughly 80 percent of the garbage in the ocean came from land-based sources, while improper sewage disposal has led to the creation of close to 500 “dead zones”: areas where marine life cannot survive, adding up to a combined area about the size of the UK.

There’s a severe lack of awareness about global water problems. Swiss luxury watchmaker Oris aims to change that with its newest model.

The Oris Aquis Date Relief is the latest entry in the brand’s line of cause-oriented timepieces. The watch takes its name from the reliefs on its uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel—a first for the Aquis collection. Its design is inspired by the color and feeling of water, with the reliefs serving as a reminder of its texture. The watch’s gray dial calls to mind a storm-ridden sea, while the red second-hand pops against the backdrop, underlining the sense of urgency behind Oris’s advocacy.

The brand has partnered with expedition swimmer Ernst Bromeis on his project, “The Blue Miracle”, which will document his swims across some of the world’s largest and most challenging lakes in an effort to raise awareness for our waters. He’s already crossed Russia’s frigid Lake Baikal with the Aquis Date Relief strapped firmly to his wrist, and it set to take on many more before the year is over.

With a sturdy 43.5 mm stainless steel case, sapphire top glass, and water resistance for up to 300 meters, the Aquis Date Relief is well-equipped to handle Bromeis’ mission.

It’s also an attractive enough watch to wear on other occasions, with options for a stainless steel bracelet, red or gray rubber straps, or a gray leather strap to fasten it to your wrist. Its impeccably smooth movement, courtesy of the Oris 733 (Selitta base) caliber, makes it a rather handsome timepiece to observe.

The heart of it, however, remains to be Oris’s commitment to raising awareness for its cause. This isn’t the first time it has attached an environmental message to one of its watches. The Clean Ocean Limited Edition, based on the Oris Aquis diver’s watch, carries a unique medal made of recycled plastic inserted into the case back. For this timepiece, Oris has partnered with Pacific Garbage Screening, an organization developing technology that can capture plastic before it enters the ocean.

The Aquis Date Relief, however, is the first to embark on an adventure as meaningful as Bromeis’s project. That alone makes it a watch—and by extension, its mission—worth talking about.

To see the Oris Aquis Date Relief in person, visit the Oris Dive Deep Display at The Gallery in Greenbelt 5, Makati City on June 20 and 21. Learn more about the Oris Aquis Date Relief and its cause by following this link.