Timex's $100 Waterbury Ocean Timepieces Target "Ocean-Bound" Plastics To Reduce Pollution

Folks, Timex, a brand that's been around since 1854 and known for blending European and American watchmaking techniques, has recently announced their newest collection of timepieces, the Waterbury Ocean. While launching a timekeeper is nothing out of the ordinary for Timex, what's unique about this watch is that it has been designed to help stop some single-use plastics from ever reaching our oceans.

Actually, almost the entire process of bringing this watch to life is as clean as possible. From carbon-neutral transport to a production process fueled by the sun's power, all of this baby is designed to be eco-friendly.

Now, to backtrack just a little bit, what I feel is great about this watch, aside from the fact that you're helping the environment by purchasing one, is that it's priced at no more than $100. That's all it takes to help reduce an unknown amount of plastic (Timex does not mention the amount of plastic used to produce each piece). For $100 (€95 at current exchange rates), does it even matter?

Overall, future owners can choose from one of five watches; two boast a 42-millimeter case, and the other three a 37-millimeter case. Still, there's more to this story. Not only is each case built from "ocean-bound" plastic, but so is the strap, resulting in a lightweight construction, again, of unknown weight.

Looking closely at each piece, you can see the blend of plastics shine through each case and strap. Personally, I feel it looks rather neat, a sort of galaxy on your wrist.

Beyond just plastic, a few other materials made it into the watch. Peering at the dial, you can see that metal was used to create the minute and hour hand and hour markers; stainless steel, that is, and it's also present as the case back and the clasp found on the band. With a touch of luminous goo added to the hands, you should be able to read the time even if the sun has set and you're stranded on some beach you helped clean up or in the woods.

Diving further into all that is the Waterbury Ocean timepiece, I tried to find out what sort of movement may be responsible for keeping track of your precious seconds, only to see the words "Quartz Analog" on the manufacturer's website. Honestly, for $100, don't expect some Swiss-approved movement. However, considering this puppy is water-resistant up to 30 meters (98 feet), it should feel like a relatively worry-free piece.

At the end of the day, Timex has always been known for manufacturing budget-friendly timepieces. This time around, they're making a change in the world, one watch at a time. Oh, and if your watch connoisseur friends ever point and laugh at you for wearing a minute tracker that costs just $100, you can always boast that this little puppy makes a difference in the world and isn't just some accessory with which to be seen brandishing your new Armani suit.