Nine million tonnes of plastic are discharged into the ocean every year and fishing nets are one of the main sources of this pollution. These floating objects have a limited lifespan and are too often lost or dumped at sea.
Three young Breton designers had the idea of creating the first recycling sector for fishing nets in France: FIL&FAB. Fishermen are encouraged to deposit their worn out nets in harbor dumpsters. These nets are then disassembled and only the polyamide threads, a very resistant plastic are kept.
After crushing and granulation, the pellets obtained become a raw material. This recycling of an existing plastic resource is an effective argument for stopping the production of new plastic. The fight against marine pollution is a priority of SDG 14, the Sustainable Development Goal dedicated to the sea — one of the 17 SDGs set by the United Nations for 2030. By seeking an outlet for fishing nets, Ulysse Nardin is therefore acting in a concrete way to reduce marine plastic pollution.
With this upcycling approach and the development of a new material, the watchmaker is raising sustainability to the level of excellence. The Diver Net case, middle, back and bezel decoration are fabricated from these recycled fishing nets. The strap is weaved from PET plastic found in the sea and transformed into yarn balls by the Swiss company Tide. In their effort to find solutions with a lesser impact, the Ulysse Nardin innovation team created a transparent ceramic watch glass, manufactured in the Swiss Jura.
The Diver Net is a concept watch that explores important environmentally-friendly innovations while keeping the brand’s tradition of watchmaking alive. In fact, the silicon technology of the UN-118 movement can be admired through the back of its 44mm case. This concept diver watch is equipped with a concave inverted unidirectional bezel, also made of recycled fishing nets, with a curved transparent ceramic glass instead of a traditional sapphire glass. The white, gray and green dial, with its white “UN” lettering, heralds the mechanical marvel that sits within it. On the hour-markers and hands, the acid green Superluminova makes it easier to see the time in the dark. Green touches - symbolizing nature - are omnipresent: on the dial, bezel, crown protector and on the stitching on the recycled PET strap. The dial also features a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, as well as a date window and a small second hand at 6 o’clock.
