Is the Pragma P1 essentially the most sustainable watch but?

It’s possibly apt that the primary watch from new model Pragma known as the ‘P1 – Perseverance’. The Geneva-based firm’s co-founder, Christopher Wegener, says he has waited 21 years to make it occur, after coaching in watchmaking with Rolex, earlier than taking over positions with the likes of FP Journe and Laurent Ferrier. The chance got here from an opportunity assembly with Ken Lui, a Taiwanese product designer who’s ex of Hermès however with no expertise in watches. ‘I feel that has really made an actual distinction, when it comes to making an attempt issues that conventional matchmaking doubtless wouldn’t try,’ says Wegener.

That’s not merely when it comes to the P1’s industrial design: it is available in 4 variations, three metal and one gold and is impressed by Liu’s regard for Swiss architects resembling Mario Botta and Peter Zumthor, for whom precision geometry – with a contact of brutalism – are calling playing cards; distinctive are the two-part indices and the sub-dials, with the date and seconds displayed not utilizing fingers however revealed by means of cut-outs in revolving discs. ‘The design needs to be robust sufficient to talk for itself, to do the job of any brand on the dial,’ says Liu – not least as a result of there isn’t any branding in any respect on the P1.

However past design, Pragma’s actual level of distinction is extra to do with its 100 per cent Swiss-made watch’s use of supplies: particularly, they’re 82.7 per cent recycled, which, even for a low-volume manufacturing, partly explains the P1’s higher-end worth (at round £22,000 for a metal model). As Liu factors out, ‘folks nonetheless are likely to assume recycled supplies are cheaper, however really the processes required make them costlier’. He cites, by the use of instance, that the metal used for the P1’s case – developed in collaboration with Voutilainen & Cattin – is from Panatere’s La Chaux-de-Fonds solar-powered furnace.

‘When, in the beginning of this mission, I spoke with folks within the trade – at large manufacturers – I used to be typically instructed that no one [among high-end watch consumers] cares about sustainability, however should you can present the identical high quality [as comparable products] and be sustainable then clearly that’s nice,’ says Wegener. ‘In addition to, I feel there’s an obligation to alter the best way we construct issues now. And [contrary to what I was told] I feel a youthful technology of watch collector particularly does care now. In fact, the design needs to be proper. However sustainability is the cherry on the cake.’