Being eco-friendly has been a hot topic for most companies this year and Quiksilver is no different. The Ray is a limited edition watch (1,000 unit run) hitting stores next month for $500, but why is it considered eco-friendly? Or to be more precise, an eco-conscious design?
Many of its parts are 100 percent recycled: aluminum, mineral crystal, anti-allergy 316L stainless steel and solvent free links. It doesn’t require a battery because of its nine ruby stainless steel and brass automatic movement. And it has bits of real ebony wood that’s been sourced from sustainable managed forests. Apparently most watches take four months to manufacture, but the Ray takes roughly seven months because a lot of it is made by hand.
Packaging and transport also add to its eco-conscious design. Quiksilver decided to ditch the plastic C-clip stand, films, water-based inks and embossing to cut down on useless materials. The Ray is shipped in recycled carboard as well, which supposedly uses 30 percent less material. It’s also shipped by boat and trucked locally reducing their carbon footprint by 80 percent had they used airp freight. But what about the damage the boats are doing to the oceans?
The Ray is a great looking watch and I applaud Quiksilver for doing their part to reduce the overall carbon footprint, but we all have a long ways to go and I guess every little bit counts.