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All the watch news, reviews, videos you want, brought to you from fellow collectors
Sustainability has become one of the defining conversations in modern watchmaking, as brands across the industry rethink their materials, manufacturing, and long-term impact. Among the most committed to this cause is ID Genève, a young Swiss brand founded in 2020, with sustainability as its central mission. From the outset, its goal was not to promise miracles but to demonstrate, in the words of CEO and co-founder Nicolas Freudiger, “how the world can change” through example and innovation.
The brand’s ethos caught international attention in 2023 when Leonardo DiCaprio, an outspoken environmental advocate, invested in ID Genève as part of a CHF 2 million seed round. That partnership helped propel the brand to a new milestone—becoming the first luxury watch company to officially partner with the United Nations on a commercial product. The collaboration has resulted in a timepiece, the Circular C United Nations SDG Limited Edition, which embodies the spirit of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each of the 17 pieces in this numbered series corresponds to one of the 17 goals—No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Good Health and Well-Being; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation; Affordable and Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Life Below Water; Life on Land; Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and Partnerships for the Goals.
One cannot simply purchase this watch; those who intend to buy can apply for the numbered watch that represents the SDG they most identify with, and ownership is granted only to those who can demonstrate a tangible commitment to that cause. A portion of each sale—10 per cent of the proceeds—is donated directly to the UN’s SDG initiatives.
The timepiece itself is crafted with sustainability in mind. Measuring 41 mm in diameter and 9.9 mm thick, it is made from regenerative carbon developed by CompPair’s HealTech™, a self-healing and circular material that can repair micro-cracks and extend the case’s lifespan, combined with recycled stainless steel to reduce waste. The dial, too, is made from recycled regenerative carbon, giving it a rich texture that complements the watch’s forward-thinking design.
Applied hour markers display a molecular gradient effect, filled with innovative 3D block Super-LumiNova developed by Billight for enhanced nighttime legibility. The caseback features an exhibition window showcasing a rainbow gradient colour wheel symbolising all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while also revealing the refurbished ETA 2892 automatic calibre inside. This movement, sourced from historical Swiss stock, has been fully overhauled to meet modern precision standards. It offers hours, minutes, central seconds, and date functions, a 42-hour power reserve, and a frequency of 4 Hz, with its rotor decorated and illuminated by a luminescent ID Genève logo.
True to the brand’s circular approach, the straps are entirely bio-based and non-plastic. They include one made from natural rubber blended with plant oils and waxes, developed by MIRUM, and another created from grape residues recovered after vinification at Château de Beaucastel, produced by NISIAR.
Available exclusively by application, the ID Genève Circular C United Nations SDG Limited Edition is priced at USD 10,500 (approx. INR 9,32,000).
Sustainability has become one of the defining conversations in modern watchmaking, as brands across the industry rethink their materials, manufacturing, and long-term impact. Among the most committed to this cause is ID Genève, a young Swiss brand founded in 2020, with sustainability as its central mission. From the outset, its goal was not to promise miracles but to demonstrate, in the words of CEO and co-founder Nicolas Freudiger, “how the world can change” through example and innovation.
The brand’s ethos caught international attention in 2023 when Leonardo DiCaprio, an outspoken environmental advocate, invested in ID Genève as part of a CHF 2 million seed round. That partnership helped propel the brand to a new milestone—becoming the first luxury watch company to officially partner with the United Nations on a commercial product. The collaboration has resulted in a timepiece, the Circular C United Nations SDG Limited Edition, which embodies the spirit of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each of the 17 pieces in this numbered series corresponds to one of the 17 goals—No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Good Health and Well-Being; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation; Affordable and Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Life Below Water; Life on Land; Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and Partnerships for the Goals.
One cannot simply purchase this watch; those who intend to buy can apply for the numbered watch that represents the SDG they most identify with, and ownership is granted only to those who can demonstrate a tangible commitment to that cause. A portion of each sale—10 per cent of the proceeds—is donated directly to the UN’s SDG initiatives.
The timepiece itself is crafted with sustainability in mind. Measuring 41 mm in diameter and 9.9 mm thick, it is made from regenerative carbon developed by CompPair’s HealTech™, a self-healing and circular material that can repair micro-cracks and extend the case’s lifespan, combined with recycled stainless steel to reduce waste. The dial, too, is made from recycled regenerative carbon, giving it a rich texture that complements the watch’s forward-thinking design.
Applied hour markers display a molecular gradient effect, filled with innovative 3D block Super-LumiNova developed by Billight for enhanced nighttime legibility. The caseback features an exhibition window showcasing a rainbow gradient colour wheel symbolising all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while also revealing the refurbished ETA 2892 automatic calibre inside. This movement, sourced from historical Swiss stock, has been fully overhauled to meet modern precision standards. It offers hours, minutes, central seconds, and date functions, a 42-hour power reserve, and a frequency of 4 Hz, with its rotor decorated and illuminated by a luminescent ID Genève logo.
True to the brand’s circular approach, the straps are entirely bio-based and non-plastic. They include one made from natural rubber blended with plant oils and waxes, developed by MIRUM, and another created from grape residues recovered after vinification at Château de Beaucastel, produced by NISIAR.
Available exclusively by application, the ID Genève Circular C United Nations SDG Limited Edition is priced at USD 10,500 (approx. INR 9,32,000).
