Cedric Ballon and Ace Jewelers have teamed up to create a genuinely sustainable watch, using reclaimed materials wherever possible. It’s a mechanical – and refurbished -Soprod GMT movement, steel case 39mm auto, with a plain polished bezel – nothing fancy. No unusual paint, varnishes, inks or coatings used during the making of the watch. Unlike a modern smartwatch there are no rare earth minerals being used either.
It’s all good and NWC agrees that locally produced materials being recycled into new products is low impact – and creates jobs too.
The caseback is old school Tissot/Breitling style, with the multi sided die tool being required. We love that touch, although a conventional screw on caseback allows owners to open the watch up that bit easier with a £7.99 eBay tool.
Swiss made and just 25 pieces being manufactured by CB, so it’s likely to be very rare. It has a plain black dial with a red GMT hand and white markings. Quite utilitarian and the Ace Jewelers connection is limited to a three XXX logo on the caseback.
Here’s the word from Cedric Ballon;
The CB x ACE GMT is the archetype of the sustainable watch: mechanical, simple, reliable, repairable, timeless…made to stay out of fashion cycles. Naturally gorgeous in its simple function. Taking on a patina over time. Even more beautiful after years of use.
This special limited edition of the CB01 GMT for ACE Jewelers is dedicated to Amsterdam and its “wind and bicycle” powered sustainability culture. Therefore the watch features the black and red colour identity of Amsterdam, and the distinctive XXX symbol of Amsterdam is engraved on the case-back and dial.
We are very humbled and proud to have had the honour to be able to work with Cedric Bellon in the creation a collab watch that adds some ‘Amsterdam flavour’ to his extremely well balanced and sustainable watch design, says Alon BEN JOSEPH, Co-founder ACE Jewelers.
Price is CHF 1,690 or about £1,480, that’s quite steep for something which is essentially a refurbished watch, although it isn’t in the stratosphere like a JLC or Rolex pre-owned/restored heritage watch to be fair.
More here.