The new brand is headed up by two luxury watch industry veterans and is launching with a crowdfunding campaign.
Founded by Alexander Bennouna, former CEO for Victorinox Swiss Army Watch, and Martin Riemer, who specializes in trade and distribution for luxury watch brands, including Cartier, Rolex, and Omega, Decide&Act (d&a) was founded on the recognition that the watch industry was in dire need for sustainability. As more sophisticated buyers express their concerns about the sustainability and ethics of what they buy and how they identify, it became apparent how unsustainable today’s watch industry really is. Today’s watch enthusiast factors everything from packaging to process to place of manufacture into their purchase, even through to how the profits are used.
For d&a’s first watch collection, the company is pledging to donate 10% to a cause the customer chooses and stands for. Additionally, each model in their Special Editions collection will be dedicated to specific projects with pledges of up to 30%.
With this new consumer in mind, d&a is kicking off its mission toward peace, diversity, and ecology with the ‘Ambassador of Change’ collection – a limited line of three designs in black, silver, and gold, all made from recycled and bio-sourced materials. d&a’s mission is to go beyond green design and aims to promote changemakers for the benefit of a better world by partnering with a number of NGOs worldwide to inspire people all over the globe to become change-makers.
Some of the most interesting aspects of the brand’s collection:
- Being designed and made in Switzerland, every d&a timepiece is held to the exacting standards of other watchmakers.
- The manufacturing process is fully sustainable, uses renewable energy, and is manufactured within a perimeter of 78 kilometers.
- The strap is vegan, constructed of cactus leather and PET fiber.
- The packaging is reusable, biodegradable, and also made of vegan materials.
- The entire d&a supply chain is hyper-focused on regeneration of the ecosystem and biodiversity.
Launching on Kickstarter, The ‘Ambassador of Change’ collection with retail from £155 ($215) for early purchases, which is a discount off the retail price.
The Original Collection, coming next, will begin from £245 ($338).
To learn more about d&a, visit: www.decideandact.com
The Kickstarter, with funding round having about a week to go as of 2 July, offers backers a variety of incentives including the exclusive timepieces with a discount, up to a “One of a Kind” edition timepiece with the option to choose your own strap, bezel, and second-hand color.
Sign up for the launch: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/decideandact/timeforchange