Seven plastic gems for the summer – when lightweight meets light-heartedness

Who said plastic can't be classy? From divers in recycled ocean plastic to collector's watches with cartoon characters and space ambitions – here are seven summery watches that prove that plastic is the new gold(-toned).

Text: Andreas Johansson

Summer is here, and with it comes the barbecue, flip-flops and the eternal hunt for something that doesn't weigh like an anchor on the wrist. Because when the sweat is pouring and the bathing water is calling, you don't want to carry around a metal monster that feels like a chain from a submarine.That is why we have gathered seven watches that are either wholly or partly made in plastic – but not just any plastic. We are talking recycled fishing nets, bioceramics, and even collaborations that have made both collectors and bathers drop their jaws (and sometimes their minds) in Swatch stores. This is our last article about this year's summer watches. 

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Triwa SUB Ocean Plastic Deep Sea

Triwa shows that plastic doesn't only belong in the Tupperware box. The SUB Deep Sea is made of recycled ocean plastic and looks like something James Bond would wear, if he swapped the shaken martini for a reused water bottle. The blue dial with a wave pattern and the robust feel mean that you glide just as smoothly into the beach club as down into the pool (or at least to 100 m). 

Blancpain × Swatch Pink Ocean

This is the Fifty Fathoms – but with a twist. Swatch and Blancpain have taken the diving classic and thrown it down into a pastel-coloured plastic tub, with the result: a pink diver in bioceramic that looks like it is sponsored by Barbie. But appearances deceive, the movement is mechanical, the design is thoroughly worked through, and the nudibranch on the back is perhaps the summer's most unexpected talking point.

Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch – 1965

We know, plastic and space don't sound like a watch-wise love story. But Swatch's interpretation of Omega's legendary Speedmaster became a complete hype fest, with queues longer than the security check at Arlanda. Bioceramic, quartz movement and a design that screams moon base 2035. Perfect for you who want astronaut vibes without blowing the moon… I mean the budget.

Oris Aquis Date Upcycle

Here we have a watch that is equal parts statement and style. Every dial is unique, made from recycled PET plastic from the oceans, which makes every example as unique as your latest Aperol-filled sunset picture on Instagram. The case is admittedly of steel, but the plastic is where it shows the most. And yes, you get 300 m water resistance into the bargain. For you who take both bathing and the environment seriously. The most expensive watch on the list, but pretty it is!

Swatch Simpsons – Aye Carumboo!

If you have ever wondered what it would look like if Bart Simpson designed a watch on a sugar rush, here you have the answer. This explosion in yellow, red and pure nostalgia is not only a colourful statement, it is also a way to show that you refuse to grow up. Plastic case, big personality and as much Springfield as you can possibly carry on the wrist.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon #Tide

It sounds like an energy drink, but #Tide is Maurice Lacroix's answer to the question: ”How do we make our icon model summery, sustainable and a bit fun?” The answer became recycled plastic from the ocean, colours as if taken from a Caribbean fruit drink, and a design that despite its plasticness still feels… luxurious? Yes. You can both bathe and mingle with it, and that is not something you can often say about something in plastic.

Timex Legacy Ocean

Timex does it again, delivers a good-looking, reliable watch that looks like it costs more than it does. The Legacy Ocean is made in recycled plastic and has an expression that flirts with classic diver vibes, but in a light and environmentally friendly version. A watch for you who would rather dip your toes in the Baltic Sea than go all-in on tourbillons and heavy metal.

Choosing plastic in the watch world used to be a big no-no for connoisseurs. But the times are changing just like the oceans. Today it is no longer only about showing the time, but also about showing that you care. And plastic, especially recycled plastic, has become a way to signal both style awareness and environmental thinking. From Swatch's bioceramic moon voyages and Simpsons-like colour explosions to Oris and Triwa who literally clean the oceans to make dials, these watches show that you can have fun, look good and at the same time do something sensible. Because what is more summer than going light on the wrist and heavy on sustainability?

So next time someone raises their eyebrows at your ”plastic watch”, you can just lean back, sip on something cold and remind them that style and conscience nowadays go hand in hand. And sometimes in recycled plastic.