Tom Ford is making history, and in an environmentally friendly way: the Tom Ford Ocean Plastic Timepiece marks a significant launch for the brand, releasing the very first luxury timepiece made from 100% ocean plastic.

In partnership with 52HZ, an advisory service launched by Lonely Whale, Tom Ford is reaffirming their commitment to ocean health with the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize, which aims to propel meaningful innovation around a replacement for thin-film plastic and urge the globe to mobilize against plastic pollution in our seas.

Every year, an estimated 11 million tons of plastic waste pollutes our waters, destroying aquatic habitats and marine life. Every purchase of a Tom Ford Ocean Plastic Timepiece permanently removes what is equivalent to 35 bottles of plastic waste from the ocean, all while being bundled in recyclable, eco-friendly packaging. The Swiss-made timepieces were developed alongside suppliers with sustainable commitments, all set on finding solutions to the world’s plastic problem.

The Tom Ford Ocean Plastic Timepiece is made of 100% ocean plastic collected from uncontrolled landfills, oceans and coastlines, with no traces of virgin plastics or non-ocean bound plastics. Traceable back to the collection source, the ocean plastic used is carbon neutral and compounded in Switzerland via solar energy—a friendly timepiece for your wrist, and most importantly, our planet.

“In my opinion, ethical luxury is THE greatest luxury of all,” said Tom Ford. “The Tom Ford customer is sophisticated with a heightened awareness of the issues facing our planet and the responsibility we have to protect it. Sustainability is a key issue in our lives right now. In particular, the amount of ocean plastic that we are generating is perhaps taking the greatest toll on our environment of all.”

For every thousand Ocean Plastic Timepieces produced and sold by Tom Ford, 490 pounds of plastic waste are removed and prevented from entering the ocean.

“It is incredibly appealing to know that you are not only wearing a high-quality product, but by simply owning the product you are also taking direct action to improve the planet,” Ford went on to say.

With 52HZ, Tom Ford is emphasizing its commitment to ocean health and a sustainable lifestyle by inspiring creative, innovative solutions globally. The partnership is incentivizing the global community with the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize to create a new material that can replace existing thin-film plastic, but without poisoning the ocean.

Industry-leading judges will serve on a panel to award a total of $1 million to the winning submission, which will be vetted and stress-tested to ensure a positive environmental impact and market-readiness by 2025. The prize will not only create a broad sense of awareness for the issues of plastic pollution in the ocean, but also ensure a quick mainstream development and implementation of the new, sustainable products. Submissions will be accepted as of the end of January 2021, and guidelines and prize rules will be outlined at the dedicated website of www.plasticprize.org.

“Building on five years of success at Lonely Whale pioneering disruptive change in the conversation about plastics and the ocean, we’re thrilled to launch 52HZ, an advisory service designed to share what we’ve learned with individuals and brands seeking to do the same,” said Dr. Dune Ives, CEO of Lonely Whale. “Collaboration accelerates innovation, and we are so proud to partner with Tom Ford in 52HZ’s inaugural venture: the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize. He is an icon certainly, but now also a leader in the fight for the future of our planet. His Ocean Plastic timepiece and the launch of the Prize is a technological feat and proof positive that the fashion industry can be an ally, with plenty to contribute to the environmental movement.”

Shop the Tom Ford Ocean Plastic timepiece for $995 USD at Tom Ford boutiques worldwide or online at tomford.com now.