Blue on a mission – The Triwa Ocean Plastic Timer

Evolution, when it comes to watch brands is usually minimal. It takes time to be noticeable and then, it is probably time for another refresh. One of the patterns we have seen over the years is that almost every brand (not only in watches) is trying to become more minimalistic with cleaner lines and brighter colours, is not a bad path to choose, but we also wanted to see a bigger focus on sustainability.

In watches, sustainability is quite present, not as much as we would like to but there are a few big names taking this approach. Brand like Breitling and Omega are now more conscious on their packaging and how they source their materials but, what about smaller brands? At the end of the day, when added together, more than 500 brands exist, so it would be nice to see a change.

While I was searching for a noble approach at the microbrand stage, I came across Triwa watches and got the answer I was looking for. Based in Sweeden, the brand started as a collector’s initiative but then it evolved to a design that reflected more on minimalism. Subsequently, they added their Ocean Plastic range which is the initiative we are here for.

The Ocean Plastic collection is the way for the brand to give back to our planet. Each of their watches are made with recycled plastic founded in the oceans. They are colourful and quite attractive, so naturally we wated to review one.

Today we have their dual time watch: the Ocean Plastic Timer Blue. It has a very regatta Tag Heuer look, and we are here to discover it. Let’s begin.

The specifications

The word plastic and watches do not go hand in hand in my opinion, mostly because I see plastic as a non-durable material but, with the new techniques developed over the years, it seems to hold much better nowadays. The Ocean Plastic Timer has a very robust 40mm in diameter case and as the name suggests, the is all dyed in a dark blue almost black. I was very impressed with the finishing as there are no rough edges nor indications of bad moulding, it is all very well made.

The outside colour matches the dial as too, making it all a very blue watch, but with the subdials in turquoise, a yellow seconds hand and orange handset, the watch feels playful without being gimmicky. The printing is a point to stand out, as under macro you can really attest its quality, everything feels tidy.

As mentioned previously, it has this navy regatta vibe to it, and because of the 2 pushers, you might mistake it for a chronograph but is not, it is so much better. The Ocean Plastic Timer is a dual time watch, in the left subdial, the watch can display a second time zone and it is adjusted by those pushers, quite elegant solution instead of using the crown. The night and day indicator for the main time is also displayed at the right subdial, it is a complicated watch but one that works quite well. It also has 100 meters of water resistance.

Powering the watch we can find a Seiko VD32 Quartz module, quite good for this watch specially with he added complication, it keeps it light and thin, and it is also very silent, believe me I can hear some of my Timex watches from another room.

On the wrist

The watch is very light which is the first thing that I’ve notice. I am not so used to using these types of watches (light ones), but it has become my grab and go one, it is always set plus I have a second time zone to track.

The looks are very attractive. I found the use of colours quite nice, from the orange to the light blue, everything has a very happy vibe, it just puts a smile on your face.

For my 6.25-inch wrist, the watch wears extremely well, the lug to lug is around 48mm and I still have some clearance from both sides. The 20mm lug width its idea to swap straps, grey might look quite nice, and I am tempted but the supplied strap which is also made with recycled material, feels at home with that shade of blue, quite a nice combination.

I wore the Triwa Timer usually at the gym, it is light enough forget you are wearing it, but it can also take a beating, no need to be precious about it. Legibility is also quite good, the light green markers are easy to spot and they alternate between round, square and rectangles, a lot of thoughts has been going on making this piece.

With all the details described above, you might be thinking that is a loud watch, but it really isn’t. It feels that it can blend with most outfits, quite easy to pull, and it is a great conversation starter, not only aligns with the ethos of a more analogue watch that we love but the sustainability thought behind it feels like a great added value.

Concluding thoughts

The Ocean Plastic Timer has changed my perspective on the material itself. Sure, if the watch is made in a non-recycled way, it will take a lot of the appreciation I have for it, but also, I felt that these types of watches were more disposable, I was mistaken.

The quality is also something that stands out for me, from the printing to the module used, it all feels great, it is accurate and brings a different proposition to my watch box.

Also is worth considering the price, which is 175 GBP. This is a great alternative if you want to undercut the usual suspects from Swatch Group, you will get the same feeling and help our planet, basically a win-win situation.

The Ocean Plastic Timer also comes in black with colour accents, looks great and any version would be the right one.

For more information please visit https://triwa.com/en-uk/products/ocean-plastic-timer

Technical Specifications

Case size

40 mm

Case material

Recycled Ocean Plastic

Case color

Blue

Strap width

20 mm

Strap color

Blue

Strap material

Recycled Ocean Plastic

Adjustable length

165-220 mm

Dial

Blue

Buckle

Stainless Steel

Movement

Time Module VD32, Quartz

Water Resistance

10 ATM

Glass

Mineral Glass