Can renewable resources and wristwatches peacefully co-exist? Italian newcomer TFP (Time For Planet) Watches is betting that they can. I recently got to try a TFP Windrose Ceramic Black, one of seven variants in an offbeat collection intended to capture the brand’s commitment to the environment.
I’m skeptical when anyone claims their product is “green” or “sustainable” but some things are definitely greener than others. The laptop I am using to write this review is probably nothing short of a toxic bomb given the materials used in its production, the power it consumes over the course of its relatively brief useful life, and the almost dead certainty that it will occupy a landfill for the next thousand years. A watch, on the other hand, really isn’t so terrible. A good mechanical movement frees you from batteries and their ecological baggage, consumes minimal resources, and with proper maintenance, its useful life can be longer than yours.
So let’s see what TFP brings to the table. It is an automatic – a Swiss Landeron 24 to be precise – so no battery, and its ETA 2824 architecture is reliable and easily serviced. The leather strap is vegetable-tanned, a process less environmental impact than chrome-tanning. The dials are either oxidized or treated with low-impact varnish.The cases are either stainless steel or bronze. This is hardly uncommon but TFP makes the point that these metals are the most likely to contain recycled material. More interesting is the fact that they cast the cases using a lost-wax method more commonly employed in making jewelry and which they claim requires fewer man-hours and less waste. They also say they will plant a tree in your honor that you can watch on the web, but there is little detail on the site about how that program actually works.
Beyond the watch itself, they have tackled the form of waste most offensive to me: the box. I hate glossy presentation boxes packed with plastic (you can read my full rant here) and love that TFP has opted for simple recycled cardboard. Bravo!
Now that we have the eco part out of the way, we can move on to the unit itself. The Windrose is set up to be a proper tool watch, rated for 200m water resistance. I must note that the sample says “200MT” on the dial and “60ATM” on the case back, and that TPF states their watches are water resistant within that range. It features a double-domed sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, and bright lume on the hands and markers.
Measuring 42.5mm wide, 47mm long, and 13.8mm thick, it is not small but still quite manageable on my 6.75″ wrist. Rounded sides, dipped lugs, and an angled bezel allow the watch to pull off its stout proportions with aplomb. It has a rough, frosted finish reminiscent of that on Vietnam-era, US Government issued field watches. On the back, you will find a bas-relief globe.
The review sample arrived on a 20mm brown leather strap and an extra red one. Both are nicely thick, have painted edges, and seem like they are made to last. They are attached with hex-head screw bars. Ah, screw bars… I appreciate the extra strength and security even though they get in the way of my frequent strap swapping. I will say, if you employ such bars, hex heads are the way to go as their tools tend to seat more securely than other screwdrivers so you are less likely to scratch your case or strip the fastener. Unlike some others I have encountered, TFP thoughtfully includes an Allen wrench to do the job. Better still, one lug on each side is cut to fit the bar’s head, holding it in place while you screw in the other end, thereby sparing you the dilemma of having to use two screwdrivers at once. Very clever.
Topping the case is a polished bezel fitted with a glossy black ceramic insert. It is engraved with compass markings filled in yellow and looks fantastic. Sadly, that is all it does because it does not rotate. You don’t actually need a compass bezel to navigate with your watch (you can find out how right here) but it does help you mark your approximate North-South axis. A fixed compass bezel only makes the process more difficult because its markings are only correct once a day. TFP says the bezel is only intended to remind the wearer of the direction of the winds. Well, as Bob Dylan said, “you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” and you sure don’t need a fixed compass bezel either.
Moving on to the dial, the one on the Windrose Ceramic Black has a black sand textured finish, the distinctive TFP horizon logo, and large triangular markers at the primary hours. The others are narrow trapezoids except for an oversized 8 that is intended to invoke infinity, the cycle of life, various religious and cultural meanings, and the directions of the wind. Numeric mysticism aside, it is a TFP signature and doesn’t look bad, although it would have been a more entertaining element had it been lumed. As is, it leaves a rather significant void at night.
One of TFP’s selling points is the option to choose your watch’s crown position: 2 o’clock, or 8 o’clock as it was on the review sample. Given the huge, cylindrical crown, I can see why they decided not to place it in its usual 3 o’clock position, but like the compass bezel and the big 8, the execution falls short. The Landeron 24 has a 3 o’clock crown and a 3 o’clock date. That date will always have to be lined up next to that crown because date disks are printed for specific placement on the dial. Cut a window anywhere else and it won’t be properly aligned with an hour marker. You can shift the crown, of course, and so long the date is still in the same relative position, it will look right.
TFP gives buyers the option of a right or left-hand crown. If you choose the right side, you get both the crown and date properly aligned at 2 o’clock. That is an odd position for both. I would have preferred 4 o’clock myself but I understand the desire for a unique approach and both function just fine up there. If, on the other hand, you want to go lefty, you will have an 8 o’clock crown and a 1:45-ish date like I had on the sample. Why? Because if the date followed the crown to 8, it would display upside down, and remember, if they wanted the date to properly line up with anything else, they would have had to commission custom disks. As a result, you get a date in a weird location that is also misaligned with every other element on the face. It’s maddening. [Update: TPF has informed me that the 1:45 date window is not the result of using a standard date wheel and a non-standard crown position, but was instead a deliberate design decision and the disk was, in fact, custom printed for that purpose. I do not understand that choice.]
So, all in all, I found the Windrose to be a mixed bag. On the one hand, it is a fun tool watch with solid specifications, clever touches, and a quirky character. On the other hand, the designers have made some truly head-scratching choices with regard to the bezel, date, and crown. Then there’s the price. TFP offers the Windrose Black Ceramic for what they call an “unbeatable” price of $1,170 US ($88 for the extra strap). I think they need to try harder to beat that. Granted, you get a Swiss Made watch with a quality movement, but I’d happily trade that Landeron for a Miyota 9015 (or even a Seiko NH35 – it is a tool watch after all) and Switzerland for Shenzhen, China for improved price and utility. If the price is a result of green production and the complementary tree, I’d suggest they may be going about this the wrong way. I do care about green issues, but I care about the green in my wallet too.
Clearly, the TPF is not for everyone. It was made for those who want a statement piece that is offbeat and distinctive, even that means choosing fashion over function and paying a premium for it. The Windrose is not my cup of tea, but if it’s yours, head over to tfpwatch.it and check out the whole collection. ⬩
