Product Overview

Official Swiss Railways Watch Essence [32 mm Ø]

Hans Hilfiker for Mondaine 1944/2018

Swiss Quartz Movement / Case: rizinus [castor oil] 41%, colour 2%, fossil plastics 27%, glass: 30% / Strap: 38% natural rubber / Water-resistant to 30m [100 feet]

Warranty: 2 Years

Essence from Mondaine marks a new era for the brand, built with sustainable materials, it is as eco-conscious as it is stylish. Developed using eco-friendly sources, its renewable materials including Rizinus (castor oil) for its case; natural rubber for the strap and recycled PET bottles for its mutli-purpose pouch, make these modern creations not only clean and simple in design but considerate to the world we live in.

Rizinus (castor) is a natural product, cultivated from the seeds of the tropical “wonder tree” (ricinus communis) a kind of wolfs milfoil. The oil is extracted from the seeds by a mechanical pressing process. The castor oil obtained is further processed in granulate form and processed as a bio-plastic in the case of the Essence watch.

Rizinus in watch manufacturing --The material is supplied by BASF, is used, for the first time in the watch industry. Castor oil is increasingly becoming an important bio based raw material and is sustainable and eco-friendly.

The watch strap material is made of 38 % natural rubber which is a very durable and highly comfortable material. The strap material is made from additive-free natural rubber, in keeping with the Mondaine SBB Essence concept. Due to its natural nature, it is possible that the black colour could fade-off or leave marks when in contact with moisture.

This iconic watch face design is seen in all the railway station clocks of the Swiss Federal Railways SBB [Schweizerische Bundesbahne].

www.sbb.ch/en

The Swiss time icon of ingenuity and simplicity are the elements which often distinguish an attractive piece of design from a truly iconic design classic. The Mondaine Official Swiss Railways watch is proud to be associated with such an example of excellent 20th century design. The simple design, the unmistakable easy-to-read face, distinctive hands and the famous red seconds hand have made the Mondaine collection successful the world over. In 1944, Hans Hilfiker, a Swiss Engineer and Designer and employee of the Federal Swiss Railways, created a clock, which has become known as the Official Swiss Railways Clock.