A few years ago, my sister was gifted a gorgeous Olivia Burton watch for Christmas. They were new on my radar, and god they were pretty. The big rose gold faces, pretty little clasps, and straps in every pastel colour you could think of…
Form and function
I wanted one pretty badly. I’m not a massive accessories person (check out my ethical jewellery edit to see exactly what I have) but I do like items that balance form and function: exactly what these OB watches were to me. But they weren’t any options that didn’t use leather, meaning I was relegated to lesser brands without any real values.
Luckily, a few years on and there’s one watch brand that has really caught my eye: Votch*, aka The Vegan Leather Watch Company. It’s a brilliant idea, and with the demand growing for vegan leather and ethical accessories, they’ve timed it perfectly right.
What makes Votch special…
First off, there’s the design. They. Are. Beautiful. Simple, clean lines, smooth hands, large clear faces and slim straps… I couldn’t have designed a better one myself. Mine is The Black and Silver*, a 38mm watch that sits just right on my little wrist without clasping too tight or rolling too loose.
Then, there’s the business’ ethics. Created by Laura Stageman, the watches aim to do as little harm to the environment and to animals as possible. This makes them cruelty-free and chiefly made from natural materials – check out their innovative pinatex range using leftover pineapple leaves for the straps!
Oh, and about those Olivia Burton watches…
OB seems to have caught onto the trend, now making vegan friendly watches. Not quite the ethical hallmark of Votch, but still a good start!
