If you’ve been reading my posts for some time, you’ll remember that I’ve looked at watches that feature a variety of different materials in their construction. Today, we’re going to have a look at Sprout Watches, who actually manufacture their cases from a corn resin. This makes for a very lightweight watch that, should the need arise, is biodegradable as well.
So, why corn resin? To put it simply, it removes the use of oil, which is what your regular resin case/band would be made from. According to Sprout, it offers the same shelf-life and stability as a regular plastic, so you don’t need to worry about it dissolving into mush on your wrist. Of course, corn itself is a renewable resource, so there’s some additional eco-friendliness there.
This “greenness” of the watch extends to the face (generally corn resin and/or bamboo), as well as the strap/bracelet. The watch I wore for review featured a corn-resin bracelet (metal hardware in the clasp); the one my wife tested out featured a Tyvek strap. One other option that have, for those who want leather, is a fish leather, which looks pretty cool (check those out here).
As I mentioned, we were sent two different models to review. The watch I tested has a bit of chronograph styling (corn dial, bamboo sub-dials), but is not actually a chrono. The subdials indicate date, day, and 24-hour time. Past that, for functionality, you have the standard hours/minutes/seconds hand. There is a quartz movement driving the functions (a quieter one, thankfully) ticking away under the mineral crystal.
At 44mm, this is a larger watch. However, with the corn resin used in the case and the two-tone bracelet, it is an extremely light watch. Additionally, it’s on the thinner side (at least, from what I’m used to), so those two factors combine for a watch that wears much smaller. I do wish that there was some lume on the hands, as well as some color on the hands and numbers. The chrome on black works well if you’re going for a stealthed look; for me, I found it a touch harder to read the time than need be.
At $75, I’m on the fence with this one as far as recommendation. Strictly as a quartz watch, it falls short in a few areas against others at this price point. However, If you want a watch that is about as eco-friendly as you can get, either for yourself or as a gift, Sprout is a great option in my opinion. Either way, it has a rather low point of entry (other men’s models start at $30)
Tomorrow, we’ll look at the women’s model we were provided.
