Actor Leonardo DiCaprio Invests In ID Geneve And Its Circular Economy Plan

(This article by Roberta Naas first appeared in her column on Forbes.com.)

Initially founded just three years ago in 2020, ID Genève  strives to create watches that reflect the value of commitment to the environment and the fight against climate change. The ID stands for identity and the brand offers a new circular economy principle in the watch world where it uses ethically sourced and recycled materials that have a lower carbon footprint than most materials in the industry. Now, ID Genève has raised 2 Million Swiss Francs thanks to investments from private families, investment firms including Exelixis Capital AG, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

“I am thrilled to be an investor in ID Genève, a brand that’s driving change in the luxury industry and beyond, by consistently innovating and focusing on circular economy principles,” said Leonardo DiCaprio in a press release issued by the brand.

The CHF 2 million seed round enables the brand to continue its growth and it commitment to sustainable practices. Its Circular S series, for instance, boasts watches made using recycled steel that has been remelted in a solar furnace – “reducing the carbon footprint by a factor of 165.”

All of the watch straps used in the series are vegetable straps and fully compostable. Even the packaging is made from natural materials, including mushrooms or seaweed. The automatic mechanical movements inside are refurbished and certified and the watch case boasts a modular design to allow for replacement parts. The brand has even earned B Corp certification, which measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance at 80 percent and above.  Most of the ID Geneve watches sell for between $3,800 and $5,500.

Its most recent watch collection launched by the brand in September 2023, in cooperation with CompPair, is Circular C made using Regenerative Carbon™. CompPair is a Swiss materials specialist that offers sustainable composites and healable materials. Together, these impact-driven brands bring a watch to life using recycled carbon fibers.  Essentially, the dial, bezel and side decorations are made from 100 percent recycled carbon fiber that is comes from wind turbine manufacturing waste. What makes the material so special is that the composite, if damaged, and be heated for a minute and return to its original condition. Just 20 pieces of the first LAB edition of Circular C were made. The dial is arranged to express the hours and minutes in an organic matter, like molecules in motion. The Circular C sells for $6,125.

“We have always been interested in working with a global environmental advocate like Leonardo DiCaprio, and we’re thrilled this partnership has come to fruition,” said Nicolas Freudiger, co-founder of ID Genève. “ID Geneve is at the crossroad of Swiss watchmaking tradition and circular economy. Beyond pioneering a new narrative in the luxury watch industry, our work is about shedding light on real solutions to climate change. … We are challenging the status quo, because this is how change happens. With Leonardo DiCaprio now on board as an investor, our hope is that our mission will reach and resonate further.”