Editor’s Note: Taking a slight detour from covering the 2022 novelties, we offer you something a little different. Blancpain x Biopixel Oceans Foundation is all about saving our Great Barrier Reef. For our actual hands-on reviews, please head to the dedicated section here. Now let’s get to the point.
What The Blancpain x Biopixel Oceans Foundation
One of my most memorable vacay’s has been to Cairns. Balmy days, sunny weather. Beautiful waters flowing over gigantic green structures. A blue-green combination so enchanting that it can last forever in ones’ memories. Crocodiles closer, and sharks in the distance, both rule all they can survey. Look deeper and further, and down below in the distance, a colourful multitude school of fish swim about, forming an almost rainbow flow of life visible now, gone on a heartbeat.
Imagine a world so pure and pristine that one would think it must always be cherished and protected. But then come face to face with the stark reality of it all being slowly but surely wasted.
The Great Barrier Reef is not only the world’s largest coral reef system, a UNESCO World Heritage site but also one of the natural wonders of the world. But the sad thing is that’s also under duress. Coral reefs are underwater structures made of limestone that is deposited by coral polyps and supports a large percentage of marine life. Due to instances like environmental changes, mass coral bleaching and human habits, these reefs are suffering.
It is in these moments that when one sees something positive being done about securing the future of our reefs, one finds solace.
Swiss luxury watchmaker Blancpain through its Blancpain Ocean Commitment (BOC) has partnered up with Biopixel Oceans Foundation and Biopixel to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. BOC has a long valuable history of working with with explorers, photographers, scientists, and environmentalists, and partnering with leading institutions such as the Pristine Seas expeditions, Laurent Ballesta’s Gombessa project, the World Ocean Initiative organised by The Economist, and World Oceans Day to help conserve the marine life globally.
The Biopixel Oceans Foundation was founded by entrepreneur Bevan Slattery and marine biologist Richard Fitzpatrick in 2016 and it intends to facilitate and undertake research that can be applied to the conservation of our ocean” and marine life. Biopixel Oceans Foundation works with various sponsors including Blancpain.
Blancpain as our readers will know is known for their deep connection to the aquatic world, courtesy the innovation in the world of diving and watchmaking from 1953, aka the first modern diver’s watch called the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.
More specifically, Blancpain will be working on this project with Biopixel Oceans Foundation by assisting with scientific research on marine megafauna and by production of a series of films that will focus on those heroes who who dedicate their lives to protecting and saving the Great Barrier Reef.
Keeping in the spirit of things, there are also two whale sharks named Blancpain and Fifty Fathoms that can be live tracked by the public in an attempt to study and understand the behaviour of sharks and marine life.
As a watch reviewer, it’s also nice to take note of environmental efforts backed by luxury brands. And as an Australian it’s always welcome to see initiatives like this that help maintain our natural beauties.
To find out more about Blancpain, please head to their website here. To find out more about Biopixel Oceans Foundation and Biopixel, please head here. All images unless otherwise specified are © 2022 Blancpain SA | Le Rocher 12 | 1348 Le Brassus | Switzerland. All rights reserved.
