Watches REACH Q&A: Everything you need to know about this safety regulation

3 min

We’re here to help demystify the acronym and explain what it means for the watch industry. It’s something that will be of interest to all watch lovers, especially those who might be concerned about their health. At TAG Heuer, we take REACH very seriously and go above and beyond what’s required.

What does REACH stand for?

The acronym stands for the following: 

Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals.

In more concrete terms, these are the standards that must be met in order for a product to be harmless, without any risk linked to chemical substances. All of this is laid out in a European regulation that came into effect in 2007.

What sort of products are affected by the REACH legislation?

REACH affects all chemical substances, whether they are used in industrial processes or in our everyday lives. For example in cleaning products, clothes, electrical appliances and, of course, watches!

 

Why does REACH apply to the watch industry and, by extension, TAG Heuer?

In the case of the watch industry, REACH applies to all the components of a watch. Additional rules apply to watch components that will be in contact with skin, like metal and leather elements as well as rubber and plastic straps. The overall goal is to protect the wearer of the watch whose skin will be in direct contact with the different materials.

How does REACH work?

In summary, it’s up to the companies themselves to provide evidence of their compliance. They must identify and manage the risks associated with the substances they manufacture and sell in the European Union. This is what TAG Heuer does throughout the entire supply chain, including any suppliers and subcontractors.

What types of substances does REACH seek to ban? And why is this important?

The affected substances are those judged to be of very high concern, also known as SVHC. They must systematically be submitted for authorization because they can have harmful effects on the human body: on the genetic code, on hormonal processes, on the skin and on the body as a whole.

Why can toxins and allergens be found in certain objects?

They are often present due to some of their more positive characteristics that are considered to be essential in terms of the technical needs of manufacturing, for example, fungicides, softeners or antioxidants. Sometimes their presence is unwanted and they are simply impurities or derivatives of chemical reactions.

 

In all cases, TAG Heuer proactively monitors changes in the Restricted Substances List or RSL and is able to ban them immediately, whether in our own workshops or with our suppliers. Each material used in the watch manufacturing process is carefully examined to guarantee the complete compliance of all products.

How does TAG Heuer ensure REACH legislation conformity?

Monitoring of the Restricted Substances List is only the beginning of our commitment. We go a step further:

  • TAG Heuer has established partnerships with audited and approved laboratories around the world to verify the data provided by suppliers.
  • We ask all our suppliers for a written general liability agreement and monitor their work very closely. All of them must submit any pre-existing test reports to us, which we double-check in our own laboratories.
  • We actively work on technical evolutions to be able to safely replace certain substances.

What exactly is the testing process to guarantee the compliance of each TAG Heuer item?

In addition to the work done by the supplier beforehand, to meet our requirements, we carry out regular and random checks on our products. It is always the whole article that is screened first. Then, the various subcomponents are tested for irregularities in order to accurately determine the non-compliant element.

Can we be sure that watches and straps do not present any health risks?

Yes, that’s because we follow the REACH regulation to the letter, and we also follow additional regulation from all over the world to make sure that we are offering the safest products possible.

TAG Heuer’s requirements go beyond what is required by REACH. As part of a proactive approach, we participate in the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry’s committee on legislative monitoring and regularly distribute updates on our Restricted Substances List to all our suppliers. For each type of material, we know exactly which hazardous substances are potentially present at any given time, and which ones we need to keep an eye on.

Better safe than sorry! All TAG Heuer creations can be worn with complete peace of mind — leaving plenty of room for adventure.

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