Your Help Is Needed! (And There’s A Watch In Here Too)
We all know someone who has or had this awful disease called cancer, perhaps you do or did yourself. Did you know that prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men? Prostate cancer usually grows very slowly, and finding and treating it before symptoms occur may not improve men’s health or help them live longer. Today, 5.6 million men are living with or beyond prostate cancer. Testicular cancer continues to claim young lives. Every year, 500,000 men take their own lives – that’s one a minute. Keep on reading, there’s a watch to talk about as well.
The Movember Foundation
You might have heard about the Movember Foundation, or at least about this initiative called ‘Movember’. Since years (2003), more than 5.500.000 people joined this mo’vement. Over 1200 men’s health projects have been (financially) supported, and their goal is to reduce the number of men dying of this awful disease by 25% by 2030. How can you support?
- Grow a Mo (moustache) If you can grow a Mo during Movember. Oris is hosting events around the world to celebrate Movember.
- Walk and Talk Join Movember ambassador Scott Poynton (see below) for a Walk and Talk – no matter how long – on a Thursday during Movember (or any day!). You can even organise your own.
- Shave-Down Oris will be hosting shave-downs all over the world. But if you’re a barber and you’d like to join the Oris Movember Crew, or you know one who would, we’d love to hear from you.
Scott Poynton
As part of its support of this year’s Movember, Oris is introducing the Oris Movember Crew, a global movement led by a trio of incredible men whose work is changing men’s lives all over the world. Oris has invited Dr Johannes Wimmer, Miguel Gutierrez and Scott Poynton (pictured right, left to right) to be the international faces of the crew.
Oris had a conversation with all three men, but we especially would like to highlight the one with Scott Poynton.
Where are you based and what do you do?
I live in the Swiss village of Gingins and I work at an organisation I founded in 1999 called The Forest Trust, or TFT. At TFT, we work with companies to help them make their products responsibly. I stepped aside as TFT CEO at the end of 2015 and now, with my colleague Julien Troussier, I try to inspire people to connect with nature and their inner selves.
When did you start raising funds for Movember and why?
I started raising funds for Movember in 2014. I’ve had many friends and family suffer and die from cancer and mental health issues, so Movember just speaks to me. Stopping men dying too young seems a beautiful life goal.
What does your fundraising involve?
Since 2015, I’ve dedicated myself to walking and talking in nature. I believe this is so good for both our mental and physical health. I set myself a challenge to do a big walk each week during the month of Movember to raise awareness and funds for the foundation. I organise a 45km walk to the top of a nearby mountain called ‘La Dole’ every week and people join me to walk and talk in nature. Last year, I organised a ‘Global Relay’ and over 270 people walked with me. Getting out into nature is so calming, and when we walk, we can find great peace and serenity – not always easy in our busy lives.
Have you been personally affected by men’s health issues?
Yes. In 2016, I had two heart surgeries. I had been working too hard for too long with many health challenges – flying around the world trying to protect forests and help people – that I’d just burnt out. My body had been hit by all sorts of tropical forest diseases – fevers, bacteria infections, protozoan invasions, worms, fungus attacks – and on top of that I was fighting many battles to protect forests, which was super stressful. I’m good now but it was a big wake up call to me to look after myself and to watch for signs of burnout in others. Life’s a big challenge but I believe that the serenity we can gain by being in nature can help us with all these things.
Scott Poynton
What advice would you give to men about their health?
I would urge men to be more physically active. I’d also encourage them to think about the stress they’re putting on their minds and bodies. I learned the hard way but sadly, too many men don’t ever learn. Stress at work puts pressure on personal and family relationships and this creates its own stresses that build up and up and something eventually breaks. Men need to understand that they’re not superheroes.
What does being in the Oris Movember Crew involve for you?
I’ll be walking and talking up the mountain and back each Thursday during the month, and with Oris we’ll talk about the walks and invite people to walk wherever they are. I hope we can inspire the many people around the world who love Oris watches to walk with me wherever they are.
How can people get involved?
I invite people to join a Walk and Talk event wherever they are and to walk however far they can – around the block, up a mountain, it doesn’t matter! So many of us are stuck in offices or apartments. If you live in a city, walk with me in a park. If you can get out of town and walk in a forest, or on a beach, or in a desert, anywhere in nature, that would be great. I believe people are inspired by nature to become forces for good.
Oris Movember Edition 2018
Then, there’s another option. Since 2017, Oris teamed up with the Movember Foundation and they are now introducing their second edition of the Oris Movember watch. Last year’s version was based on the Sixty-Five diver (we did a review on that Movember edition here) and this year it’s the Big Crown Pointer Date’s turn to become Mo’ed.
Last year, Oris raised 45K Swiss Francs for the cause, and their goal this year is to reach 100.000 Swiss Francs. Through the Oris Movember Crew above and their activities and events and of course by the sales of the Oris Movember Edition 2018 watch, they want to reach that magic number.
Oris Movember Edition 2018
Big Crown Pointer Date
I am looking forward to having this watch for a review soon, as beside a good cause, it also a great looking 40mm stainless steel watch. The Big Crown collection is quite substantial with all of its variations, but when compared to the original Pointer Date, you will see that this Movember Edition has rose gold coloured hands (4N) and a matching gilt minute track on the dial. The writing is also in this gold colour where-as the Arabic numerals are white. The original Oris Big Crown Pointer Date watch has steel hands, a white minute track and green-ish Arabic numerals. You could say that Oris made this Movember Edition 2018 a bit more vintage looking.
The Oris Movember Edition 2018 comes on a brown leather strap with a vintage look (due to the stitching) and has been marked with the Movember ‘Mo’ logo. The watch has a domed sapphire crystal.
The case back of the watch has a special engraving above the Oris shield, indicating it is the Movember Edition. Inside the case, we’ll find the caliber 754 movement (Sellita SW200 based) that has 38 hours of power reserve. A water resistance of 50 meters is guaranteed, and the crown is of the screw-in type to prevent water (or moisture) from entering the case.
What I like about Oris is that they keep their pricing sane. This Oris Movember Edition 2018 will retail for 1800 Swiss Francs. Remember, it will support the Movember Foundation in funding health projects! Not only that, but you will also receive a nice watch pouch with an extra NATO strap for this Big Crown Pointer Date watch.
The Oris Movember Edition 2018 will be available this month and has reference 01 754 7741 4037. Of course, you can also combine some of the options to support the Movember foundation. Growing a moustache, getting a nice (hair)cut at your (supporting) barber and wear this watch while taking a walk with Scott Poynton.
Find out more about your local Oris Movember Crew and sign up today by visiting movember.com and following links to the ‘Oris Movember Crew’.
