The following article was produced in partnership with Longines.

For Otis Hope Carey, a Gumbaynggirr Bundjalung First Nations artist and former professional surfer, his connection to the ocean is as constant as the ticking of a watch. Throughout his life, it has become a consistent driver and influence within all that he does and achieves.

“I used to be pretty ignorant to how much art and surfing complement each other,” Carey told DMARGE. “I always kept the two separate but the two need each other like the sun needs the moon.”

Born in Grafton, NSW, Carey possesses an inherently deep connection to country and his coastal surroundings. He confesses that growing up, his First Nations community had a different appreciation of time compared to the Western perspective, and rejected the modern notion that “we never have enough time” in the day.

RELATED: Longines Legend Diver Is A Modern Reinterpretation of a 1960s Classic

Instead, Carey admits his relationship with time historically revolved around ocean tides and moon charts; the changing seasons and the rising of the sun in the morning and the moon in the evening.

“Time has never been a form of construct working First Nations communities, time has never been something us mob have worried about until colonisation happened.”

Otis Hope Carey

Throughout his life, Carey has maintained this deep appreciation and respect of nature and it’s reflected in all his work; transient patterns rooted in nature are prevalent throughout his celebrated pieces, effortlessly weaving his connection to the ocean into each of his collections… and his latest collaboration with Swiss luxury watchmakers Longines is no different.

The collection consists of four vibrantly coloured NATO straps, made from recycled materials and carefully crafted from Carey’s celebrated body of work with rich ties to the ocean. The straps are available in bold green, orange, blue and black; contemporary, modern and elegant accessories that perfectly complement the Longines HydroConquest timepieces.

“This collaboration shows how easy it is for chalk and cheese to be partners,” Carey said. “I don’t think it challenges the notion of elegance and luxury but shows how a partnership can create a beautiful product and a safe space for people to learn from each other.”

First launched in 2007, Longines’ iconic HydroConquest GMT collection is the Swiss brand’s modern dive watch collection. It’s certainly come a long way since then, embracing modernity with bright and vibrant colourways such as blue, black, brown and green with sunray finish, but it has still maintained its ties to watersports and the ocean.

Longines x Otis Hope Carey celebrates a shared reverence for heritage and his connection to country. Through tradition-impacting craft and storytelling that looks back on the brand’s rich heritage to continually create exquisite contemporary pieces. It’s the perfect collaboration for Otis’s pioneering spirit, who has been associated with the Swiss watchmakers since 2020.

“It’s a very simple beautiful synchronicity with Mother Earth.”

Otis Hope Carey

“For high-end companies such as Longines to work with First Nations artists, it’s a huge step forward,” Carey continued. “Longines allows my work to be put in front of a lot of people who might not ever see those types of collaborations. It’s important for First Nations creatives to be celebrated in all forms.”

“It creates a space for people to learn about First Nations connections, stories and culture. I’m grateful for the opportunity and spaces that Longines have gifted me and celebrated my culture.”

The Longines x Otis Hope Carey strap collection is available at Longines’ online boutique.