BALL Watch Company Joins The Outer Edge Polar Challenge
On a glacier in Iceland this July, Charles Werb will chase three world records in a vehicle powered entirely by the wind, and on his wrist will be the toughest mechanical watch BALL has ever built.
Published on 6 min read
A mechanical watch reveals its character in the places where nothing else can be taken for granted, and few places qualify quite like the Vatnajökull ice cap in Iceland. It is there, in July 2026, that The Outer Edge Polar Challenge will unfold: a live expedition, a series of world record attempts, and a demonstration of what wind-powered engineering can do when the conditions are real and the whole thing is broadcast live for anyone who cares to watch.
In July 2026, BALL Watch Company joins The Outer Edge Polar Challenge (OEPC) as Official Watch Partner, supplying the expedition with precise, reliable timekeeping under some of the most punishing conditions on the planet. The watch on the wrist for the attempt is the Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD, the most robust mechanical watch the company has ever built.
What Is The Outer Edge Polar Challenge?
The Outer Edge Polar Challenge is a high-performance expedition designed to push the limits of human endurance and wind-powered engineering. Its founder, Charles Werb, will attempt multiple world records on the Vatnajökull ice cap in Iceland aboard the SWOOSH Snowsailer, a vehicle powered entirely by the wind and developed over the past ten years. Recently redesigned as a dedicated expedition vehicle, the Snowsailer has already earned a prestigious Red Dot Design Award, which is not the sort of thing that happens to machines built casually.
“OEPC is about testing performance where failure is real,” says Werb. “Not in controlled environments, but in the harshest conditions on the planet.”
The mission combines real-world testing, live data capture, and global broadcast. A feature documentary, live-streamed content, and real-time telemetry will document the attempt as it happens, giving partners a platform to demonstrate their technology under genuine stress. At its core, the project is about proving systems, telling a global story, and redefining the edge of exploration.
Three Guinness World Record Attempts in the Subarctic
In July 2026, Werb will attempt to set three Official Guinness World Records, all powered by wind and solar energy:
- Greatest distance covered in 24 hours in a wind-powered vehicle, in the Subarctic
- Fastest 100 meters by a wind-powered vehicle, in the Subarctic
- Longest adventure expedition live stream on YouTube, with a minimum qualification of 24 hours
Each record tests performance, endurance, and connectivity, all of it driven by nature, verified by Guinness World Records, and broadcast live to the world.
“We’re proud to support Charles Werb and The Outer Edge Polar Challenge as they push the boundaries of exploration and human endurance,” says Kevin Kouch, Executive Director at BALL Watch Company.
The BALL Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD: Official Watch of the Expedition
Every expedition needs an instrument it can trust, and the choice here is a logical one. Licensed by, and tough enough for, the United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, the Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD is the most robust mechanical watch BALL Watch Company has ever developed, and its resistance features and patented technical innovations make it the timekeeping instrument on Werb’s wrist throughout the challenge.
Shock Protection Engineered for a 10 Meter Free Fall
The 42mm titanium case houses BALL’s patented anti-shock systems, and there are several of them working in concert. A shock absorption elastomer ring allows the movement to survive a 10 meter free fall, while the SpringSEAL® regulator and the SpringLOCK® hairspring anti-shock system complete the protection of the caliber and safeguard its accuracy. This is belt, suspenders, and a second belt, and on a glacier that seems about right.
Chronometer Accuracy From Minus 45 to 80 Degrees Celsius
The automatic caliber inside is COSC certified as a chronometer, and a special movement oil allows it to run in temperatures from -45°C to 80°C (-49°F to 176°F). Mechanical watch oils tend to thicken in deep cold, which degrades amplitude and timekeeping, so a lubricant formulated for that range is not a footnote. On the Vatnajökull ice cap, it is arguably the most important line in the spec sheet.
Water Resistance, Anti-Magnetism, and Crown Protection
The Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD is water resistant to 300 meters (1,000 feet) and anti-magnetic to 1,000 Gauss, thanks to a mu-metal shield surrounding the movement. A dedicated crown protection system shields the crown from direct external contact. The watch wears an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a tapered titanium and stainless steel bracelet closed by a patented folding buckle.
Micro Gas Tube Luminosity, 100 Times Brighter Than Luminous Paint
As with every BALL timepiece, the Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD is fitted with self-powered luminous micro gas tubes for legibility in total darkness. This Swiss technology requires no external charging source and is up to 100 times more powerful than the luminous paint commonly used in watchmaking. During an around-the-clock record attempt in the Subarctic, that matters more than usual.
For those with a readiness for the extraordinary, who might find themselves in impossible situations, BALL Watch Company has continuously developed the technical means to build timepieces capable of surpassing adverse conditions. The Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD is the embodiment of that philosophy, and the natural choice as the official watch of the expedition.
About BALL Watch Company
BALL Watch Company has been a timekeeping pioneer and a manufacturer of precise, reliable timepieces since 1891, and the company was, quite literally, founded by accident. After a tragic head-on train collision in Kipton, Ohio in 1891, American railroad companies appointed Webster Clay Ball as Chief Time Inspector to supervise newly synchronized timing protocols. That standardized “railroad time” gave rise to the popular expression “Be on the Ball” and inspired the future Swiss Society of Chronometry (COSC), which governs the highest watch timing certification standards today.
About Charles Werb
Born in Cape Town, South Africa on June 23, 1959, Charles Werb is an award-winning expedition leader, product designer, and documentary filmmaker whose work sits at the intersection of exploration, engineering, and storytelling. He is the creator of the SWOOSH Snowsailer and the founder of The Outer Edge Polar Challenge. His design work has been recognized with a Red Dot Design Award, and his documentaries have received international acclaim.
Follow The Outer Edge Polar Challenge
For more information about the expedition, visit outeredgepolarchallenge.com or follow @outeredgepolarchallenge26 on Instagram.
For more information about the Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD, visit ballwatch.com/en/eod.