BALL Watch Company has been announced as the official watch partner of The Outer Edge Polar Challenge (OEPC), an expedition that will see explorer Charles Werb attempt three Guinness World Records on Iceland’s Vatnajökull glacier in July 2026.
The challenge will take place on Vatnajökull, one of Europe’s largest ice caps, where Werb and a small support team plan to travel using the SWOOSH snowsailer, a 100% wind-powered vehicle designed for polar environments. The expedition will operate without engines or fuel, with electricity generated solely through solar power.
Werb, founder of The Outer Edge Polar Challenge, is an expedition leader, product designer and documentary filmmaker. During the mission he will wear the BALL Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD mechanical watch as part of the partnership with the Swiss watchmaker.
The expedition aims to set three Guinness World Records: the greatest distance covered in 24 hours in a wind-powered vehicle, the fastest 100 metres in a wind-powered vehicle, and the longest adventure expedition livestream on YouTube, which requires a minimum broadcast of 24 hours. The livestream is scheduled to begin on 25 July.
Speaking ahead of the expedition, Werb said: “OEPC is about testing performance where failure is real. Not in controlled environments, but in the harshest conditions on the planet.”
The BALL Watch Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD – obviously built for the extremes
Kevin Kouch, Executive Director of BALL Watch Company, added: “We’re proud to support Charles Werb and The Outer Edge Polar Challenge as they push the boundaries of exploration and human endurance.”
Alongside the record attempts, the expedition will collect live telemetry and produce a feature documentary, with organisers aiming to demonstrate engineering performance and endurance in extreme conditions.
The BALL Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD was developed in collaboration with the United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit. The 42mm titanium mechanical watch features the company’s patented anti-shock systems, including an elastomer ring designed to protect the movement from impacts equivalent to a 10-metre fall.
Additional features include SpringSEAL® and SpringLOCK® shock-protection systems, anti-magnetic resistance to 1,000 Gauss, water resistance to 300 metres, self-powered micro gas tube illumination, and a COSC-certified automatic movement capable of operating in temperatures ranging from -45°C to 80°C.
The Engineer Hydrocarbon EOD is available from BALL Watch Company, priced at £3,020.
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