If you’re looking for a quick fix answer, yes, without question Oris watches are worth it. Are there a whole bunch of options in the affordable luxury category? Yes, but, they’re not Oris. I mean sure, you have Mido, Longines, Tissot, Rado, Zodiac, Tudor, and many others.
But, they’re not Oris.
I’d like to first direct you to Exhibit A. If you look closely, most of the brands within the affordable luxury range falls under the Swatch Group. And if not, they’re amongst other large corporations in the fashion/jewelry industry, all of which are the biggest names out there.
Now there’s nothing wrong with being part of a large corporation. However, the idea of a independent watchmaker in small Switzerland town of Hölstein competing with the likes of LVMH and Swatch? Well that’s Oris for you. It’s something to romanticize about. After all, beyond the $20 Casio, watches are a sentimental, emotional affair.
Oris Brand History
So, 1904 Hölstein. Paul Cattin and Georges Christian bought a closed watch factory and entered into the watch business. Oris started off by making pocket watches, before transitioning into wrist watches in mid 1920s. With their gradual successes, they began opening their own dial factory, their own escapement manufacturing factory, etc.
By 1960s, Oris was one of the top 10 largest watch companies in the world, producing over 1.2 million watches and clocks per year. They even developed their own tools and machinery, talk about doing it from scratch.
Oh here’s a good one. In 1970, Oris actually became part of what is now known as the Swatch Group. Due to the quartz crisis, Oris was bought out in 1980’s and became independent once again. Notice how there is not a single quartz Oris? Again, this is the Oris charm.
Fast forward to 2021, Oris ditched the Sellita-based movements and created their in-house Calibre 400. It’s really is a full circle story, from independence, to Swatch Group, to using Sellita movements, back to an in-house calibre.
Some of my favorite Oris’s (Orisus?)
Oris is one of those brands where you’ll find something you like in each of their different line ups. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite Oris timepieces.
Oris Diver 65
The Diver 65 is Oris’ first ever dive watch, released back in, 1965. Nowadays, it’s one of their most popular launches and has over 35 different versions. You can find them in partial bronze, full bronze, stainless steel, 40mm, 42mm, and even 36mm cases. Hell they even come in chronograph versions. It’s a true competitor to Tudor’s BB58, except it’s cheaper, and guaranteed to come in a version that is up to your liking.
Oris Aquis
The Oris Aquis is their version of a modern dive watch. It encapsulate the whole idea of “built for purpose”, and emphasizes performance and function, all the while packaged in a very good looking dive piece. The line up of Aquis’ is even more ridiculous, probably closer to 70 different references for you to choose from. From 36.5mm, to 39.5mm, 41.5mm, and 43.5mm. There’s an Aquis GMT, depth gauge, colorful dials. Seriously, you name it.
Just look for yourself, check it out here.
Oris Pointer Date
Oris’s first ever wristwatch, they were largely a pocket watch maker before this. The Oris Pointer Date is one of my favorite watches from the Oris line up. I showered it with praise in my a recent review. It has a unique combination of vintage aesthetics and case simplicity that makes it stand out in the pilot/field watch category.
Even though the classic 40mm Pointer Date won’t be a regular in my collection, I’m eyeing up the newly released Oris Calibre 403 Pointer Date. They are a little pricey at $6000 here in Australia, after all it is their in-house calibre. If I can find a good enough deal, it’s a no brainer.
Oris ChronOris
So far, we’ve had sea (Diver 65 and Aquis) and air (Pointer Date). Well, the Oris ChronOris is the land. First launched as a racing chronograph in the 1970s, the ChronOris was later reissued as a simple three-hander in 2017 following the success of the Diver 65 reissue. A quick disclaimer, the three-hander ChronOris has been discontinued recently, so they’re getting more difficult to find by the minute. If you’re into the looks and you happen to come across a good deal, I’d say hop on it. The 39mm barrel case wears really nicely on wrists and the orange really pops.
Even though the classic 40mm Pointer Date won’t be a regular in my collection, I’m eyeing up the newly released Oris Calibre 403 Pointer Date. They are a little pricey at $6000 here in Australia, after all it is their in-house calibre. If I can find a good enough deal, it’s a no brainer.
Oris Buying Guide – Skip the Calibre 400
I’ll be the first one to say it, Oris is starting to creep up in prices. In all honestly, they’re edging closer to Tudor by the day, and while the new Calibre 400 is nice, they’re ultimately overpriced compared to other alternatives.
In saying that, the market is huge for secondhand or even new old stock Oris. There are thousands of Diver 65’s out there, Aquis, Pro Pilot, Pointer Dates. I’d give the newer Oris’s a skip given their astronomical prices. After all, Oris is an affordable luxury, and as such the prices should reflect that.
Is Oris a Good Brand for Skinny Wrists?
My personal opinion, only independent brands care enough about creating multiple versions of a watch at different sizes. Much like Christopher Ward, who at a time did three different sizes for the same watch. Oris is another brand that gives a crap about those with skinny wrists. The popular diver 65 line up consists of 42mm’s, 40mm’s, and 36mm’s. The Oris Aquis does 43.5mm , 41.5mm, 39.5mm, and 36.5mm. The Pro Pilot line up goes from 38mm all the way to 45mm.
So if you’re like me and you’ve got skinny 6 inch wrists, Oris is a brand worth investing in. You can rest assured that your skinny wrists will be looked after by the Oris catalogue. And occasionally, if you’re feeling adventurous, larger case sizes are easily accessible from Oris.
