Saving Private Coral

2020 has been full of novelties for Oris who unveiled a series of diving watches as beautiful as functional. Beyong their performances, some of these pieces commemorate the beginning of partnerhips in favour of aquatic conservation: a cause dear to the independent Swiss company. Presentation of four references that will doubtlessly seduce diving and ecologist enthusiasts who love the deep blue.

By Chloé Redler, Nicolas Yvon

Being Oris’s favorite theme since the 1960s, scuba diving is an area in which the independent Swiss Maison is recognized by professionals for the robustness and functionality of its instruments.

*For several years now, Oris has been working alongside the divers of the Reef Restoration Foundation for the preservation of the Australian Great Barrier Reef.*

2020 marks the arrival in the collection of new models equipped with the full arsenal of technical attributes specific to modern watches dedicated to deep-sea immersion: unidirectional rotating bezel, screw-down crown and back, high water resistance and luminescent hands, indexes and markers. Robust, reliable, functional, ultra-legible, some are designed to advertise Oris’ commitment to the protection of the environment and more particularly its action for the protection of the world’s seas. As mentioned in a previous article, published on our site in June 2019 (read the article HERE), the watch brand presented its “Oceans” project with the idea of raising public awareness about the problems of marine pollution, supporting cleaning and preserving the oceans through partnerships with pioneering and innovative associations.

*Oris now also supports the American Coral Restoration Foundation, which looks after the Carysfort reef in Florida*

*The hard work of the Coral Restoration Foundation divers is paying off, as it is estimated that more than 30,000 corals will be replanted by the end of 2020*

Carysfort Reef Limited Edition

Oris also illustrates its charity engagement with the Carysfort Reef Limited Edition watch—a 43.5 mm-diameter edition limited to 50 pieces. This model endorses a partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation, a world-renowned organization that is committed to coral restoration. For the record, this is not the first time that the watchmaking Maison has proved its commitment to marine ecosystems preservation. Indeed, it has been supporting for several years now the Reef Restoration Foundation action, which is working to protect the Great Barrier Reef in Australia (see the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition III watch).

In 2020, the release of the Carysfort Reef Limited Edition showcases a great victory for the foundation, which will have succeeded in a few months to reach its goal of planting 30,000 coral units on the Carysfort Reef in Florida (which explains the specifically decorated caseback). A long-term restoration project that will hopefully restore the natural balance of this environment, which is home to a rich and varied ecosystem. And Oris is playing its part in it by preparing a fundraising auction to support the Foundation proposing three pieces out of the fifty that will be produced (those bearing the numbers 02/50, 03/50 and 04/50).

*The back of the Oris Carysfort Reef Limited Edition watch features a specific decoration inspired by the corals that it helps protect.*

The Oris Carysfort Reef Limited Edition is the first Aquis timepiece to be crafted in solid yellow gold. It is a crossover between a diver’s watch and a model with a GMT function which would normally be dedicated to globetrotters. It features an additional small central hand with a triangular point that moves over 24 hours, which can show the time in a second time zone using the slim scale in the center of the dial. This same hand will even indicate a third time zone on the 24-hour graduation of the ceramic rotating bezel – whose two-tone black and blue insert serves as a day/night indicator. Waterproof to 300 metres, and this technical instrument’s protects a beautiful satin-finished sunburst dial with a subtle blue gradient and a ‘lollipop’ seconds hand. It is served on a blue leather strap clad in rubber, and delivered in a special wooden case.

Oris Lake Baikal Limited Edition

*Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater reserve in the world.*

Ensuring the continuity of her oath, Oris presents this year the Lake Baikal Limited Edition watch in collaboration with the Lake Baikal Foundation, an organization working towards the preservation of the world’s largest freshwater reserve: Lake Baikal in Siberia. This special edition is limited to 1,999 pieces, a meaningful number since it refers to the year in which the Baikal law protecting the lake was adopted by Russia. With the sale of these timepieces, the watch company intends to participate financially in the ‘Point No 1’ project orchestrated by the Scientific Research Institute of Biology at the Irkutsk State University.

This large-scale plan is the most precise environmental water quality monitoring program, and its activity duration is the longest ever recorded in scientific history. The caseback of the 43.5 mm-diameter steel box is decorated with a very original design inspired by the lake’s ice. This automatic version takes the design of the emblematic Oris Aquis up a notch, all the while preserving the instrument’s diving technical features: water resistance up to 300 metres, screw-down crown and back, and large luminescent hour markers and hands.

*The bottom of the Oris Lake Baikal Limited Edition features a medallion which decoration is directly inspired by the frozen surface of Lake Baikal.*

Aquis Date

In addition to these partnerships and limited editions, Oris has also created two new versions of the iconic Aquis model in order to expand its collection. One is 39.5 mm in diameter—which is a first in the Aquis line—and the other’s is 41.5 mm-wide. The watches also differ in the colour of their sunburst dials: an unprecedented turquoise blue for the former and a midnight blue for the latter.

Designed for immersion in deep water, they both share the same features and performance: water resistance up to 300 metres, a unidirectional rotating bezel with a 60-minute graduation scale for measuring immersion times, a screw-down crown and back, and last but not least, Superluminova-covered hands and hour markers. Each complete their look with a steel bracelet that features an extension buckle, the 41.5 mm version also being available on a rubber strap. This particular model also comes with a folding clasp—a smart safety device that prevents the watch from falling off the wrist in the event of an accidental opening. One final detail which brand aficionados of the brand will be able to check through the transparent caseback: both Aquis are powered by an automatic red rotor calibre, a distinctive feature of Oris watches.

Oris Carysfort Reef Limited Edition – 2,700 euros – Technical sheet – Where to find it?

Oris Carysfort Reef Gold Limited Edition – 17,200 euros – Technical sheet – Where to find it?

Oris Lake Baikal Limited Edition – 2,150 euros – Technical sheet – Where to find it?

Oris Aquis Date – 39.5 mm – 1,950 euros – Technical sheet – Where to find it?

Oris Aquis Date – 41.5 mm – 1,950 euros – Technical sheet – Where to find it?

For more information: http s://www.oris.ch/en/collection/oris-aquis