Oris Calibre 400, revolution in the making: part II
The independent house has decided its emblematic diver’s watch Aquis Date would house the Oris Calibre 400. An instrument which reliability and technicity are assuredly on par with the performances of this state-of-the-art in-house movement.
Finally! After a fifteen-day wait, the watchmaking world knows which Oris watch is the first to be equipped with the revolutionary Calibre 400. The Aquis Date – the brand best-seller – will be the first one to have the honour of this new in-house movement which is currently making news among the aficionados of beautiful mechanics. With furthermore an attractive price of €3 000!
Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400: a watch on par with its movement
During our interview, Vincent Coquet – commercial and marketing director of Oris France – had let us in on the secret by precising that the new Calibre Oris 400 would first equip a well-known “truly water-resistant” watch before any other models. If some had bet on a Sixty-Five or a Big Crown, the Aquis Date is the lucky chosen one. A logical not to say rational choice since the Aquis line is the most sold Oris collection: 50% of total sales.
The Aquis Date – water-resistant to 300 meters – is truly an instrument reflecting the expertise of the independent house in the conception of reliable and technical models. Dedicated to the frogman as much as to the athletic city man of the modern era, this reference with a 43,5 mm diameter is a real “tough watch”. The international standard ISO 6425, defining the indispensable criteria of a diver’s watch and well-known by the silent world professionals, is herein respected and even exceeded.
Machined in stainless steel, it features a unidirectional rotating bezel with ceramic insert equipped by a luminescent marker and 60-minute graduation to calculate time spent underwater (total duration or decompressions stops). Boasting a beautiful blue shading, its sunburst dial guarantees a great readability of the indicators in any situation, with its wide hands visible in the dark.
Small tribute to the vintage Aquis Date, the seconds centre hand has a “lollipop” style, inherited from the 1950-60s. A nice but also useful style touch. Its round part is covered in luminescent material, and this hand therefore plays the indispensable role of the power indicator. Visible in any setting, it allows the diver to easily and quickly check that the watch is functioning.
A MOVEMENT THAT WILL MAKE NOISE
Visible through the case back, the in-house Oris calibre – entirely conceived, developed,and assembled by the manufacture – is indeed a small marvel of modern micromechanics. And has many serious arguments to shake up the Helvetic watchmaking and set a new performance standard.
Chronometry, anti-magnetism, autonomy, solidity, reliability, 10-year warranty… The Aquis Date equipped with the new Oris Calibre 400 might set the new performance standard for the Swiss Made in this price range.
On paper, Calibre 400 establishes itself with…
- A chronometric precision of -3/+5 seconds per day, exceeding the COSC demands. The Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute only tolerates a variation between -4/+6 per day.
- A high magnetic resistance – exceeding the ISO standard – thanks to the integration of more than thirty non-ferrous components. On the Calibre 400 for instance, the anchor and escape wheel are in antimagnetic silicon, a high-tech material that Oris is using for the first time. Fun fact, Oris asked the Laboratoire Dubois (located in Chaux-de-Fonds) to test this calibre, with the express demand of going to the extreme limit of its capacity. Outcome: after a 10-minute exposure to 2 250 gauss, the precision of Calibre 400 was not altered. The maison therefore realised that it had managed to reduce by 90% the magnetic impact compared to famous standard Swiss Made calibres, which she had had specially tested simultaneously for the occasion.
- A great autonomy for a mechanical watch, thanks to two change-over, synchronized barrels assuring a 120-hour power reserve (5 days). Usually, between connoisseurs, one would ask if the watch pass the “test of the week-end”, that is to say if it can function at least 48 hours without any winding. Just so it can be laid down on Friday evening and still be ticking on Monday. Oris here reversed the problem to better overcome it! One can forego the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 all week and find it operational come the weekend. This is also a key feature for collectors who like to often switch watches.
- A 10-year warranty. Another strong point, and doubtlessly where the maison Oris truly sets itself apart: the Aquis Date Calibre 400 – both watch and movement – have a ten-year warranty! Better yet, the recommended service interval is also of ten years. Quick precision: the joints must be checked, and changed if need be, after five years. This operation is obviously not included in the warranty, as would not be a change of tyres on a car still under manufacturer warranty.
Let it be known that Oris’s watchmakers and engineers tried and artificially aged Calibre 400 up to 80 years old! Here again, the movement triumphally overcame the challenge since it kept on functioning perfectly, and without any intermediary service…
Suffice to say that the independent house might lead many other brands to revise their strategy… And if the new movement obviously raise the price (our estimate: by €1 150) compared to a standard Aquis Date with equivalent functions, the instrument performances are not comparable – and this extra cost is actually minor.
Interchangeable bracelet: small additional innovation
The assets of the movement conceived by Oris are plenty, but the very technical performances of the watch also stand as key features. And among these must be highlighted the Quick Strap Change, device conceived and patented by Oris.
A system which allows to combine the watch with a steel or black rubber bracelet very easily, and with no tool needed. A must know before your purchase: the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 two bracelets are sold separately. A choice will have to be made between the €3 000 all-steel version or the €2 900 one on rubber.
With this Aquis Date Calibre 400, Oris proposes incontestably one of the watches most empathetic to the wants of today’s aficionados. The competition has been forewarned. All the more since the independent house has very logically thought-out and conceived its movement in the anticipation of new mechanicals subtleties. Rolf Studer – co-CEO of the watchmaking brand – has even admitted to our team that everything was already planned… Revolution is indeed in the making at Oris!
To know everything about the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400, immerse yourself in reading our detailed technical sheets:
full steel version or rubber strap version
To discover and rediscover, see our Oris watches detailed technical sheets.