o understand Oris’s independent mindset, it’s important to look to its roots. The company was founded in 1904 when two watchmakers from the traditional watchmaking town of Le Locle moved to Switzerland’s Swiss German-speaking industrial north.

Their vision? To fuse the hand-craftsmanship of the French- speaking south with the industrial might of the north, thereby making watches of high aesthetic value that also offered quality, accuracy and reliability at reasonable prices.

It was counter-cultural, but it worked. Oris grew fast and became known for its beautifully designed, highly accurate watches and clocks. An independent legacy was born.

In 1938, the company’s Big Crown Pointer Date design came to life. It was clearly legible so aviators could read it, and it had the added benefit of a date function, indicated by a central pointer hand. A simple, accessible design that has since captured the imaginations of countless watch lovers. An Oris icon.

Today, it returns with a dial design that echoes through time, too. Oris first introduced a “Bullseye” dial in the 1910s. Catalogues from the time show pocket watches with the two-tone, concentric design. It would appear time and again, enjoying high popularity in the mid-20th century. Oris last turned to it in 1998. And then it disappeared.

Now, it’s back in the Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye”. The watch is based on the 38mm Big Crown Pointer Date. It has an oversized crown, a fluted bezel and an automatic mechanical movement powering that signature function. The grey and white dial has a sporty red date ring and a Pointer Date hand with a red tip. Another entry into the Big Crown canon.

“The Big Crown Pointer Date embodies Oris’s independent spirit,” says OrisChairman, Ulrich W. Herzog. “This iteration taps into the zeitgeist and shows again why the Big Crown is a design for the ages.”

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

CASE

• Multi-piece stainless steel case
• Size: 38.00 mm, Thickness: 12.20 mm
• Lug to lug: 45.50 mm}
• Case back: Stainless steel, screwed, see-through mineral glass
• Operating devices: Stainless steel screw-in security crown
• Water resistance: 5 bar

DIAL

• Cool grey and black, details in red
• Luminous material: Hands, numerals and indices filled with Super-LumiNova^®
• Top glass: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside

STRAP

• Black Cervo Volante sustainable deer leather with quick strap change system

MOVEMENT

• Number: Oris Calibre 754
• Functions: Centre hands for hours, minutes and seconds, date centre hand, instantaneous date, date corrector, fine timing device and stop-second
• Winding: Automatic
• Power reserve: 41 hours

SWISS RETAIL PRICE

• CHF 1,950