Protecting the Deep

Oris limited editions assist conservation and medical charities.

While Oris has long backed select charities with funds from the sales of certain Oris watches, this year the independent Swiss watchmaker seems to have outdone itself. At least three new Oris limited edition watches are being sold in partnership with a non-profit organization dedicated to humanitarian causes.

One, the Oris Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition (2,000 pieces) is a diver’s watch made in partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation, a non-profit conservation organization working to preserve the world’s coral reefs.

This new watch, one of a next-generation of redesigned Oris Aquis models, has a number of distinguishing features. First, it’s quite colorful. The dial is dark blue while the central seconds hand and the bezel’s zero marker on the minute scale are bright orange. Oris says it chose this orange hue to both to reflect the color of Staghorn coral and because orange is one of the most visible colors in the low-light conditions found under the sea.

The dial offers day and date indications, both also with orange tints. The day is shown through a sequence of seven windows cut into a circle running around the inner part of the dial, each of which fills with orange on the appropriate day. The date (at 6 o’clock) is also orange. Oris has extended its conservation ethos to watch’s presentation box, which is made using environmentally friendly regenerative algae.

“Thanks to the foundations tireless efforts, there is a solution to the threat facing the world’s coral reefs, and we wanted to offer our support,’ says Oris Chairman Ulrich W. Herzog. “The Oris Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition will make a huge difference to securing the future of this precious ecosystem. My thanks to all those who choose to join us in this vitally important quest.’

Hammerhead

Also focusing on conserving life within the oceans, the Oris Hammerhead Limited Edition is being sold to help raise funds for a shark conservation project run by the non-profit organization called Pelagios Kakunjá. Oris ambassador and professional diver Jérôme Delafoss will wear the watch.

Pelagios Kakunjá’s mission is to understand movements and migratory pathways of marine top predators. Its latest project will look to learn more about migration routes of the endangered Scalloped Hammerhead species of shark in the Eastern Pacific.

Limited to 2,000 pieces, the Oris Hammerhead Limited Edition reflects the color of the ocean with a blue central seconds hand and a blue minutes scale around the outer edge of its grey dial. Inside Oris Cal. 752, an automatic movement based on Sellita SW 220-1, featuring big day and date indicator at 3 o’clock. The caseback is embossed with a hammerhead shark and the limited edition number.

Flying Doctors

This year Oris adds a second watch to an existing partnership with Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service, a well-known aeromedical service. Oris first worked with the non-profit in 2013. The new watch, called the Oris Royal Flying Doctor Service Limited Edition II, is based on the Oris Big Crown and is the second models in the series.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides emergency and primary healthcare services to people living in rural areas of Australia. It operates a fleet of more than sixty aircraft from bases around the country.

Like the original Flying Doctor Service watch, this new model also features a pulsometer. New this year is an upgrade that scales it over twenty heartbeats for even faster readings. The 45mm steel watch, which sports touches of deep orange to reflect the colors of the Australian Outback, also offers a bi-rotating bezel that can be used as a timer or a second time zone. The Service’s logo appears on the dial ring at 12 o’clock and is also embossed on the caseback. The watch is sold as a limited edition of 2,000.

Prices for these three Oris watches are:

Hammerhead Limited Edition: $2,550 (strap) / $2,750 (bracelet)

Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition: $2,200 (strap) / $2,400 (bracelet)

Royal Flying Doctor Service Limited Edition II - $2,000 (leather) / $2,250 (bracelet) / $2,350 (crocodile strap)

Specifications: Oris Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition

MOVEMENT: Automatic Oris Cal. 735, based on Sellita SW 220-1, date window at 6 o’clock, weekdays displayed through seven apertures on an inner circle by an orange indicator. Instantaneous jump at midnight.

CASE: 43.5mm stainless steel case and screw-in security crown with crown protection. Water-resistant to 300 meters, diver’s unidirectional rotating bezel with polished black ceramic insert and orange/white minute scale, screwed stainless steel case back with embossed Staghorn coral and engraved limited edition number, sapphire crystal domed on both sides with anti-reflective coating

DIAL: Dark blue with applied indices, SuperlumiNova on hands.

STRAP: Black rubber with safety anchor and quick adjustment folding clasp. Also available with a stainless steel bracelet.

Limited to 2,000 pieces

Specifications: Oris Hammerhead Limited Edition

MOVEMENT: Automatic Oris Cal. 752, based on Sellita SW 220-1, with big day and date at 3 o’clock

CASE: 45.5mm stainless steel case, screw-in security crown and crown

DIAL: Grey with white/blue minute scale and applied indices and hands filled with SuperlumiNova.

STRAP: Black rubber with safety anchor and quick-adjust folding clasp. Also available with a stainless steel bracelet.

Limited to 2,000 pieces

Specifications: Oris Royal Flying Doctor Service Limited Edition II

MOVEMENT: Automatic Oris Cal. 735, based on Sellita SW 220-1, with day and date at 3 o’clock

CASE: 45mm steel case, sapphire glass domed on both sides with anti-reflective coating inside, water-resistant to 30 meters,

DIAL: Black with numerals printed in white SuperlumiNova, hour and minute hands filled with white SuperlumiNova, black central seconds hand with orange tip

STRAP: Brown calf leather strap with stainless steel pin buckle. Also available with dark brown Louisiana crocodile leather strap or stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp

Limited to 2,000 pieces