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Oris Pays Homage to Pilot’s Watch from 1917
The Oris Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition looks nearly identical to the original model introduced 100 years ago.
The new Oris Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition pilot’s watch looks almost identical to the model from 100 years ago on which it is based. The watch comes with the leather cuff strap pictured here, as well as an additional leather strap.
Basel, Switzerland--Oris introduced a new version of what it recently discovered was its first pilot’s watch, which essentially was a pocket watch with wire loop lugs soldered to the case.
The Oris Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition is powered by the Oris Cal. 732 movement (which is based on the Sellita SW 200-1) and features a silver dial with printed numerals and blue steel hands, both injected with Super-LumiNova.
It has a 40 mm stainless steel case with Oris’s original “OWC” trademark on the caseback and a brown leather cuff strap. The watch comes in a leather travel pouch with an additional leather strap.
The discovery of the original Oris pilot’s watch came as a bit of a surprise to the brand, which has been making watches on the same site in Hölstein, Switzerland, since 1904.
For years, Oris believed its first pilot’s watch was made in 1938, but recent archival research turned up evidence of a pilot’s wristwatch from 1917 as well as pocket watch for pilots made in the early 1910s.
The Oris Big Crown 1917 is limited to 1,700 pieces and retails for about $2,400. It will be available in August.
Also new from the brand at Baselworld was its first new Chronoris since 2005 and the Artelier Calibre 113.
Oris said it brought back the Chronoris due to demand from collectors. This new edition looks very similar to the original Chronoris introduced in 1970.
It is a 39 mm watch powered by the Oris Cal. 733 movement (which is based on the Sellita SW 200-1) with the date at 3 o’clock and a revolving inner bezel function operated by the screw-down crown at 4 o’clock.
The Chronoris Date comes on a brown or black leather, black rubber or gray NATO strap ($1,600), or a stainless steel bracelet ($1,800).
The Artelier Calibre 113 is the fourth in a line of high-functioning watches from Oris that feature in-house movements.
This model has a business calendar featuring the day, date, week and month
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of the year and, like the Calibres 110, 111, 112, this watch has a 10-day power reserve.
The Artelier Calibre 113 has a 34 mm stainless steel case and exhibition caseback and is available with an anthracite or white dial in a variety of straps or on a stainless steel bracelet ($5,900).
The Artelier Calibre 113 has a 34 mm stainless steel case and exhibition caseback and is available with an anthracite or white dial in a variety of straps or on a stainless steel bracelet ($5,900).
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