Oris Chronoris Date

The Oris Chronoris Date vintage-inspired watch

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Oris’s series of historical reproductions goes on. After adding new pieces to its Divers Sixty Five collection, it was high time the manufacturer focused on the Chronoris collection inspired by the world of motorsport. Oris clearly shows that it is taking things slowly by tackling one collection at a time and by pushing hard on those historical collections that have made the brand famous worldwide between the 60s and the 70s.

The tonneau-shaped case (else said, between a tonneau and a so-called Cshaped case) has dramatically come back in fashion over the last few years, but if I were asked my opinion about which brand came back with this geometrical shape first, I would immediately think about the first Chronoris from 2005 and the Z33 by Omega. Two very different watches created for a specific niche market, especially the latter. With the same degree of honesty, I also recognize the fact that a manufacturer, who has never given up this type of case, is the German brand Sinn, who actually turned it into its own sign of recognition.

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The Oris Chronoris Date is Oris's latest offer made available in this specific sector (if we exclude the very latest limited edition created to celebrate the historic collaboration with the Williams team and the 40th anniversary of the team’s foundation). The real difference between the Oris Chronoris Date and the other models in the same collection lies in the style that seems to use the same ingredients that made the fortune of the Divers Sixty Five collection; an extremely simplified style that is never impersonal, the ability to capture the real spirit of the original models in an almost unique manner among Swiss brands, a combination of colors quite limited and a more than competitive retail price if compared to the quality offered by these timepieces.

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The colors chosen for this watch are two shades of gray and black associated with the bright orange color of the central seconds hand and of the tips of the applied indexes. The rotating ring, which can be moved through the knurled crown located at 4 o’clock, can be used as a timer by aligning the orange triangle with the hours, the minutes, and the seconds. This is an extremely easy and useful method that you can use to measure an event.

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The case is reasonably sized at 39mm; a size that confirms Oris's decision not to distort the proportions of the original model. This remarkable result was obtained through the use of a Sellita-derived caliber with 11 ½ lines and with up to 38 hours of power reserve. The Oris Chronoris Date's sapphire crystal is flat in the middle, but it features an accentuated glass box-type step towards the edge of the case, which is entirely polished and crossed by a shiny border right above the double crown. 

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This specific look reminds us of the historical models and of their convex glasses originally made of plastic and afterwards made of hesaliteOris's historical logo is engraved on the fully polished case-back.

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The Oris Chronoris Date is available with three different straps, including a NATO strap, and a bracelet that reminds us of the finely meshed bracelets of the 50s with a deployment clasp buckle (in this case it is a mixed mesh). The retail price of this watch ranges between 1,550 euros and 1,750 euros; once again, we can say that the retail price is exceptionally attractive when compared to the manufacturing quality that Oris has made us used to and the retail price difference is so narrow that, if asked to choose between the different straps, I would naturally tend towards the bracelet version.

(Photo credit: Horbiter®'s proprietary photo-shooting)

Gaetano C @Horbiter®

@Gaetano Cimmino

 

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