Oris makes only mechanical watches and is one of the few sizable Swiss watchmakers that is still independent. For a buyer, its range comes down to three families: the Aquis, a modern dive watch; the Big Crown, a pilot's watch that goes back to 1938; and the Divers Sixty-Five, a vintage-style diver. The main choice within each is the movement: a standard Swiss automatic, or Oris's own Calibre 400, with a five-day power reserve and a ten-year warranty, which costs more.
Oris offers a lot of watch for the money, and its designs do not copy anyone. We have 577 Oris watches in stock, from $785.
By the numbers: Switzerland exported CHF 25.9 billion of watches in 2024, 2.8% less than in 2023, in 15.3 million pieces (9.4% fewer), according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (swissinfo.ch, 30 January 2025).
Why choose Oris
- Independence. Oris, founded in Hölstein in 1904, belongs to no group. It decides for itself what to make.
- Mechanical only. Every Oris has a mechanical movement; the brand's signature is the red rotor you see through the case back.
- Value. Ceramic bezels, sapphire crystals and 300 meters of water resistance at prices well below the larger names.
- Its own movement. The Calibre 400 series is a serious piece of engineering, described below.
Oris Aquis
The Aquis is the heart of the range and the watch most buyers start with. It is a modern dive watch with a distinctive shape: a round case with short, sharply angled lugs that are integrated with the bracelet, so the watch wears compactly for its size.
Aquis Date is the core model, with 300 meters of water resistance, a ceramic bezel insert and a screw-down crown, in sizes from 36.5 mm to 43.5 mm. We have 44 in stock, from $1,195.
Other members of the family include the Aquis GMT, the Aquis Depth Gauge and a steady series of limited editions made with ocean conservation projects, often with special dials.
One practical point: because the lugs are integrated, the Aquis takes Oris's own bracelets and straps, not standard ones. Newer versions have a quick-change system.
Best for: an everyday dive watch that looks like nothing else. We have 171 Aquis watches in stock.
Oris Big Crown
The Big Crown is named for exactly that: a large crown, introduced in 1938 so that pilots could set their watches with gloves on. Two branches come from it.
Big Crown Pointer Date. The classic. Instead of a date window, a central hand with a crescent tip points to the date on a ring around the dial. With its fluted bezel, domed crystal and cathedral hands it is one of the most recognizable vintage-style watches made, in 38 and 40 mm, in steel or bronze.
Big Crown ProPilot. The modern pilot's watch: clean dials, a bezel with a pattern inspired by jet turbine blades, and larger cases. The ProPilot X Calibre 400, in titanium at 39 mm, is the sharpest design in the line.
Best for: a pilot's watch with history, or a dress-casual watch with character. We have 102 in stock, from $880.
Oris Divers Sixty-Five
Introduced in 2015 and based on a dive watch Oris made in 1965, the Divers Sixty-Five is slimmer and lighter than the Aquis, with a narrow bezel and a domed crystal. It is made in 38, 40 and 42 mm, in steel and in steel with bronze details.
Its water resistance is 100 meters, less than the Aquis. That is enough for swimming; it is a vintage-style watch more than a professional tool.
Best for: a smaller, lighter diver with a retro look. We have 74 in stock, from $1,135.
Oris Artelier
The Artelier is the dress line: round, classic watches, some with complications such as a moon phase or a ten-day power reserve from Oris's earlier in-house calibers. We have 36 in stock.
The Calibre 400: is it worth the extra?
In 2020 Oris introduced the Calibre 400, an automatic movement designed and built to its own specification. Its claims are practical ones:
- A five-day power reserve, about 120 hours.
- High resistance to magnetism, from the use of non-ferrous and silicon parts.
- A ten-year warranty, with a recommended service interval of ten years.
The standard Oris movements are based on widely used Swiss calibers, with a power reserve of about 38 hours. They are reliable and inexpensive to service anywhere.
So the choice is this. If you wear one watch every day, the standard movement is all you need, and you save money. If you rotate watches, value a long warranty, or simply like owning a movement made by the brand, the Calibre 400 is worth paying for. The watch looks almost the same either way; the Caliber line in the specifications tells you which you are buying.
How to read an Oris reference
An Oris reference looks like this: 01 733 7730 4157-07 8 24 05PEB. It is long, and the first two blocks are the useful ones.
- 01: the start of every current reference.
- 733: the caliber. 733 is the standard automatic with date. 400 is the Calibre 400. 754 is the Pointer Date movement. 751 and 771 are others.
- 7730: the case.
- 4157: the case material, bezel and dial.
- Everything after the dash describes the strap or bracelet.
The quickest use of this is to check the movement: if the second block is 400, the watch has the Calibre 400. References ending in Set are sold with an additional strap.
Which Oris should you buy?
| You want | Look at |
|---|---|
| One watch for everything, including the sea | Aquis Date, 39.5 or 41.5 mm |
| A smaller or slimmer diver | Divers Sixty-Five, 38 or 40 mm |
| A vintage-style everyday watch | Big Crown Pointer Date |
| A modern pilot's watch | Big Crown ProPilot |
| The best movement | Any model with the Calibre 400 |
| A dress watch | Artelier |
What to check before you buy
- The movement, from the reference or the Caliber line.
- The size. The Aquis comes in four sizes; our guide to choosing your watch size will help.
- Water resistance: 300 meters on the Aquis, 100 on the Divers Sixty-Five and most Big Crown models.
- Bracelet or strap, and whether a second strap is included.
- Box and papers. The listing states what is included.
For alternatives at similar prices, see our guides to the best dive watches and to the best watches under $3,000. You can browse every Oris we have in stock.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oris a good watch brand?
Yes. Oris is a long-established, independent Swiss maker of mechanical watches, known for good design and strong value.
What is the Oris Calibre 400?
It is Oris's own automatic movement, introduced in 2020, with a five-day power reserve, high resistance to magnetism and a ten-year warranty.
Is the Oris Aquis a real dive watch?
Yes. The Aquis Date is water resistant to 300 meters, with a rotating bezel and a screw-down crown.
What is the Oris Pointer Date?
A way of showing the date with a central hand that points to a ring of numbers around the dial, instead of a window. It has been an Oris signature since 1938.
Can I change the strap on an Oris Aquis?
Yes, but the Aquis has integrated lugs and takes Oris's own straps and bracelets, not standard ones.
Is Watchflix NYC an official Oris retailer?
No. We are an independent retailer and are not affiliated with Oris. Every watch is checked by our specialist before it ships.
