Baselworld 2018: Introducing the Oris Pointer Date Heritage and Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze

The indication of the date on a wristwatch can be accomplished in multiple ways, though it most typically occurs via a small aperture revealing a rotating numbered wheel on the dial, and often at three o’clock. While this is a simple, highly legible method for indicating the date, there are other, more elegant approaches, one of which is taken by Oris on the newest versions of their iconic Big Crown Pointer Date series.

The Big Crown Pointer Date, which has been manufactured in several iterations by the brand over the years, features Arabic numerals and an outer rail track chapter ring indicating the minutes, plus an additional outer scale with the date and a fourth pointer hand that revolves once per day to indicate the appropriate number.

New for this year are a 40mm version with blue or black dial and Super-LumiNova indices. Other specs include Oris’ cal. 754 (Sellita SW-200-1 base) automatic movement, a slimmer screw-back stainless steel case with see-through mineral crystal, fluted bezel, a screw-down crown, and a bubble-curved sapphire crystal with AR coating. The diver is available on a light-brown, naturally tanned vegetable leather band (blue dial), and with a dark brown or black naturally tanned leather strap for CHF 1,550, or alternatively, on a stainless steel bracelet for CHF 1,750.

Oris, seemingly in keeping with a recent trend toward downsizing case dimensions to more vintage-inspired sizes (keep it up, Switzerland!), has also debuted a 36mm version of the watch, which retains the same movement, case type, and general feature set and is available in either a black dial, or, interestingly, a green dial in a shade inspired by the color keyboards in Le Corbusier’s Polychromie architecurale (a definitive work on color theory for artists, designers, and architects). Whether a light green dial will prove popular remains to be seen, but the light brown naturally tanned vegetable leather strap available with the watch certainly compliments the color nicely (the black dial is available with the dark brown or black version of the strap mentioned above, and both dial versions are available with the stainless steel bracelet); pricing is the same as that of the 40mm variants.

The final new release in the line is the bronze version, available in a 36mm bronze case with green dial. This version features a screw-down bronze crown, a screw-back (stainless steel) case back with a see-through mineral crystal, a sapphire domed crystal with AR coating, and a polished rose gold-plated handset (hour and minute hands feature Super-LumiNova). The bronze version is only available with the green Le Corbusier-inspired dial on a naturally tanned light brown leather strap with bronze pin buckle, priced at CHF 1,800.

Oris’ approach in updating the Big Crown Pointer Date certainly seems to be a comprehensive one, with multiple dial colors, sizes, and even case materials being released simultaneously to add to an already established line that includes ladies sizes and gold plated versions. Oris