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1970, rollin’ in sight. Oris gave the world the Chronoris that year, the company’s first in-house chronograph movement. A clever name, a big case, and all the splashy Seventies graphics your wrist could handle made it quite a compelling piece.
But the Seventies are back, baby, as we’ve seen with so many of these reissues or tribute watches. And at Baselworld this year Oris is diving into its history, and the aesthetic, but not as exactly as you think.
This Chronoris is the second reissue in this 21st century: Oris last came out with a reissue in 2005. This one definitely captures the old-school look, if not entirely being a faithful replica to the original one. (See the 1917 Limited Edition for closer adherence to history.) The elements are all there: the bold, colorful dial, trimmed with orange and grey, black and white. The puffy tonneau case. Just like the original Chronoris, these aren’t start-stop chronographs but rather equipped with a rotating inner bezel, operated via the 4 o’clock position, and this new one does the same with its automatic Calibre 733, based on the Selita SW 200-1 movement. (The 2005 reissue was a traditional chronograph, with dual pushers.)
A modest 39mm case, 10 bar water resistance, a sapphire crystal, and Super-LumiNova on the numbers and hands round out the rest of the features. A number of bracelets are being offered, including ones in grey fabric, brown and black leather. According to Oris, its designers worked hard to ensure that the 15-link bracelet was akin to the original.
The original Chronoris (or ChronOris, as it was occasionally stylized) led Oris into the world of motorsport—a perfect time to do so. For such a famous model in the company’s history, it’s relatively rare. This new Chronoris starts at $1,750, and expect to pay $200 more for the steel-bracelet model. It’s a great homage: it may not be accurate, but it’s even more unique that way.
For more info, check out Oris.ch
