Introducing the Oris Artix GT Chronograph

Oris has a long-standing connection to the world of motor sport. It’s a relationship that began back in the 1970s when the brand released its first auto-themed racing chronograph, the Chronoris. And it’s one that’s continued through the years via partnerships with numerous racing organizations, among them the F1 Williams team and the Audi Sport Team. As one might expect, these partnerships have given birth to numerous co-branded and auto-themed watches from Oris. While racing-inspired watches can often be a mixed bag, Oris has produced some exceptional pieces with a clear nod to motoring without going overboard with racing design cues. Their latest piece, the Artix GT Chronograph, continues that effective trend.

The multi-piece stainless steel case comes in at 44mm and features a slight redesign from previous models in the Artix range. The bi-directional rotating bezel has a black ceramic insert featuring a minutes scale at intervals of five and a rubber side grip for ease of use. The screw down case back has a mineral crystal aperture revealing the Oris Cal. 774, a Sellita SW 500 base with some in-house modification by Oris. A double domed sapphire crystal, ideal for reducing lens distortion, sits atop the dial and features internal AR for maximum legibility.

The dial itself is black with red and white accents, and there are some stealthy grey elements that blend well into the established color palette. The indices are applied and polished and filled with lume (BGW9) in the center, as are the central hands. A date window is smartly positioned at six, with white text against black. Overall, it’s an aggressive, stealthy look, but one that feels more versatile than most.

Aesthetically, the Artix GT Chronograph is a redesign of an earlier watch sharing the same name. The earlier iteration was quite similar in appearance. The biggest difference was that it had a linear retrograde seconds function at nine o’clock—a feature largely unique to Oris. The revamp replaces that with a sub-dial that is both a traditional running seconds and a vertical countdown indicator. The idea here is that the indicator works in the same way as the lights on the start-line gantry at a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

There are five squares, and at every 15-second interval (five seconds before the quarter, half, three-quarter, and full minute) they begin to fill with red. The mechanism works via a disc underneath the dial with a series of red columns staggered like a staircase. As the disc rotates, the columns move into the aperture and fill it with red. The way it appears on the dial is that the bottom square fills with red after one second, then the next square up after two seconds, and then the rest until all five are red. Then it resets. It’s a unique complication—one that admittedly has very little day-to-day functionality, but it certainly adds a cool visual flair to the dial while retaining the full functionality of the caliber’s base. It’s different and it’s engaging, and it’s just another example of what Oris and a small handful of other brands do so well, and that’s create purpose-driven machines without crossing over to ostentation.

The Artix GT Chronograph will be available on two straps: a perforated rubber racing strap on deployant, and a redesigned oyster-style stainless steel bracelet. The estimated retail price is CHF 3,200, or approximately $3,325. Expect it to hit your local dealers this August.