Introducing the Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

Oris has announced a new entry in their popular Big Crown Pointer Date series. Like a lot of Oris watches, we’ve seen a variety of executions of this old-school date complication. Various dial colors, sizes, and case metal combinations have found their way into the lineup previously. This version, in what we could call full bronze, is perhaps the warmest and unique Pointer Date yet. We’ve seen bronze cases on this model from Oris before, but the bronze dial is all new, and treated in such a way that makes each one unique. Let’s take a closer look.

Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

• Case Material: Bronze
• Dial: Bronze
• Dimensions: 40mm
• Crystal: Sapphire   
• Water Resistance: 5 bar  
• Crown: Screw down      
• Movement: Oris 754
• Strap/bracelet: Brown deer leather 
• Price: $2000
• Reference Number: 754 7741 3166 5 20 74BR 
• Expected Release: Available now

The importance of the Big Crown Pointer Date to Oris’s history really can’t be understated. This complication, in one form or another, has been in constant production for as long as Oris has existed – it’s very much their signature piece. Bronze, which patinas over time as it’s exposed to the elements, is a natural choice as a case material for a watch that is infused with some measure of historical importance. 

The main attraction of this new watch is the dial. Made from solid bronze, each dial is chemically treated and coated with with a transparent matte lacquer. This creates a unique finish unique to every individual watch – no two will be exactly the same. Of course, no two watch cases will be exactly the same either. It would be an incredibly interesting experiment to examine two of these watches, side by side, decades from now, to see how the way they made it through life has changed the tone of their cases and dials. Anyone who has owned a bronze watch for even a short period of time will understand the drama inherent in watching the timepiece take on new characteristics as it is being worn. 

The Big Crown Pointer Date in bronze is more than just a science experiment, though. Oris sees the use of bronze in a watch as a symbol of their industrial history (they’ve never made a quartz watch) and the enduring value of a Swiss timepiece. Aesthetically, it’s undeniably attractive in its pre-patinated form. Bronze, of course, can look very much like gold, and those characteristics are definitely present here. There’s a comfortable classicism at work in the design – this is a watch that easily could have been made 70 years ago, but doesn’t look at all out of place in modern times.

While the watch takes design cues from classic pilot’s watches, today, particularly in bronze, it reads dressier, thought not quite formal. It’s clearly robust enough to stand up to daily wear, but the bronze case and dial add a note of refinement to the watch. Part of this is the old fashioned charm of the pointer date. I’m a fan of this implementation of the date complication for a few reasons. First, it eliminates the seemingly never ending controversy surrounding date windows. That’s a bonus for all of us. Secondly, it gives you an at a glance visual representation of how deep into a month we are, which speaks to how well implemented design can change your perspective on any number of mundane, everyday things. 

The Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date is available now through Oris retailers, with a retail price of $2,000.