As the wave of vintage-inspired watches stretches into its second decade, it’s easy to forget who was at the forefront. Among them was Oris and its Divers Sixty-Five, a collection that has grown to encompass myriad configurations. Customers are spoiled for choice with steel, bronze, and two tone watches in various sizes and with dials ranging from demure to outright fun. Up until 2019 (not counting the Brashear limited edition a year earlier), the Divers Sixty-Five had always been just that: a diver. The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph has always been quietly competent, but today Oris updates the model. Spoiler: there’s a lot to like.
Oris Introduces a New Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph with Major Case Refinements
First and foremost, Oris has massaged the case to 40mm, a more palatable size for the mainstream with finer proportions. Thickness is down from 17mm(!) to a more manageable 15.4mm. Gone also are the overtly vintage accents on the bezel edge and throughout the dial. You won’t find any fauxtina lume or gilt text here. Instead, what we have is a truly monochromatic dial and bezel layout. One gets the impression that this is a more serious, if somewhat austere, watch with its foot firmly planted in the modern era.
What hasn’t changed is what’s inside: behind the sapphire exhibition caseback beats Oris’ caliber 771 (Sellita 510 base) providing 48-hours of power with automatic and manual winding. You have central chronograph seconds, continuously running seconds at nine o-clock, and a thirty minute counter at three. Water resistance is also unchanged from the previous model at 100 meters thanks to a screw-down crown (note that the pushers are passive).
More connected to enthusiasts than many brands, Oris has shown enthusiasm towards refining their products to widen their appeal. They have no doubt improved the wearability here. Aesthetics are subjective, but many will also likely prefer the more timeless yet modern color scheme. Pricing starts at $4,200 when paired with a sustainable Cervo Volante strap and increases to $4,400 on a bracelet. The new Oris Divers Sixty-Dive Chronograph will be available starting September 19, 2023. Learn more online at Oris.