This year at Watches & Wonders, Oris finds itself focusing primarily on a single collection: the Aquis. For years, the Aquis has carried the torch as the brand’s flagship modern sports watch. A capable diver with an integrated bracelet (it had one before they were cool), the Aquis has been made in a dizzying variety of case sizes and dial variants over the years, with complicated models, limited editions, and even diamonds finding their way to the line. But over all that time, the Aquis itself has never really had a proper reset. That changes this year, with a new, more refined Aquis Date that seeks to improve on the old version in all the ways watch collectors care about.
The new Aquis is made of a number of subtle changes that add up to a noticeable, if incremental, improvement. This is not a radical rethinking of the Aquis, but feels more like an admission from Oris that certain elements of the tried and true design could be tweaked for a better overall experience. It’s an approach, frankly, that we think more brands should take. When something is generally pretty good, it makes no sense to kill it and start from scratch. Success over a long period means little iterative changes that make your product better as performance expectations shift, and Oris seems to embrace that.
Of the changes made to the new Aquis, the most important is likely the small tweaks to the case. Oris has redefined the Aquis silhouette by making everything a little more balanced, with lugs that are more gracefully downturned and a sleeker profile at the crown guards. Another key change in this area is to the bracelet, which now has a broader center link and gives the appearance of a more dramatic taper.
Another small change that will definitely be well received by the enthusiast crowd is that the date wheel is now color matched to the dial across the Aquis collection. Obviously, this creates a more seamless and coherent dial experience, and is one of the most requested tweaks on any watch that doesn’t feature color matching. The exception here, unsurprisingly, is on the Aquis Date Upcycle references, which feature unique multicolor dials created from recycled ocean plastic.
Also coming to the Aquis for the first time: a quick-adjust bracelet clasp. This new, Oris-patented system is only available on Calibre 400 Aquis references, but brings a great deal of increased wearability. These watches also feature Oris Quick Strap Change system, making it easy to swap out the bracelet for one of Oris’s colorful rubber straps.
The updated Aquis references are available in three different sizes: 43.5mm, 41.5mm, and a new 36.5mm size. The flagship references are the 43.5mm watches with the Oris Calibre 400 movement. They’re available in green, blue, and Upcycle dials, on bracelets or integrated straps. They start at $3,900. The 43.5mm size case is also available with the Oris 733, a Sellita derived movement, which also gives you the option of a black dial. These start at $2,500.
The 41.5mm and 36.5mm sizes are Sellita only. The medium size has the same dial choices as the large (green, blue, black, and Upcycle) while the new smaller size features dials in black, cream mother-of-pearl, as well as an Upcycle option. Pricing on the two smaller sizes is identical to the 43.5mm references.
The updated Aquis Dates are available this month through Oris authorized dealers. Oris
