ORIS

Paul Cattin and Georges Christian founded Oris in 1904, in Hölstein, Switzerland, naming the company after a nearby brook. A maker of pocket watches and, by 1925, the increasingly popular wristwatches, Oris enjoyed a long period of growth and expansion throughout the following decades and even made its own movements. Losing its independence during the consolidation years of the Quartz Crisis, Oris regained it in the 1980s, when a management buyout transformed the company and solidified its mission to make only mechanical watches going forward. Today, Oris has become a staple for value-conscious collectors of Swiss-madew watches, particularly sport-oriented models. Among the brand’s modern pillars are the Big Crown Pointer Date, which traces its existence all the way back to 1938; the Aquis diver’s watch series in all its various incarnations; and the recently launched, vintage-influenced Diver Sixty-Five. In an apparent answer to critics, Oris’ most impressive achievement in recent years has been the release of its first in-house movement, Caliber 400, which holds an amazing 120 hours of power reserve and made its debut in the Aquis Calibre 400.

Founded: 1904

Headquarters: Hölstein, Switzerland

Ownership: Private

Notable models: Aquis Diver, Big Crown ProPilot, Divers Sixty-Five

Did you know: In another reality, minus the management buyout, Oris could have been part of the Swatch Group. In 1970, the company was acquired by ASUAG, the conglomerate that eventually merged with another firm, SSIH, to form the Swatch Group.