One of Oris’s releases for Watches & Wonders 2022 is the all-new ProPilot X Calibre 400. This timepiece has been designed with the prowess of mechanical watches in mind. Oris stands by its legacy of making great mechanical watches, and their belief of mechanical watches never-dying as there will always be a market for them. With Quartz watches and the latest smartwatches you never really know what’s going on inside to make them work or do what they do on the surface.
With mechanical watches however this is a different story. You can see the escapement wheel oscillating, tourbillons at work or even the chronograph pushers engaging the advancement of the central second’s hand from either the case back or front skeleton dials. This is what this latest Pro Pilot X Calibre 400 timepiece is all about.
The front side of the Oris Pro Pilot X Calibre 400 is meant to showcase a luxurious display of beauty and sharp design, while the other side of the watch shows the mechanics of how this timepiece works.
Design:
The Oris Pro Pilot X Calibre 400 comes in a 39mm multi-piece titanium case with satin and sandblasted finishes. Being a pilot’s watch, the case has angular lines which are aviation-inspired, and along with the different finishes, it gives the watch its raw look. The fluted type bezel design is a great addition to this timepiece. It stays in theme with the angular lines of the watch, however, the design still sets it apart from the rest of the watch. The muscular titanium bracelet also has an edgy design which overall goes well with the timepiece.
As this is the first release of this collection, there are three dial colour choices offered initially. Firstly, we get a grey dial which is a bit more subtle yet blends in nicely with the titanium of the watch case. Secondly, Oris has presented this piece in a classy navy-like blue dial. This dial colour offers the most contrast out of the three colour options, as the hour indices and hands stand out greatly, making readability easy. Lastly, we have the salmon coloured dial. While the contrast isn’t as great as the blue dial, the main attraction for this timepiece is the salmon colour itself. The vibrant dial really is beautiful to look at.
The dial has sharp design features, with baton-style hour indices and sword-like hour and minute hands. The hands have been coated with SuperlumiNova to allow for low light readability of the dial. A simple addition of the date window at 6 o’clock completes the dial.
Movement:
Turn the watch over and we are treated to an open case back, which partially shows the inner workings of the movement operating this timepiece. The engine inside the Oris Pro Pilot X Calibre 400 is as the name suggests, the Calibre 400 movement. Oris states that with this movement “as with all Calibre 400 Series movements, it’s accurate to -3 to +5 seconds a day, within chronometer certification standards, even after it’s been exposed to the sort of magnetic fields we’re surrounded by every day”.
Featuring a more stable rotor system and twin-barrel concept, the Calibre 400 movement gives out a power reserve of approximately 120 hrs (5 days). The movement has been designed to minimise wear and tear as much as possible, with more than 30 components in the movement being made from non-ferrous and anti-magnetic materials. Oris stands by their movement very highly, and with this, they offer a 10-year warranty on the movement, as long as the owner is signed up with MyOris. Through the case back of the watch, we can partially see this amazing Calibre 400 movement. The escapement wheel is in clear view, but the rest of the movement is covered up.
A good release from Oris for Watches and Wonders 2022. A simple three-hander timepiece dedicated to the art of mechanical watchmaking.
References: 400 7778 7153 (Grey Dial), 400 7778 7155 (Blue Dial), 400 7778 7158 (Salmon Dial)
Specification:
- Case: 39 mm
- Case Material: Multi-piece titanium case with satin and sandblasted finishes
- Dial: Grey, Blue and Salmon
- Crystal: Sapphire, domed on both sides, double-sided anti-reflective coating
- Water resistance: 100 meters
- Movement: Oris Calibre 400
- Power reserve: 120 Hours
- Strap: Titanium with folding clasp with Oris-patented ‘LIFT’ system
Australian Retail Pricing: $5,800.00 AUD
Availability: Available From April 2022
