This Oris X Collective Horology collaboration see’s the creation of a new 1970’s inspired timepiece, with Oris’s renowned calibre 400 movement.
Collective Horology is an online retail space created by founders Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly, where one can go to buy new and pre-owned watches from independant brands that have limited distribution facilities within the U.S market. That’s not all they are though. Collective Horology over the years (since 2018) have earned a name for themselves for being one of the few retailer’s that’s made collaborative pieces with some of the most well known brands in the world of watches.
Some of these brands include IWC Schaffhausen, Czapek, URWERK, H. Moser & Cie., Zenith, Armin Strom, J.N. Shapiro and Montblanc (Minerva). Now, the latest to collaborate with Collective Horology is Oris, with two releasing the 70’s inspired Divers “Seventy-Five” Calibre 400 C.04. Right off the bat this timepiece stands out for it’s retro inspired looks and the two-tone bracelet.
Bronze is the central theme that appears throughout this timepiece, with the material being used for the central links of the stainless steel bracelet, the uni-directional dive bezel, and bronze hands on the dial. The colour way shown on the dial is very 70’s themed, with a mixture of orange, and reddish brown. The hands come with yellow lume, which matches the beige hour indices quite nicely. The hour indices are also a mixture of baton-style and boxed Arabic numerals (3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock). To break up this colour theme slightly, the bezel comes with white minute track and inscriptions.
In regards to this 70’s inspired design theme, Collective Horology explains that “with the C.04, Collective looked to 1970s California graphic design to draw out the elements they love most about the Oris and the Divers Sixty-Five – bringing back the original Arabic dial with no date in a fitting ‘70s color palette, embracing the brand’s unique bronze and steel bicolor format, and backing it all with the in-house Caliber 400. The result is a bit of historical fiction: While this design was never created by Oris in the 1970s, it very well could have been.”
This new Divers “Seventy-Five” model takes the same framework as Oris Divers Sixty-Five, with the stainless steel case measuring in at 40mm diameter x 12.8mm thick. Collective Horology chose the Diver’s Sixty-Five as their starting point as its one of the more popular models from Oris with watch enthusiasts, thanks to the timepiece’s easy wearability and stand-out design. Collective Horology’s founder Gabe Reilly’s first Oris timepiece was the Diver’s Sixty-Five Deauville, further cementing the choice to use this model as the framework for his brand’s latest collaborative creation.
Collective Horology like to things different, and unique. While the two-tone bracelet may not be everyones taste, it suits the bronze theme of the timepiece and also matches the central yellow on the dial. In regards to this design choice, Collective Horology states that “we went with the distinctive Arabic dial, in-house movement as well as the bi-color bracelet and case. The use of bronze in two-tone watches is a signature design element for Oris. While many brands use gold capping or PVD, Oris takes a more authentic and distinctive approach to two-tone with solid bronze. There’s no mistaking this watch for anything other than an Oris, and we just love that.”
The bracelet also comes with rivets on the side of the links, which again is down to personal taste for aesthetics. The added feature of using bronze on the watch is how it’ll patina over time, giving it a darker coating and making each individual Diver’s “Seventy-Five” timepiece it’s own unique look.
Collective Horology want the best to offer customers, which is why they have gone with Oris’s Calibre 400 movement as the engine for this model. The Calibre 400 movement operates at a high frequency of 4Hz/ 28,800 VpH, which gives the watch high accuracy. However, unlike with most high frequency movements where power reserve is reduced, Oris is able to push out a staggering 120h (5 days!) power reserve, making the Calibre 400 quite impressive indeed. The watch does come with an open case back, however most of the movement is closed of with only the balance wheel being in clear view. The movement does show Oris’s skeletonised winding rotor, with the brand’s logo engraved onto it.
While we personally think the watch could’ve done without the two-tone bracelet as the dial deserves all the attention, we can understand why it’s used with Oris’s connection to the bronze material. With only 250 models being produced worldwide, there will be plenty of buyers interested in this 70’s inspired timepiece, with a great movement backing it. The watches are currently in production, with pre-orders taking place now, with deliveries set for December 2023. Pre-orders can only be done through Collective Horology’s e-commerce at collectivehorology.com.
Reference: ORIS DIVERS SEVENTY-FIVE CALIBRE 400 C.04 FOR COLLECTIVE HOROLOGY
Specification:
- Case: 40 mm and thickness 13mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel case, brushed and polished finish. Unidirectional rotating bronze bezel with brown aluminium insert.
- Dial: Red and orange dial with beige elements with boxed Arabic numerals.
- Crystal: Double-domed AR sapphire crystal
- Water resistance: 100 meters / 10 ATM
- Movement: Automatic mechanica Oris calibre 400
- Power reserve: 120 hours (5 Days)
- Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel 3-link with bronze central link, riveted bracelet. Stainless steel folding clasp.
