Mario C 
As Cyndi Lauper once said, “girls just want to have fun!” So, following the ProPilot X Kermit Edition, Oris has created a fun new reference, paying tribute to one of childhood’s greatest female icons.
The back end of the year can often be seen as a ‘business hell,’ of sorts. Sure, the Season of Giving and celebrating with family is great and all, but for those of us toiling throughout Christmas it can certainly get exhausting. Thankfully, Hölstein-based independent brand Oris understands this time of stress for many people, and have made it their mission for two years to put smiles on our dreary faces.
In their first instance, they did so by releasing the Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition. In this case, The first-ever (official) team-up between the Jim Henson’s The Muppets and the Swiss watch world, the modern aviation-inspired aesthetic took a backseat to Kermit the Frog, head honcho of the puppet ensemble. While the engineering behind the ProPilot X is some serious stuff – five day power reserve, titanium build, just to name a few – Kermit’s addition is anything but. The first of every month, otherwise known as Kermit Day, would mark the appearance of Green Stuff himself at the date window, putting a smile on the user’s face as they go along with their day.
But why should Kermit get all the glory? Yes, Kermit is the most popular of the entire ensemble, pervasive in popular culture throughout the years. However, the reason why he’s so talked about is that the porcine princess herself is always keeping busy. While Miss Piggy is often referred to as Kermit’s former partner, it would be remiss to relegate her to being a man’s accessory. Beyond that, she is among the most fabulous women of all time, influencing and empowering female culture for over half a century. Her timeless looks and boundless confidence have inspired countless women to be unapologetically themselves, with zero need for justification. As she herself puts it, she encourages all women to “be your own best cheerleader,” and has captured the hearts and minds of Oris, their female ambassadors, and even Co-CEO Claudine Gertiser-Herzog herself.
With that, Oris has elected to create yet another ProPilot X model, but this time celebrating all things Miss Piggy. While the 34mm case marks a first for Oris’ ProPilot X lineup of watches, the aesthetics stay fairly the same but with a few necessarily glamorous changes.
The case and bracelet are made up of fine brushed and polished stainless steel, with the iconic turbine-knurled bezel and ‘LIFT’ seatbelt release clasp still making an appearance. It’s these design cues that make the Oris ProPilot X stand out, being that sleek futuristic style this model line is known for.
However, it’s in the dial that makes all the difference: Complete in hot pink, the dial of the Oris ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition forgoes a date window at 6 o’clock, instead marking the 12 o’clock with a lab-grown, baguette-cut diamond. They are a girl’s best friend, after all, and it adds a unique flair that is typically missing from an everyday timepiece such as this.
But where is Miss Piggy herself? Well, you’d have to turn the watch around to see that: The case back is mostly solid, but contains an Oris Cal. 531, with a 42-hour power reserve by way of a heavily refined and modified ETA 2671 at its base. I say mostly solid, however, because a small sapphire aperture has been cut into the watch for Miss Piggy to make her appearance on the rotor of the watch. Her smiling face appears on a lilac backdrop, but be informed – she comes and goes as she pleases, appearing and disappearing with every spin of the rotor.
My Thoughts
In the creation of an independent watch with a stylish and fabulous flair, it only makes sense that Oris came to one of the most stylish and fabulous women in history. The ProPilot X, a tool watch, became the perfect canvas for the independent watch brand to work, and have done so amazingly with the new Miss Piggy Edition.
A Swiss watch collaboration with The Muppets is certainly not one that was on everyone’s horological bingo card, but we are certainly thankful for it. Combining the effortless practicality of the Oris ProPilot X with the sheer power and influence that Miss Piggy brings to the table is no easy feat, but I’m positive that Oris has done an excellent job in impressing the woman that has everything. Well, almost everything – perhaps if they gave her some chocolate alongside the watch, too!
Reference: 01 531 7796 4158-07 8 17 05LC
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 34mm case diameter x 11mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Dial: Pink with lab-grown baguette diamond
- Movement: Automatic Cal. 531
- Power Reserve: 42h
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: Stainless steel with folding ‘LIFT’ clasp
