BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Back in 2020, Oris introduced the inaugural in-house calibre in their Aquis diver series, the calibre 400. The Aquis has progressively ascended up the ranks of Oris’ line of watches, and by the looks of things, that day won’t be far off when we see Aquis swiftly risen to the very top, owing in large part to the enhancements that Oris continues to submit the Aquis to. For example, calibre 400 was debuted in Aquis, and now the exquisite implementation of 18k gold accents with matching gold bezel edges. This results in a two-tone watch pair.
Except for gold accents and bezel edges with gold finishing, the dial hasn’t altered much. The 18k gold unidirectional rotating bezel elevates the already gorgeous Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm to new heights, and it works flawlessly. It’s also worth noting that Oris is not new to two-tone, albeit until now it was usually bronze rather than gold paired with steel. Retaining the similar dial configuration, a black date window in white print rests at 6 o’clock and the dial has gold-colored applied indices with Super-LumiNova inserts as well.
The 41.5 mm case is made of brushed and polished multi-piece stainless steel with an 18k gold bezel on the outside edge. Depending on the model, the ceramic inserts are either green or blue, and the dial has a gold-finished 60-minute scale. The dial is protected from the front by a domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inside, and the movement is visible from the rear through a mineral glass exhibition caseback. Owing to the screw-down crown, the water resistance is rated at 300 meters.
The mechanical operations of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm Bi-Colour are handled by the automated in-house Oris calibre 400, which includes central hours, minutes, hacking seconds, and date. It’s a significant upgrade over the Sellita SW200-1 autos that previously powered Aquis Date, with a power reserve of 120 hours (5 days) and an equally impressive accuracy of -3/+5 seconds per day. It beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) and is highly anti-magnetic due to the silicon escapement. Both the forest green and aqua blue models come on a brushed/polished three-link integrated bracelet with folding clasp and diver’s extension, or a rubber strap with folding clasp and extension in the same color as the dial to maintain the aesthetic harmony. Quick-release levers are included on both the bracelet and the strap for tool-free replacements.
The new Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm Bi-Colour Gold models are priced at CHF 4,000 and come with a 10-year warranty and 10-year servicing intervals.
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