BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
As you know, Oris tends to link up with as many different events and charities as it can. That’s generally a good thing, as not only does it mean we get a plethora of different special edition watches to look at, but they also support whatever they’re working with through both boosting awareness and making donations. The latest in the long line of Oris’ corporate conquests is the 57th Reno Air Race.
Due to the events of the mess that we call 2020, the 57th Reno Air Race isn’t going ahead. But Oris has taken a leaf out of Omega’s books and gone ahead with their watch release. Omega released its Tokyo Olympic collection last year, but the threat to human life overrode their decision and forced the 2020 Olympics to be cancelled, but the watches still say 2020 on them.
Oris’ limited edition watch is based on the Big Crown ProPilot model. That means you get an aviation-themed sports watch with a clear dial that’s easily readable at a short glance. You also get a turbine-themed bezel that sports an angled engraving on it. A big chunky case with a large crown makes this watch easy for pilots to use in the air if they need to.
The 41mm stainless steel case has a brushed finish with a grey PVD coating giving it a dark almost militaristic appearance. Combined with the black textile strap, there is no denying the masculinity of this watch. Despite this being a watch for pilots, Oris has still ensured it can shrug off the rigours of daily life thanks to its 100m water resistance.
The black dial features two complications on top of the standard display. The long hand tipped by a blue arrow is a 24-hour time indicator which makes up the watch’s GMT function. There’s also a date ring encompassing the Oris logo and the text printed on the dial, I can’t imagine that reading it will be a breeze, but without having the watch in hand, I couldn’t tell for sure. There is plenty of SuperLumiNova to keep this watch glowing all night long too.
Inside the case is the calibre 798 which is really a Sellita SW330-1 with a red rotor on, but you can’t see it as the caseback is solid with the Reno Air Race logo engraved instead. The movement runs at 4Hz and has a power reserve of 42 hours total.
Oris is limiting the production of this watch to 1000 units total, with each watch numbered on the caseback. Each timepiece will cost you CHF2,650.
