By Osheen Arakelian
The critically acclaimed Oris Aquis Depth Gauge has returned from the depths with a new look and a new dimension. Hailed by the international press as one of the most innovative diving watches of the century, the new Oris Aquis Depth features the innovative and wonderful depth gauge function, developed and patented by Oris.
In true Oris style, the decision on how to manufacture and engineer the watch was just as practical as you would expect. The Depth Gauge was engineered with an inlet in the crystal at 12 o’clock with a channel just beneath milled into the outside edge of the crystal covering the dial. The inlet allows water to enter the channel, creating a watermark that corresponds to the yellow depth gauge indications marked around the crystal. What this does is provide the wearer a clear readout to a depth of 100 meters. Gaskets between the crystal and the case mean that the watch is still water-resistant up to 50-bar (500 meters).
The way Oris engineered the depth gauge function was to apply Boyle-Marriote’s Law, which states that ‘pressure X volume = constant’. What this means is that while the diver is descending into the depths, pressure builds, compressing the volume of air in the channel and allowing water to enter the watch through the inlet. The patented solution although was simple in its idea, still had to be perfected and engineered to meet the standards of Oris, which is always to provide the best possible timepiece, at the best possible price.
Although it features many of the same specifications as the original Aquis Depth Gauge, there are a few new additions to this particular reference. The new watch features not just a bright yellow strap, but also has 2 further ground-breaking innovations: the safety anchor that prevents the strap from breaking loose, even after heavy impact; and the sliding sledge clasp, which enables the wearer to adjust the size of the strap without undoing the clasp. Although they might seem like nothing more than aesthetic or simple additions with no real added value, it’s quite the opposite, especially for a diver who needs to do slight adjustments without the inconvenience taking off the watch, or even worrying about knocking into anything and breaking the strap.
The rest of the timepiece however does remain the same with a 46mm steel case with black PVD finishing and a unidirectional rotating bezel inlay that is made of tungsten, a material as hard as emerald. The Oris automatic calibre 733 powers the timepiece and is based off the Sellita SW 200-1. For more info, please visit oris.ch
Osheen Arakelian – Contributing Editor
Drawing on a lifelong love of horology and a more recent introduction to appreciation of fine whisky, Osheen brought the two together with watch & whisky. He is proprietor of the site, which covers everything related to watches and whisky. In between completing a degree in commercial law and supporting a rich social life, he is out and about attending all the latest watch and whisky events Sydney has to offer. His passion has also taken him around Australia attending a number of events and he hopes to continue his career in the watch industry on a more serious level after he graduates. Read his articles here.
