BY JOVAN K
Conceptualized during the Zhou dynasty and flourished during the Han dynasty in ancient China, what most people know about Chinese astrology these days is that it’s symbolized by 12 zodiac animals. What’s perhaps lesser known is that each of the 12 zodiac animals are further represented by five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). Oris certainly knows this, and for the upcoming Chinese New Year starting 17th February, they have released a watch that honors the fire horse; you guessed it, the specific zodiac pairing that defines the upcoming Chinese New Year.
The case is multi-piece stainless steel, measuring 43mm x 13.1mm. It’s a big watch, with a 50.5mm lug-to-lug span to give the business calendar space. The sapphire caseback allows a peek at the movement and is good for 50 meters of water resistance.
The dial really gallops into the theme, deep crimson red fades to a darker wine at the edges. Gold-plated hands and indices keep it legible, while the power reserve is at 3 o’clock, where two pink horses indicate the mainspring: galloping for full, resting for winding. It’s a functional and playful alternative to a standard linear gauge.
The workhorse is the Calibre 113, a manual movement with a 10-day power reserve. Its non-linear indicator uses a worm gear to move the horse across the subdial, giving a more precise view of remaining power as the ten days run down.
It comes on a dark brown Shell Cordovan strap, a sturdy horsehide that works with the red dial. Price is CHF 6,650, and only 88 numbered pieces are made, sticking with the lucky number eight.
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