Prediction time. If we finish once by the end of 2020, which I’m still not entirely convinced is a foregone conclusion, this Oris will be one of the best watches of the year. There, the oracle spoke.
The Holstein Edition is a limited edition bronze 30-minute chronograph based on the unstoppable, unrivalled Divers 65 series, and I say this with prejudice as I am the proud owner of a blue lacquered stainless steel dial. This model has been so successful for the Holstein-based watch company that it’s probably not an exaggeration to say it has transformed the business.
This is a watch that’s hard not to like, and it ticks a lot of very desirable boxes; it’s a vintage-style diver with one of the most balanced, well-designed dials on the market, it’s affordable and looks great on the wrist.
Oris has also had success with bronze watches recently, first with the Divers 65, in honour of US Navy Master Diver Carl Brashear, and later in its versatile Big Crown collection, also producing innovative bi-metallic watches using the material. However, this is the first time the brand has produced an all-bronze watch, including the bracelet.
Before discussing the use of materials, let’s first talk about what I honestly think might be the best dial I’ve seen in my decade of writing exclusively about watches, it’s just… perfect. The gold hue used for the main dial and hands sings appropriately, while its chronograph track (with 5-second, single-second, and 1/5-second markers, each of varying lengths) is more visually satisfying than a time-only model.
Holstein’s two high-contrast registers (inky black and white type) are located at nine and three o’clock, providing running seconds and a 30-minute counter. Those excellent Divers 65 lume hour markers are present and correct, and here there’s plenty of pure white lume. The whole thing is a masterclass in balance, symmetry, and color choice.
Framing the dial (and its glass-box sapphire crystal) is an inset unidirectional rotating bezel. I’m not usually a fan of inset-less metal bezels, but here it’s perfectly in keeping with the rest of the watch and those beautifully proportioned pump pushers on the right.
What don’t I like about the watch? Well, this is the first time I’ve spent real time with a bronze watch, and the first time I’ve appreciated the different life it brings to a bronze watch. So this isn’t a criticism specifically of Oris.
Ever since the days of the Panerai Bronzo (I’m not sure if the bronze alloy used on Gerald Genta’s Gefica, the first bronze watch, or if watch collectors at the time were pretty weird), owners have been happy with the tarnish (sorry, patina) they can get from their bronze watches, including dipping them in various reactive substances. Bronze transitions from factory-fresh metal (not much different from gold in appearance) to “dirty penny” all the way to developing a bright green “skin”. I highly recommend @lordshapleigh’s Instagram account, and his particularly abused Carl Brashear Divers 65 deserves special mention.
This isn’t for me, I like shiny things to stay shiny. Press photos of the Holstein Holstein watch show its case and bracelet in pristine condition, in a shiny golden hue. Personally, I’d like to keep the hue with a ‘fixed’ bronze alloy that uses a higher percentage of aluminium in the mix, but I appreciate that others enjoy seeing their watches change from day to day, so I’m sure the 250-piece limited edition will be snapped up in minutes.
Price and specs:
Brand: Oris
Model name: Bronze Holstein Edition
Case/Dial: 43mm diameter, multi-piece bronze, unidirectional rotating bezel
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Oris calibre 771, automaticPower reserve: 48 hoursFunctions: Centre hands for hours, minutes and chronograph ¼ seconds, two subsidiary dials with continuous seconds at 9 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, chronograph mechanism and stop secondsStrap: Bronze bracelet with folding claspPrice: CHF 4,800, limited to 250 pieces
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