A Closer Look at The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection
Oris is a watch brand that offers a collection of exceptional timepieces with exquisite design quality and precision accuracy. The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection offers twenty-one variants within a family of watches that exude old and traditional styling with the quality of Swiss-watchmaking. If you love wristwatches, have a penchant for luxury, and are not yet familiar with the brand or this magnificent family of watches, join us in taking a closer look at the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection.
The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection at a glance
According to The Watch Company, The Big Crown family of watches is a signature design of the Oris brand. It’s a collection of timepieces designed primarily for pilots. The collection made its debut just under 90 years ago with the first members of the family. it has since grown and developed innovations in watchmaking technology that places Oris as one of the most highly respected brands. Hodinkee highlights the latest member of the collection, the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date collection and its multiple options to suit the requirements and preferences of a larger cross-section of watch enthusiasts. The most recent releases feature visually appealing color applications with an innovative and rare date function in varying sizes. These watches offer a perfect melding of vintage design with modern technology that merits a closer look and inspection.
A closer look at the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection
The Pointer Date is available in a choice of two sizes. The first is a 40mm wide version that is best suited for larger wrists with a 36 mm variant for those with smaller wrists. The latter has a more distinct feeling of vintage design. The case is made of premium stainless steel material that is durable and attractive. A brushed finish gives it a matte quality that is understated yet elegant. The oversize crown offers a big or variation with a ridged side for easy grip and a mirror finish on the top for a small detail that adds a bit of interesting variation. The dial is available in a choice of black or blue colors with a special Le Corbusier design featuring warm green in the 36 mm version or grey-blue in the 40 mm size. The choice of varying sizes and colors opens this collection up to a larger audience with varying tastes as each variant has developed a distinct personality. All come across with a decidedly sporty vibe, suitable for casual or casual dressy wear. The bezel is old school in a coin-edge design which is not commonly seen. Arabic numerals are not quite oversized, but they are larger than the standard wristwatch, making it easier for those with low vision to read. A coating of Superluminova on the indices and hands makes this watch legible in all lighting environments, thanks to the bright glow of the essentials in the dark. The sides of the case are polished with brushed lugs for a nice contrast. A bubble-dome-shaped sapphire crystal covers the dial to protect it from dust contamination or moisture damage. The dial is well-balanced and highly legible with large numbers and visible indices that allow one to easily read the time at a glance. We love the cathedral-style hands with the minute’s hand featuring a needle tip that extends to the dial’s outer edge. Oris has taken a minimalist approach to the Big Crown Pointer Date, but it’s far from being a simple wristwatch.
The movement
The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date is powered by a base Sellita SW 200-1, also referred to as the Oris in-house caliber 754. It is an automatic movement developed by Oris with 26 jewels, measuring 25.60 mm in diameter beating at 4 Hz or 28,800 vibrations per hour with a power reserve of 38 hours. Functions include Center hands for hours, minutes, and seconds, date center hand, instantaneous date, date corrector, a fine timing device, and stop-second.
Prices
The price of the standard versions begins at $1,600 for both black and blue dials with a genuine leather strap, tanned with environmentally-friendly natural vegetable tanning processes. The stainless steel bracelet version is priced at $1,800. A special limited edition of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection called the Big Crown D.26 286 HB-RAG Oris LE, as a tribute to Swiss Airforce training aircraft from the WWII era. The dial is a darker version of the other member of the collection and is limited to just 1931 pieces with a cost of $2,000 each. All proceed from sales of the special edition are donated to a Swiss charitable organization. Funds are directed toward the support of Hanger 31, where antique WWII-era aircraft are preserved.
Final thoughts
The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection is a group of watches designed for pilots, but they’re available for sale to the general public. If you’re a fan of Swiss vintage pilot’s styles, this collection offers a variety of colors to choose from, all bearing the same basic DNA with a few different variations. Oris is a luxury brand. We find the price to be quite reasonable when you consider the overall quality of the timepiece and the value. We learned that there are more than 21 variations of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date available. It’s a model produced with a host of choices. We like that it’s available in both a 40 mm width and a 36 mm width for people of all wrist sizes. The 4 mm can make a tremendous difference in the weight of the watch and the way it fits on the wrist. Oris’ commitment to using natural processes for tanning the leather for the traps is a nice touch that many of us can get behind and support. Overall, the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Collection is a good option for those preferring a vintage aesthetic with modern innovation.
