Introducing: The Oris Pro Pilot X Caliber 400 Titanium...
For many years, the likes of the Aquis and the Divers 65 have been mainstays of the Oris collection. They have been iterated on in numerous different ways, a couple of standouts being the Aquis Upcycle and the Divers 65 ‘Cotton Candy’ being two particular favourites of collectors.
Recently, the big news and release for Oris has been that of their Caliber 400 movement. This movement has been developed entirely in house by Oris, and boasts some very impressive stats. A five day power reserve (120 hours), high levels of magnetic resistance and 10 year service intervals, which has seen this movement so far introduced in the Aquis line, the Big Crown Pointer Date as well as the watch we are looking at today.
Whilst the vintage inspired watches from Oris that harken back to decades of watch design gone by such as the Divers 65 have been THE style of watch over the past few years, Oris are looking back whilst also looking forward with the introduction of the ProPilot X. The ProPilot X takes the impressive new movement, as well as the futuristic design aesthetic and combines the two perfectly, and whilst the photos may spark comparisons with a Tesla Cybertruck, the watch in the metal really is something else...
Similarities in aesthetics? I think so...
The watch is cased in Titanium, which is a metal within watches that I have actually never seen in person. The benefits of Titanium in this watch are two-fold. Not only does it offer incredible lightness, which on a sports watch of this style is a match made in heaven, but it also offers a finish which fits perfectly into the design aesthetic. Titanium, whilst it is not used anywhere near as frequently as steel as a case material, certainly has its benefits. On top of weighing about half as much as steel, it is also about 30 times stronger, which for a sports watch with water resistance that is going to be worn all over the place, makes a lot of sense. As does the fact that titanium is hypoallergenic, which is great if you are taking this watch on a sweaty hike or diving deep in the ocean. The other clear benefit of Titanium specifically on this watch, is the appearance it gives. The sharp, almost jarring lines of the case and bracelet I really do believe look like the sharp lines of the Tesla truck, and the grey, dull silver colour of Titanium lends itself significantly better to the overall look and feel.
Outside of the unusual aesthetics of this watch, specification wise this watch really stands out amongst its competitors. Size in watches maybe the most over discussed topics amongst watch nerds. I myself have fallen fowl of dismissing a watch based on it being too big. Whilst in a lot of instances the size is of paramount importance, I like to talk about size in the context of brands who have got it spot on, and Oris is certainly one such brand. The ProPilot X comes in at 39mm. This really is a true sweet spot in my opinion, there truly isn't a wrist size I can think of that wouldn't take a 39mm watch well. Couple this with the angular case lines and long lugs, and this watch would wear bigger on a wrist that could accommodate it. Personally, this wore perfectly on my 7inch wrist.
On the subject of aesthetics, what really fascinated me even when I was looking at these watches through a display case, is the colour options Oris have released this watch in. Whilst the dial itself has the ethos of the ProPilot running through it, with simple baton and minute markers printed onto a fairly clean dial, the colours and texture are what really steel the show. The dial texture, despite being quite matt, has a real grainy effect, which gives real texture to the relatively sterile dial.
Whilst being understated, the pairing of this dial is spot on...
Speaking of dials, the colours are what really stand out on this watch. Given this is a brand new collection from Oris, you would expect them to test the waters with 'conservative' colours, something like a black, white and maybe a slightly left field colour, like green which has dominated the industry over the past year. Whilst Oris have stuck to that formula with this collection, they have put their own slant on it which I really appreciate. The three dial colours are a lovely denim blue, a bold peachy pink, and the colour that I got hands on with, the slate grey. All of the dials look amazing, however I really love the pairing of the grey dial with the dull grey titanium case and bracelet. The overall package is fantastic, and it all just blends seamlessly together.
The other feature which I appreciate a lot is the design language Oris have shown with the design of the clasp. Whilst they could have gone for a traditional push buckle seen on countless other dive or sport watches, Oris have decided to go in a more funkier direction.
What a cool buckle...
As you can see, the buckle clearly represents the buckle seen on a airplane seatbelt, even displaying the trademark 'Lift' printed onto it in favour of the Oris branding. I was actually at an Oris event a few nights ago, and the conversation I was having with an older collector showed just how divisive it is. Whilst I, on the one hand, actually identify the buckle as a feature that draws me into the watch more than most, this particular gentleman said he would never buy a watch with 'Lift' on the buckle. So to summarise that particular conversation which got rather in-depth, the phrase different strokes for different folks comes to mind. Whatever your particular opinion is, it is hard to deny that the clasp is not only unusual, but also a charming and innkeeping design feature with the overall aesthetic of the watch.
This watch really is a home run from Oris. Its design is unusual no doubt about it, but in a sea of traditional sports watches taking design cues from Seamasters, Fifty Fathoms and Submariners, this is a refreshing release from truly one of the best value-for-money brands out there. This watch is amazing, and I would encourage every one of you to go to an Oris retailer and see one in the metal, you will I hope, fall in love with it like I have.
Felix Arnold
Editor & Co-Founder