Oris Big Crown Hölstein Edition
Following up on last year’s inaugural “Holstein Edition” timepiece, an all- bronze version of its popular Divers Sixty-Five chronograph, Oris has unveiled the latest in its limited series of watches paying tribute to the Swiss village of its founding. The Big Crown Holstein Edition 2021 provides a novel take on Oris’s vintage-inspired Big Crown model, first produced in 1938.
Oris Big Crown Hölstein Edition 2021
Notably, it is the first Oris watch to contain a variation of the widely acclaimed, in-house Caliber 400 movement that is not a dive watch or a diver-style watch. Oris, has in fact, had a dive-watch-heavy year thus far, expanding its flagship, vintage-inspired, and professional lines over the last several months. The release of this second Holstein Edition indicates the brand is likely to continue the tradition of offering highly limited, exclusive models throughout its various product families in the years to come.
The sword hands and non-fluted bezel are new to the Big Crown collection.
The watch’s 38-mm, polished and brushed steel case, as with previous Big Crown models, appears to be well proportioned and geared toward a wide audience of enthusiasts. However, the new model does features some notable differences from the rest of the collection, including a smooth rather than a fluted bezel, and a flatter crystal over the dial as opposed to the domed crystal more often used on this and other Oris models. These changes, in addition to the watch’s signature oversized crown and traditional case shape, help provide the watch with an overall sportier feel — channeling more of a field watch style than the aviation-inspired style of the watch’s actual origins.
Red details contrast with the gray dial.
Underneath the flat sapphire crystal is a matte gray dial, which carries on the neo-vintage tradition of the Big Crown. Around the outermost edge, a printed ring from 1 to 31 displays the analog date, each point indicated via a red-arrow-tipped hand. A step closer to the interior, a railroad track minute ring outlines the legible, straightforward Arabic hour markers. This style is broken up only at the 6 o’clock position where a small subdial for the running seconds rests, its indicator also accented with a burst of bright red. At the center of the dial and passing over the various descriptors toward 12 o’clock are two lume-filled, sword style hands, which differ quite drastically from the bold cathedral-style handset previously put to use within the Big Crown collection.
The Oris bear graces the caseback as a relief engraving.
The Oris Caliber 403, which powers the new limited edition, is based upon the aforementioned Caliber 400 launched by the brand last year inside the Aquis Date Caliber 400. Like the base caliber, the 403 boasts a five-day power reserve, a relatively high level of anti-magnetism, and an industry-leading 10-year warranty. The movement, which differs from its base by its use of a 6 o’clock small seconds subdial and an analog date indicator, is protected behind a solid, commemorative caseback, its surface engraved with a motif of Oris’s bear mascot.
The red-tipped hand indicates the analog date.
Available now, the Oris Big Crown Hölstein Edition 2021
