Tag: ORIS AQUIS DATE CALIBRE 400
Replica Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
Grail watches are supposed to embody the best. “Best”, however, is a subjective term. That’s why everyone’s grail is different. What I consider best for me is a watch that doesn’t require careful handling. My best is a watch that can keep up with me in all that I do. Beyond that, I want the ultimate expression of capability in specs and design, as well as efficiency of material and cost. Thus, as far as my judgment is concerned, I want an Oris. And if I’m buying tomorrow, I want an Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400.
If my grail is a watch, the tower that keeps it is Oris, and I admit I’m more enamored with the tower than the various potential grails within. Oris has spoiled me these past couple of years, and I’m almost content with holding off to see what else the brand has up its sleeve (Caliber 402, anyone?). But if we’re all naming our grails (and we are), it’s easy enough for me to point to mine — the 41.5mm Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 in blue.
For any of you keeping up with my most recent articles, there may be an exasperated “of course” and a throwing up of hands. Seriously, how many consecutive articles on Oris can I write? But this is a pre-meditated ending to a trilogy of sorts exhibiting Oris as I’ve come to know it. All these articles played a part in building my case. Everyone else took one article to announce their grail. Me? I took three. I’ll argue that it’s compensation (or an extended pitch) for such a humble grail.
Regardless of whether you read the article on Oris’s sustainability or the argument I made for the watch Oris is missing to make it the best, I expect most everyone can agree that sub-$10K is hardly grail territory. Grails are supposed to be an almost unattainable pinnacle of all that is sacred (in horology). They are what inspire knights (or us watch nerds) to embark on quests to attain them. But, as in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the holy grail need not be ornate. In my case (as for Dr. Jones — spoiler alert), the grail is humble, plain, and full of piety. But it didn’t use to be that way.
I started my watch journey drooling over the Omega Speedmaster — no wonder I ended up at Fratello. Then I branched out to Rolex, Patek, and Vacheron Constantin. My head was on a swivel, daydreaming about one watch or the next. For a minute, I thought I wanted one of VC’s Métiers d’Art — the Les Aérostiers, the hot air balloon watch. A worthy choice, seeing that it costs over $100K. Choosing a grail at this echelon took on a form of escapism. If I were a person that owned that watch (dealer’s choice), I wouldn’t be in the situation I was — underpaid, overworked, and unfulfilled. Well, spending a luxury car’s amount of money on a watch doesn’t solve problems like that.
Instead, I transitioned out of the situations making me so miserable, and I continued window shopping for watches. But I was looking less at watches that took me out of my reality, and instead began mentally trying on watches that I saw accompanying me from where I actually was. That’s when I really started having fun. And I found that there is “the best” in regards to craftsmanship, materials, and pedigree, and best as far as how good a fit it is for me. Now entered into the game all manner of watches from Seiko, Sinn, and the like. That’s when Oris became a serious contender.
Now there’s a difference between a watch that’ll work for me right now and a watch that’ll work for me from now on. I’ve purchased a couple of in-a-pinch watches that aren’t leaving my collection any time soon. Those aren’t grail watches, at least not to me. It’s hard to game out “until death do us part”, but people get married all the time. If I could prepare for making that decision, buying a watch to wear forever is a piece of cake. And Oris — in its product specs and design and my interpretation of what it stands for as a brand — is a watch I can wear forever.
Because when looking for “the one”, it’s almost all a specs game for me. I had Oris on my radar for years, but the release of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 changed everything. With the five-day power reserve, 10-year service interval, and 10-year warranty, Oris stepped to the conceivable end of what’s possible in a workhorse mechanical movement. This snapshot in horological history in and of itself is almost reason enough for me to choose the Oris Aquis Calibre 400, but the reduced frequency of repair added an element of economy that sweetens the deal.
If I’m going to be marrying this watch, I want to have an idea of what to expect. A 10-year warranty is an unprecedented assurance in a watch. I don’t know where I’ll be in 10 years — it seems far away enough to be a dream. But I expect I’ll still be interested in watches and enjoying the outdoors. That’s a win for the Aquis Calibre 400 with the above-mentioned specs and 300 meters of water resistance.
My purchase and servicing of an Oris Aquis is an investment in the company as well. Yes, financially, but also as a brand and all the minutiae that comprise it. I’m going to have the watch on my wrist. It will undoubtedly be representing something about myself, whether I like it or not (I do). It’s all that Oris is doing on the whole — environmentally, socially, technically — that sells me on any particular watch. I love what Oris has done, and I’m looking forward to seeing what it will do in the future.
Therein lies the predicament. If I’m choosing today, my grail watch is the Aquis Date Calibre 400. Its design appeals to me, of course. More importantly, it is a slice in Oris’s and the greater watch industry’s history marking the 10-year repair standard milestone (I know that the 41.5mm Calibre 400 wasn’t the very first). But Oris is just ramping up, and I think there’s a lot around the corner to look forward to. Honestly, I could buy the Aquis now and not beat myself up if and when Oris releases the next 400 variant. Like marriage, I’ll make my commitment and then not look too closely at anything else. I have experiences to live and stories to make… with the watch. I’m a simple man (obviously), and besides, there isn’t much that Oris could do that would make me want something more than a Calibre 400. There’s simply not anything more that I need.
That’s not to say I won’t buy another watch ever again. As much as I entertain the notion of a one-watch collection, which my grail would comprise, I’m not letting go of the watches I already have without good reason. I’m also open to purchasing more watches in the future. The role of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 as a grail is to become “the one” for me — a watch that encompasses all of my serious interests in watches. After that, I can play. I can explore novelties, funky fashion pieces, and yes, I might even get a Speedmaster. But I will do so resting assured that I’ve achieved my grail.
And you know what? The secret is that grails change. The (usually) unattainable nature of them makes that an easy adjustment to make. Once attained, however, it becomes a different matter. But if I purchase the Aquis and my grail does change, at least I will have had the opportunity to have my grail. That’s more than most knights can claim.
Oris AQUIS DATE CALIBRE 400
Divers are among the most popular watches on the market, if not the most popular, due to their highly robust builds and familiar aesthetic. As a result, the segment is highly competitive and brands now have to find fresh ways to draw interest to their references. Fully aware of this trend, Oris has really begun to shift things into fifth gear – creating new in-house calibers with longer power reserves and warranty coverage. Many were excited to see the new calibre 400 inside of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 43.5mm, but today the brand is scaling it back a bit by introducing the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm in three colours: blue, anthracite, and green..
The stainless-steel Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm is 2mm smaller in diameter than its 43.5mm predecessor, effectively becoming that much more comparable in size to a Black Bay Heritage or Rolex Submariner – both of which are 41mm. The 40-42mm size seems to have become the sweet spot for consumers when it comes to sports watches, so many will be pleased to have a more manageable configuration for the wrist. Unfortunately, Oris has not disclosed the thickness in the press release, but the previous generation Aquis Date 41.5mm with a Sellita movement is 13mm thick so it is safe to assume the new Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm should be around the same.
In terms of its case finish, we have the usual satin-brushed case with polished lugs that extend the mirror finishing throughout the shouldering links of the bracelet – its centre links satin-brushed throughout. As a dive watch, the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm has a depth rating of 300 metres – it’s water resistance further secured with a screw-down crown protected by crown guards..
Framing each dial is a colour-matching ceramic timing bezel, well-knurled to make it grippable for the wearer’s wet hand. All three, blue, anthracite, and green, have a rich sunburst finish with a subtle psuedo-fume effect towards the darker outer edge of the minutes track. The hour indexes and hours, minutes, and central seconds hands are all filled with SuperLuminova
. The only missing hour index is at 6’ to make space for a white on black date disc that blends well into the darkened edges of each color dial. It should be noted that since the discontinuation of the Rolex “Hulk” Submariner the green variant of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm is a fantastic alternative to consider.
The Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm can be purchased on either a stainless-steel bracelet or black rubber strap, both outfitted with “Quick Strap Change” technology that allows you to quickly swap between the pair by simply depressing the underside trigger to detach it.. My advice: go for the bracelet. It is CHF 100 or $200 USD more than the rubber configuration, but it is safe to assume it would cost more than that to purchase the bracelet separately – or at the very least the rubber strap will be less expensive to purchase separately then the bracelet.
The main event with this introduction is the Calibre 400 making its way into a 41.5mm Aquis Date. To recap, the Oris Calibre 400 is an in-house movement with 120 hours (five days) of power reserve and its performance is backed by an extended 10-year warranty and 10-year service intervals. It is highly accurate as well, running within COSC tolerances at +5/-3 seconds per day. An interesting note about the Calibre 400 is that the twin barrels that provide the 120 hours of power reserve are positioned to look like ears, and when the rotor aligns just right it serves as a nose and mouth – the result being an Oris bear motif. Don’t believe me? Well fortunately you can see for yourself thanks to the screwed-down exhibition caseback.
Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 Review
Swiss watchmaker Oris presents a brand new Aquis Date 41.5 mm case version equipped with the in-house automatic Calibre 400. The diver’s watch is available with either a blue, anthracite or green dial.
In 2020, Oris introduced its ground-breaking in-house self-winding movement Calibre 400. With elevated levels of anti-magnetism, five days of power reserve, accuracy superior to the chronometer standard (even after exposure to magnetism), 10-year recommended service intervals and 10-year warranties on all watches they power, Calibre 400 Series sets the new standard in Swiss Made automatics. The first watch to be equipped with this exceptional movement was the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 watch with 43.50 mm diameter. This year, Oris presents a smaller Aquis date model with the Caliber 400. This new model features a 41.5mm diameter stainless steel case. Water resistant to 300 meters, the new Aquis date watch comes fitted with a uni-directional rotating bezel with blue, anthracite or green ceramic insert
The Aquis is the shining star of the Oris catalog. So, when Oris launched their new Caliber 400 back in December 2020, the Aquis was the obvious choice of watch to be powered by this new movement. While the caliber 400 debut Aquis came with a 43.5mm case, Oris has now released three new Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 watch powered watches with a modest 41.5 steel housing.
Measuring 41.5mm in diameter with a thickness of around 12mm and a lug to lug distance of around 48mm, the mid-sized Aquis has been designed to sit more comfortably on smaller and medium-sized wrists compared to its 43.5mm elder sibling. On the design front, things remain quite familiar. The case stiff features a distinctive kettle-style shape with integrated chunky lugs and crown guards to protect the threaded crown at 3. Perched on top is a uni-directional rotating bezel with a ceramic insert that matches the color of the dial. Also, like most other Aquis watches, the case is water-resistant to a healthy 300 meters.
The dial is being offered in three striking colors: Blue, Green, and Charcoal black. All dials feature a nice sunburst effect for enhanced light play and have also been given a gradient treatment to showcase a dynamic color range starting from a lighter tone at the center and culminating into an almost blackish hue on the outer periphery. The dial layout has nothing new to offer and remains highly legible and free of any clutter. Highly polished hour markers comprise the hour markers and the minute track consists of printed white hash marks. A date window sits at 6 to maintain the symmetry of the dial and finally, you have a well-proportioned handset, which like the markers, has been filled with luminous paint to offer great low light visibility.
The true calling card of these watches is the in-house Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 watch. Operating at 4 Hz, offering a power reserve of around 5 days using a twin-barrel setup, comprising several anti-magnetic components, and offering a service interval of 10 years, the caliber 400 is a highly capable automatic movement. The movement is industrially finished and is visible through the exhibition case back.
Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
Since its initial debut in fall 2020, Oris’ in-house Calibre 400 automatic movement has been gradually working its way through the brand’s lineup as its new de facto flagship three-hand powerplant. As one of the cornerstones of Oris’ lineup the Aquis diver was a natural choice to debut the new movement in late October 2020, but at that time the Calibre 400 was restricted only to full size 43.5mm models. As summer 2021 ramps up and enthusiasts search for a new vacation-ready sports watch, Oris takes the next logical step and brings the Calibre 400 to the smaller 41.5mm Aquis line. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the new Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm series lets the performance of its new movement speak for itself while maintaining the classic Aquis look.
As the name suggests, the stainless steel case of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm line measures in at 41.5mm. The modern and slightly unorthodox Aquis shape with its slab case sides, heavy wide crown guards, and short angular semi-integrated lugs is shared with previous 41.5mm Aquis models, and like those iterations, the unique proportions of the Aquis may make the case measurements somewhat misleading. In practice, the shrink-wrapped profile of the mid-case without any outward flaring coupled with the abrupt downward slant and short reach of the lugs tend to make the Aquis series feel substantially more compact on the wrist than more traditional diver styles. As with previous versions, the heavily toothed unidirectional dive bezel is noticeably wider than the case beneath it, leading to a slight overhang which should aid grip. The ceramic bezel insert features a bright, legible white diving scale on a base of black, navy blue, or deep forest green. Around back, Oris includes a sapphire display window to showcase the new in-house movement, but despite this more vulnerable element the case is rated at a hefty 300 meters of water resistance.
Like the cases, the dials of the new Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm series keep the overall look familiar while subtly hinting at the new movement within. The most notable difference between these dials and the dials of previous Sellita-powered 41.5mm variants is the 6 o’clock date window. Where the smaller diameter of the Sellita movement forced the date display of those models inboard slightly, leading to both a date window and a shortened index at 6 o’clock, the larger date wheel of the Calibre 400 pushes the 6 o’clock window directly in line with the rest of the faceted applied hour indices, eliminating the 6 o’clock index entirely for a cleaner and simpler look. Outside of this small change and a “5 Days” line of text at 6 o’clock, the dial layout is unchanged, with the familiar rounded sporty alpha handset and indices making a return. Also like many previous Aquis models, all three versions of the new Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5m series use a sunburst dial finish. Buyers can choose between a dark anthracite gray tone, an oceanic sunburst blue, or an emerald green, which feels deep and intense in initial images.
The in-house Calibre 400 automatic movement inside the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm series is a major step forward for the brand’s movement-making capabilities, especially for its core offerings. Although accurate within COSC chronometer standards at -3/+5 seconds per day, Oris interestingly does not submit these movements for certification. Beyond the excellent accuracy, the Calibre 400 offers magnetic resistance of up to 2,250 gauss, more than 11 times the current ISO standard for anti-magnetism. This durability is continued through the automatic rotor, which replaces the complex and often delicate ball bearing system with a mechanically simpler and more robust tongue-and-groove metal slide bearing system which Oris claims produces far less wear. Power reserve performance is robust as well, with twin mainspring barrels producing a hefty 120 hours of power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. Oris also touts the longevity of the Calibre 400 platform, recommending a service interval of 10 years rather than the more standard five recommended years between services. While the Calibre 400’s performance is undeniably robust, the movement’s finishing is simple, bordering on industrial. A matte-blasted three-quarter bridge covers up most of the real estate beneath the display caseback besides the balance wheel, and the signed skeleton rotor bears a clean brushed finish.
The semi-integrated stainless steel three-link bracelet with dive extension has historically been a hallmark of the Oris Aquis’ design, and the new Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm line continues the trend. With a sharply tapering profile that flows from a narrow clasp directly into the case and bright polishing on the outer links to visually match the lugs, this bracelet offers a unique and eye-catching look. Oris keeps the bracelet from appearing too monotone or flashy thanks to vertically brushed center links. For those that prefer straps, all three models in the new line can also be optioned with the brand’s signed textured black rubber strap, which also includes a folding clasp and dive extension for a modern and functional sporting look.
Funny, when I unboxed this new Oris Aquis Calibre 400 for this review, I couldn’t stop looking at the dial. I know it should be all about the in-house caliber 400, but I’ll tell you that it took a few minutes before taking the watch off again to have a glance at the new Oris movement.
The dial (and watch) look quite similar to their Aquis Ocean Cleanup limited edition. That watch was a bit smaller, and there are some aesthetic differences, but it just reminded me of that one. If you’re a watch fanatic, you haven’t missed the introduction of the new Oris movement: Calibre 400. It is interesting that Oris decided to introduce the movement first, and a few weeks later introduce the first watch to be powered by it. And here it is, the Oris Aquis Calibre 400. With a beautiful gradient blue dial.
I am not a diver, but I do have and have had my share of divers watches. From all sorts of brands and in all sorts of price ranges. What they all have in common are the typical features for diving purposes. A uni-directional bezel, 300 meters of water resistance, screw-down crown, screw case back, and a very legible dial. This watch is no different when it comes to those features. The Oris Aquis has a case shape that is rather unique, of course. And a proper stainless steel bracelet, with the opportunity to swap it for a rubber strap. But the new in-house movement is what makes this watch stand out. The recently introduced Oris calibre 400 has been discussed in this article, but let me summarize.
On 15th October this year, Swiss watch maker Oris unveiled Calibre 400, the brand’s new generation mechanical self-winding movement featuring enhanced anti-magnetic features and an incredible power reserve of five days.
The much-awaited Oris in-house Calibre 400 set a new standard for automatic mechanical movements. This modern mechanical movement was developed entirely in-house by Oris watchmakers and Engineers. It comes with 10-year recommended service intervals and a 10-year warranty.
On 29th October, the brand announced its new diving watch model Aquis Date Calibre 400, the first Oris timepiece to be equipped with the newly released movement.
Oris’s engineers identified that one of the most frequent issues with automatic mechanical movements concerns the ball-bearing system that allows the free-spinning oscillating weight (or rotor) to rotate. This is a critical element of an automatic watch – as the rotor spins, it generates power that’s stored in the mainspring, which is housed in the barrel.
Oris removed the ball bearing altogether and replaced it with a low-friction slide bearing system, in which a metal stud runs through a lubricated sleeve. This is much less complex, highly efficient, and involves far less wear and tear, making it less prone to breakdowns.
The movement provides an impressive 120 hours (5 days) power-reserve via twin barrels, both of which house an extended mainspring, each long enough to store two-and-a-half days of power.
Most mechanical watch movements will be magnetised if exposed to the strong magnetic forces we encounter in daily life. When this happens, they become less accurate, and can stop altogether. To make it highly antimagnetic, Oris engineered Calibre 400 using more than 30 non-ferrous and anti-magnetic components, including a silicon escape wheel and a silicon anchor. In testing by the renowned Laboratoire Dubois, Calibre 400 deviated by less than 10 seconds a day after exposure to 2,250 gauss.
For context, the latest version of the ISO 764 standard for anti-magnetic watches requires that to qualify as anti-magnetic, a watch must be accurate to within 30 seconds a day after exposure to 200 gauss. Calibre 400 recorded one third of the deviation allowed after exposure to more than 11 times the force permitted, making it a highly anti-magnetic movement.
The movement features 21 jewels and beats at 28’800 vph (4Hz). It follows the three-hands and date lay-out featuring centre hands for hours, minutes and seconds functions and a date window at 6’ o clock.
The Oris 400 movement measures 30.00 mm (13 1/4’’’) diameter. It is larger than Cal. 733 (Base Sellita SW 200-1 movement, 25.60 mm or 11½’’’), which has been used for the Aquis Date models since long time.
The Calibre 400 features the same dial lay-out as the SW 200-1 movement: Three hands and date. The new automatic calibre also incorporates instantaneous date mechanism, date corrector, fine timing device and stop-second. In terms of autonomy, the Calibre 400, which is a twin-barrel movement, provides 120 hours of power reserve where as SW 200-1 offers a power reserve of 38 hours.
Naturally, the first watch to house Oris’s innovative automatic movement is the Aquis Date, a popular model from the brand’s contemporary diver’s watch collection.
ORIS AQUIS DATE CALIBRE 400
Oris 400 independent movement is a high-quality complex movement independently developed by oris, which reshapes the new benchmark of automatic mechanical movement. It has a five-day power reserve (120 hours), a strong diamagnetic, recommended maintenance intervals of 10 years, and a 10-year warranty commitment. ORIS AQUIS DATE CALIBRE 400
When we thought about the oris 400, our engineers realized that people might not wear the same watch every day. If a mechanical watch is randomly removed and placed for a day or two, it will stop running as time goes by and the dynamic storage is exhausted. The oris 400 has a five-day power storage device, and even if you don’t wear the watch until Thursday to next Tuesday, it’s still accurate. The dual spring box design can provide a longer service life for the watch. Both of them are equipped with an extended version of the spring, which can store energy for two and a half days.
Holly’s unremitting exploration of clock technology, meticulous production of complex mechanical wristwatch all the necessary planning. Therefore, we are very confident in the performance of the oris 400 autonomous movement. When you register your watch on myoris, we will provide a 10-year warranty for all Holly watches with this new movement. In addition, we suggest that the wristwatch equipped with oris 400 should be maintained every 10 years. In short, your mechanical watch does not need any repair or maintenance until 2030 unless accidental damage or water proofing are checked. This new standard represents a truly timeless watch.
The philosophy of oris 400 autonomous movement is to eliminate the problem before it occurs. Engineers at oris found that one of the most common problems with automatic mechanical movements is in the ball bearing system, which enables a freely rotating pendulum (or pendulum) to drive the spring box to the top of the watch. This is an indispensable part of the automatic movement. As an eccentric heavy hammer, it generates power by driving a group of gear trains, and stores the power in the spring box to wind up the spring, so as to make the automatic watch run normally. However, we have completely removed the ball bearing and replaced the traditional operation with a low friction sliding bearing system. In this new system, the complexity is simplified, and the wear of the parts involved is much less, and the failure is not easy. ORIS AQUIS DATE CALIBRE 400 Replica
Our daily life is full of various strong magnetic fields, exposed to such magnetic forces, most Swiss watch movements will be magnetized. The occurrence of this phenomenon is traceable, the wrist watch will become less accurate when it goes, or it may stop completely. In order to make the wrist watch with high diamagnetism, oris designed the oris 400 autonomous movement, using more than 30 non-ferrous metal and diamagnetic components, including silicon escapement wheel and silicon anchor. Tests conducted at the prestigious Lab of Laboratoire Dubois showed that the oris 400 deviated by less than 10 seconds a day at 2250 Gauss. Another set of data also shows the innovative and practical function of this movement. The latest version of ISO 764 standard stipulates that the watch must be exposed to 200 Gauss and be accurate within 30 seconds. The test results of the oris 400 autonomous movement show that the travel time accuracy can reach one third of the allowable deviation after bearing more than 11 times of the magnetic force, which proves that it has a strong antimagnetic effect. ORIS