Following on from last year’s all-bronze Holstein Edition, Oris celebrates 117 years of mechanical watchmaking with a follow up to this fan-favourite series. Limited to 250 pieces worldwide, this model is based off of the Big Crown model – fuelled by passion and love for watchmaking, the Holstein Edition 2021 fuses elements of the past, with horology from the present – fulfilling their mission of engineering a watch to bring smiles to watch lovers around the world.
A watch that has always been emblematic of Oris, the Big Crown has been a mainstay of the Oris lineup since 1938. Originally designed for airmen, the Big Crown was designed for use with gloves for ease of adjustments ‘on the fly’. The new Holstein Edition takes inspiration from these original Big Crown models, and gives it some modern watchmaking in the form of a new calibre. Speaking on this new edition, Co-CEO Rolf Studer said “It’s an Oris watch in its truest sense – functional, useful and beautiful. It can be anything, too – a dress watch, a sports watch, an everyday watch. That’s important to us. Our watches are companions for life”.
Executed in a 38mm stainless steel case, the Holstein Edition 2021 of the Big Crown sees the removal of the fluted bezel and is replaced by a smooth bezel – arguably, making the watch cleaner and sleeker than its predecessors. It is also water resistant to 5 bar, and is equipped with a screw-in crown that is great for everyday wear. The grey dial is representative of the industrial processes and methods used by Oris in the early 20th Century, and the font for the numerals are inspired by models past – naturally, the numerals, indexes and the hands are illuminated with SuperLuminova.
At 6 o’clock is a subsidiary seconds dial containing a red seconds hand, and the pointer date function running along the periphery of the dial is also indicated with a hand in the same colour. The watch is mounted on a grey calf leather strap with quick-change spring bars, should you wish to change up the look of the watch.
The caseback of the watch features the emblematic Oris Bear in relief, another small touch that will bring smiles to enthusiasts all over the world.
Housed within the Holstein Edition 2021 is the Calibre 403 that is based off of the much applauded Calibre 400 series of movements. These include improvements to the movement such as heightened resistance to magnetic fields, increased durability of the winding system, as well as a 5 day power reserve – most convenient for those who swap watches throughout the week. In addition to this, upon registering with MyOris, this watch receives a 10 year guarantee, with water resistance checks recommended every 5 years.
From inside to out, the Holstein Edition was undoubtedly crafted to give fans a watch that they would be happy with. The size is perfect for many enthusiasts, and its bold, yet minimalist font for the numerals give this watch its old-world charm. The Oris Bear on the back of the Holstein Edition 2021 is another reminder of the brand’s human side, and its movement enables the watch to adapt itself to the wearer’s lifestyle. Overall, the Oris Holstein Edition 2021, is another celebration of the brand that has its ear close to its customers, giving the people what they really want.