In 1965, Oris launched a divers’ watch that was ultramodern for its time. It had a case that remained water resistant to a depth of 100 meters, a unidirectional rotatable bezel and large luminous numerals. Reissued 50 years later as the Divers Sixty-Five, it proves to be one of this manufacturer’s most successful new models – thanks in part to the still-unflagging popularity of the retro trend.

The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph is based on a watch from 1965.

Based on Oris’s First Divers’ Watch
The high-fidelity reissue of the three-handed watch from the 1960s was followed by a retro-modern facelift, various special models – also with innovative wristbands made of recycled plastic – and finally a chronograph. This model too was first released in 2018 as a limited special edition and, after a three-handed watch, was the second Divers Sixty-Five model to be dedicated to Carl Brashear, who became the U.S. Navy’s first amputee diver in 1948 and the first African-American seaman to earn certification as a master diver.

It’s well known that Oris honors noteworthy people with special timepieces and that this brand is committed to environmental protection, to saving the world’s oceans and to other philanthropic causes. What could be more appropriate to Carl Brashear’s biography than a divers’ watch that reflects the style of his era?

The special edition consists almost entirely of bronze, a material that’s currently in vogue in various timepieces, but bronze is used only for the unidirectional rotatable diver’s bezel of this 43-mm serially manufactured chronograph, our test watch. The outfit of the rotatable bezel has changed too. The former massive component with raised numerals has morphed into a blackened aluminum inlay with a flush minutes scale. The bezel clicks into place in 120 individual settings, which makes it difficult to adjust the bezel so it corresponds to the nearest minute with the scale along the dial’s periphery. The difficulty is further exacerbated because the highly domed curvature along the rim of the sapphire crystal tends to distort the view of the rose-gold markings on the black dial.

The black dial is dominated by broad hands and prominent hour markers.

The strongly curved contours of the crystal allude to the past and contribute to the timepiece’s retro charm. The original crystal was made of plastic in the 1960s, but nowadays the glass above the dial is crafted from scratch-resistant sapphire and given an anti-reflective coating on its underside.

The case’s diameter has grown from 36 to 43 mm over the years and is now made of stainless steel rather than the original chrome-plated brass. But with a water resistance of 100 meters, it isn’t quite as watertight as the cases of most other contemporary divers’ watches. Pressure resistance to 200 and even 300 meters are more in keeping with the current state of the art.

Of course, Oris doesn’t need to prove that this brand can build contemporary divers’ watches. Any doubts are immediately dispelled, for example, by the Oris Aquis or Prodiver model lines, both of which are professional devices with high resistance to pressure and diverse innovations within the collection. The fact that the Divers Sixty-Five can only withstand pressure of 100 meters should be interpreted as an homage to history and is acceptable in this line, even if the name “Divers” would initially suggest a more pressure-resistant case. Bathing, swimming, snorkeling and diving at shallow depths pose no problem at all for the Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph.

This model is an equally pleasant companion on terra firma. Its black dial is dominated by the broad hands and prominent applied indexes that characterize this line. All of the displays are generously filled with yellow Super-LumiNova “Old Radium.” This luminous material underscores the watch’s retro style by day and glows bright green in the dark. Also luminous at night are the hand on the subdial for the continuously running seconds, which shows at a glance that the movement is still running; the chronograph’s elapsed-minutes hand; and, of course, the orientation dot on the unidirectional rotatable divers’ bezel. Only the chronograph’s elapsed seconds remains dark, but every diver knows that the smallest unit of time isn’t very important in this sport, where minutes count most.

“Old Radium” luminous material accentuates the watch’s retro character and ensures good legibility.

Bronze, Retro and Bicompax Reflect Current Trends
When measuring an elapsing interval, the current number of elapsed minutes can be read on the black counter at 3 o’clock. This subdial is slightly recessed and bears anthracite-colored calibrations. The subdial for the continually running seconds is identically styled. It’s positioned diametrically across the dial at 9 o’clock.

Together with its counterpart at 3 o’clock, this results in the so-called bicompax chronograph arrangement, which is just as trendy as retro design nowadays. Retro and bicompax go together perfectly because a chronograph dial with only two counters similarly recalls the past. A bicompax arrangement also gives a dial the clarity and tidiness that are likewise increasingly in demand these days. This fidelity to the past is further accentuated by the absence of a date display and the presence of both a screw-down crown modeled after its original counterpart and little capped push-buttons to operate the chronograph.

The chronograph’s functions can be triggered by pressing the corresponding buttons. The crown can be screwed and unscrewed very conveniently and protrudes quite far from the case in its hand-setting position. The buttons and crown operate Oris’s self-winding Caliber 771, which is based on the Sellita SW510 in its reduced version without date display and without a 12-hour chronograph counter. It runs with only average accuracy and, in some positions, showed even larger deviations of more than 10 seconds per day. Although the mostly unadorned caliber remains hidden behind a massive, opaque, fully threaded back, it is, of course, equipped with Oris’s typical red rotor.

The 43-mm case, domed sapphire crystal, and bronze-and-aluminum bezel blend retro and modern elements.

The Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph can be worn with either a leather strap a or stainless-steel bracelet: the leather strap reaffirms the retro style with its stitching and buckle, while the stainless-steel bracelet radiates a sporty, modern charm. The connecting pieces firmly attach the case to the metal wristband, which is supple, soft and culminates in a one-sided folding clasp. Only the process of shortening the bracelet proves somewhat cumbersome because the wristband’s links are pinned rather than screwed together.

Two Expressive Outfits
The bottom line: anyone who is looking for an expressive retro watch will find it in the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph. This model is convincing thanks to authentic details, which it realizes in a modern way. We would suggest that Oris make some improvements in the fine adjustment of the movement and a simple system to switch from one wristband to another would also be welcome – because even if you wear it with the stainless-steel bracelet, this watch always makes a strong impression.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: Oris SA, Ribigasse 1, 4434 Hölstein, Switzerland
Reference number: 771 7744 4354 8 21 18
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chonograph (central elapsed- seconds hand, 30-minute counter), bezel is rotatable in one direction only
Movement: Oris 771 based on Sellita SW 510, automatic, 28,800 vph, 27 jewels, gold-plated nickle balance, Nivarox hairspring, bipartite index fine adjustment, Incabloc shock absorber, 48-hour power reserve, diameter = 30.0 mm, height = 7.90 mm
Case: Stainless steel/bronze, domed sapphire crystal anti-reflectively treated on its underside, water resistant to 100 meters
Bracelet and cla­­sp: Stainless steel with one-sided stainless-steel folding clasp
Rate results (Deviation in seconds per 24 hours, fully wound/after 24 hours):
On the wrist +7.2
Dial up +5.3 / +8.4
Dial down +6.1 / +8.7
Crown up +10.2 / +11.6
Crown down +7.5 / +12.3
Crown left +3.7 / +7.3
Greatest deviation 6.5 / 5.0
Average deviation +6.6 / +9.7
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 314° / 298°
Hanging positions 292° / 270°
Dimensions: Diameter = 43.19 mm, height = 16.44 mm, weight = 162.0 grams
Variations: With leather strap: $4,000
Price: $4,250

Similar to its larger counterpart, the 36-mm Tonda PF Automatic Steel Rose Gold Sand Grey captivates with its harmonious proportions and a sleek stainless steel case, measuring just 8.6 mm in height, with an integrated bracelet design. It is distinguished by the magnificent pattern of the sand gray dial, achieved through barleycorn guilloché. The signature skeletonized hour and minute hands and bold hour markers maximize visibility of this decorative element.

Featuring a pink gold bezel and pink gold elements in the bracelet, the latest addition to the line also introduces a two-tone elegance to the line. The delta-shaped hands are driven by the in-house caliber PF770, an automatic movement with a 60-hour power reserve.

The meticulously finished movement is adorned with Geneva stripes and beveled edges, and the skeletonized rotor showcases a rose gold oscillating weight. With a screw-down crown and a quadruple screw-down back, the Tonda PF Automatic Steel Rose Gold Sand Grey boasts a water resistance of up to 100 meters.

Pricing for the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Automatic Steel Rose Gold Sand Grey is marked at approximately $26,800 when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Parmigiani Fleurier, here.

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The Avenger Chronograph has gone from being offered in 43, 45, and 48mm cases to a uniform 44mm across the board. Measuring 44mm wide and 15.2mm thick with a 53mm lug-to-lug height (300m of water resistance), the chronograph is now outfitted with the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 movement replacing the old Valjoux 7750. This COSC-certified in-house movement operates at 28,800 vph with a 70-hour power reserve and boasts a column-wheel and vertical clutch. The Caliber 01 allows for the new iteration to have chronograph sub-dials at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock rather than 6, 9, and 12 o’clock which most people prefer. The date window is removed altogether and the vintage-style B Breitling logo replaces the winged logo that seems to have phased out by all but the Professional line. 

The core Avenger Chronograph models come in a steel case in either black, blue, green, and sand-colored dials on a matching strap or steel bracelet. I’m glad to see Breitling also chose to update the always-cool Night Mission version which is done in a black ceramic case with either black carbon or yellow dial.

The Avenger Automatic GMT 44 also shrinks the case down a bit down from the previous 45mm iteration. Measuring 44m wide and 12mm thick with a 53mm lug-to-lug height (300 m of water resistance), the GMT largely retains the previous aesthetic albeit with the B logo rather than the wings. Still powered by the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 32 (essentially an ETA 2893), it operates at 28,800 vph with a 42-hour power reserve. 

Finally, there is the new base Avenger Automatic 42. Previously offered in 43 or 45mm versions it is now only available in 42mm which is quite a universal fit for this type of sport watch. Done in steel, the Avenger Automatic 42 measures 42mm wide and 12.15mm thick with a 51.21mm lug-to-lug height (also with 300 m of water resistance). It is still outfitted with the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 17 (ETA 2824) that operates at 28,800 vph with a 38-hour power reserve. Again, the dial is not changed much with the exception of the Breitling logo. It is offered in black, blue, and green dial options with matching straps or steel bracelet.

Breitling clearly knows how to read the room and the new Avenger collection reflects consumers’ desire for more wearable, smaller cases that don’t push it past the 44mm mark. They also are clearly trying to move the collection upmarket with price increases across the board. The updates to the chronograph are the most substantial which is reflected in the significant price increase to $8,000 on strap and $8,250 on bracelet. The Night Mission with yellow dial is priced at $9,300 while the carbon dial version is $9,500. The Avenger Automatic GMT is priced at $5,250 on strap and $5,500 on bracelet while the Avenger Automatic 42 is $4,600 on strap and $4,850 on bracelet.

To learn more, visit Breitling, here. 

The dual-layered dial– available in black and red, warm black, and midnight blue– transforms its appearance depending on the wearer’s angle. Rather than relying on printed visual effects, the upper layer boasts a grill that showcases gradients in either sunray or horizontal brushing, and even alters its hue when the watch is tilted. The brushed indexes are accentuated by gleaming edges and Superluminova filling for night readability. The diamond-cut hands are subtly faceted to further enhance the play of light. A black ring, placed between the sapphire crystal and bezel, echoes the lens design of a Leica camera.

The ZM 11 is powered by a genuine caliber produced in collaboration with the Swiss movement specialist Chronode. Operating at a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour, the self-winding movement boasts an impressive accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day and a power reserve of 60 hours. Like the dial it embodies the essence of Leica’s design aesthetics, with sandblasted bridges and brushed chamfers, complemented by polished sides.

The movement is enclosed by a titanium or stainless-steel case with diameters of 41mm, each equipped with the brand’s Easy Change system, which allows seamless switching between different strap options, including stainless steel, titanium, rubber, and fabric. This mechanism is also inspired by Leica cameras, with a red dot on the underside of releasing the straps when pushed.

Pricing for the new Leica ZM 11 is approximately marked between $7,150 (steel and fabric or rubber strap) and $8,570 (titanium and titanium bracelet) when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Leica, here.

The wording of the watch hints at its historical background, with “FXD” referring to the robust “FiXeD” strap bars of the case. Directly machined into the main body, they increase robustness and reliability and were part of the requirements of U.S. military specification for diver’s watches. Shaped as an extension of the lugs, they are key to the model’s characteristic silhouette.

An essential feature inspired by other famous Tudor watches of the most notably early Submariners, the crown guards have a pointed shape. It goes without saying that the characteristic square hour markers and angular hands, known as “Snowflake”, on the black luminescent dial are also inspired by Tudor’s rich history of diver’s watches. They were introduced in 1969 to increase the intensity of the luminescence of its watches in poor light conditions. 

The manufacture caliber MT5602 that powers the Pelagos FXD boasts a power reserve of 72 hours. Designed to ensure robustness, longevity, reliability and precision, the self-winding movement features a non-magnetic silicon hairspring and variable inertia balance, which is maintained by a sturdy traversing bridge with a two-point fixation. Certified as a COSC chronometer, it has a precision rate between -2 and +4 seconds per day.

Water-resistant to 200 meters, the new Tudor Pelagos FXD Black comes on a one-piece forest green fabric strap with a red center stripe. A black embossed fabric-motif one-piece rubber strap is also included.

Pricing for the Pelagos FXD is marked at $4,150.

To learn more, visit Tudor, here.