Monochrome Watches
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Oris Divers Sixty-Five Steel and Bronze (40mm and 36mm)

Oris taps into the bronze craze with newcomers to its retro Sixty-Five collection basking in warm two-tone combinations and a novel case size of 36mm.

| By Rebecca Doulton | 3 min read |
Oris Divers Sixty-Five Steel and Bronze 40mm

Oris expands its highly successful retro Divers Sixty-Five family with the incorporation of two models with a bronze ring hugging the rotating bezel. Exuding strong vintage appeal with the two-tone black and warm golden and bronze touches, it is patently clear that Oris has been listening to its customers and has tapped directly into the trend for smaller unisex case sizes (36mm) and the ongoing fascination with bronze. Presented in 40mm and 36mm diameters, the new Oris Divers Sixty-Five models won’t sink you financially and retail for under CHF 2,000 for the models on a leather or NATO strap.

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Steel and Bronze 40mm

Evolution, not revolution

Launched in 2015, the Divers Sixty-Five was Oris’ interpretation of a retro dive watch. Inspired by an Oris diver of 1965, the faithful vintage aesthetics of the model won immediate favour and were also an eye-opener for many watch enthusiasts who couldn’t get over the excellent price/quality ratio. Although some quibbled with its water-resistance threshold of just 100 metres, claiming it was not a professional dive watch, the Sixty-Five collection is built around a nostalgia for yesterday watches with enough robust functionality for everyday wear and tear. If you’re after a real monster of the abyss, try the mighty 500m Aquis Depth Gauge on for size.

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Below, on the left, the 40mm version – on the right, the 36mm version.

Bronze Age touches

The fascination with bronze that has swept across the watchmaking world is easy to understand. Transporting the wearer back to timekeeping instruments of yesteryear, bronze reacts with carbon dioxide and moisture and over the course of time develops a unique greenish patina. No two bronze watches will age in the same way creating a very personal bond with its owner. Bronze makes its transition from a material used exclusively on Oris’ limited edition models – recall the Carl Brashear three-hander and chronograph versions– and in 2018 has been incorporated across watches in the main collections.

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Steel and Bronze 40mm
Note the discreet addition of bronze for the bezel – here brand new, the bezel will change colour as the material oxidize.

Personality traits

Both the 40mm and 36mm Divers Sixty-Five models feature a notched bronze outer ring creating a warm contrast with the 60-minute black aluminium unidirectional rotating bezel and the brushed stainless steel case. This winning two-tone effect is replicated on the dial with its black curved background and applied rose gold PVD-plated indices and hands.  In keeping with its retro personality, the indices and hands have been treated with beige Super-LumiNova® (to be specific: Light Old Radium) and the minutes track on the dial and framing the date window are painted in a gilded tone.

Below, on the left, the 40mm version – on the right, the 36mm version. Both look similar but have a different feel on the wrist.

You’ll have noticed that the date window is in a different location on the models: the 40mm version features a date window at 6 o’clock while the smaller 36mm features it at 3 o’clock. Another differentiating touch, referring to the 40mm model, is the incorporation of dots and baton indices on the dial replacing its first iteration with four bright yellow Arabic numerals.

Oris Calibre 733

Both models are fitted with the Oris Calibre 733, an automatic movement based on a Sellita SW200-1. Powering the hours, minutes, seconds and date functions, the movement has a bi-directionally rotating rotor. Beating at a frequency of 28,800vph, the power reserve is of 38 hours. With water-resistance to 100 metres, the case back is screwed down so you won’t be able to see Oris’ trademark red rotor.

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Steel and Bronze 40mm

Customising the strap of this watch is a cinch and the leather, rubber and NATO straps that are available with the watch can be changed at home. However, this quick-change system cannot be used in the case of the stainless steel metal bracelet. Both the 40mm and 36mm carry the same price tag retailing for CHF 1,950 on a strap (NATO, leather or rubber) and CHF 2,150 on a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp – and it’s a very nice, vintage-inspired riveted bracelet that you’ll get. More details on oris.ch.

https://monochrome.website-lab.nl/oris-divers-sixty-five-steel-and-bronze-40mm-and-36mm-review-price/

4 responses

  1. I am loving this retro-initiative Oris is doing. I have been on a huge Retro kick lately and buying these is much easier than sifting through “survivors” or badly abused watches covered in patina and water leaks. On the flip side you lose the authenticity and history but in some cases it is a trade-off I am willing to live with.

  2. I REALLY wish they’d made the 36mm dateless. I would make a point of seeking this out if they had.

  3. That’s great info about 36mm! But why I can find any web shop with this size?

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