Oris Aquis Date Upcycle, the newest nature and eco-friendly model family introduced by Oris recently, is under the spotlight with its 41.5mm version.
“Upcycle” is encountered in many areas of the industry today. In fact, I don't think we should be too surprised at this situation, even adopting it, because the planet is suffering. Global warming, endless fires, drought, and pollution in the seas reveal the current situation of the earth. Let alone the number of watch brands that use wastes are thrown into nature as the main material, only a few of them can produce a whole dial by upcycling. Introducing, Oris Aquis Date Upcycle.
Oris, one of the independent names in Swiss watchmaking, is a brand known for its robust and high-quality watches that often offer an unrivaled price/performance ratio. The brand, which has an important position especially in the mid-level segment of the watchmaking industry, also stands out with its nature and environment-friendly social responsibility projects. About 13 million tons of plastic waste end up in the seas every year. To draw attention to this issue, Oris maintains its brand partnership with Everwave (formerly Pacific Garbage Screening), which aims to protect the oceans. Oris Aquis Date Upcycle, the newest of these projects signed by the brand, appears as a special collection consisting of two models. The common point of the new versions, which are based on the brand's Aquis Date model platforms with case sizes of 41.5mm and 36.5mm, is the dials produced entirely with the logic of upcycling.
The model we chose for the review is the Oris Aquis Date Upcycle 41.5mm, which our Editor-in-Chief Serdar OAL recently added to his collection. We congratulate him once again for including this beautiful and meaningful model in his collection and move on to the review.
The case of the model is produced with a diameter of 41.5mm and a height of 13mm. Designed the same as the non-Upcycle-themed models, the case is made of stainless steel. On the front of the case, there is a sapphire crystal and a one-way rotating diver bezel, which we are familiar with from the Aquis model family. The click feel of the bezel is very clear and solid. When it is stationary, the right/left movement is close to none. The insert of the bezel is made of matte gray ceramic. This material, which I expect to become standard for bezel inserts soon, is known for its excellent resistance to the abrasive effects of time. It is possible to say that the matte gray color tone offers a monochrome theme together with the case and bracelet. On the back of the case, is a steel back with a sapphire crystal display. The Oris signed screw-lock crown, surrounded by thick guards, fits nicely in the hand.
The strong and sporty case is complemented by a three-piece stainless steel bracelet, which we often see in other Aquis models. Offering an exceptionally high-quality feel with its thick link design, matte/glossy combined surface form, and modern folding clasp with a diver extension piece, the bracelet successfully balances the model's total weight of 148gr (full links) on the wrist.
Let's come to the dial part. The dial, which is the leading player of the project, is produced entirely from PET material. Each dial produced offers a unique color and texture theme due to the nature of the material and production technique. The Oris Aquis Date Upcycle is not a limited edition collection. However, it is possible to say one-off for all of the dials in the watches. Hour, minute, second, and date functions are monitored on the dial designed with a three-handed theme. Although the white Super-LumiNOVA applied wide hands and baton indices are a little hard to see on some dials, the time can be read on almost any occasion.
The model is powered by the Caliber Oris 733. The movement is based on the Sellita SW 200-1, which is preferred by many brands, mainly entry and mid-range. I would like to underline that the 38-hour power reserve time offered by the movement, which stands out with its performance in terms of durability and precision, is a bit weak by today's standards. The movement, which is wound by the red oscillating rotor, an Oris classic, can be enjoyed through the sapphire crystal case back.
The Oris Aquis Date Upcycle 41.5mm, which is included in the standard collection, is available at CHF 2,100. Presenting the classic diver's watch concept with a different perspective, with its sense of social responsibility it represents, as well as its unique dial material and design, the stylish model manages to stand out a few steps in its segment.
