Jewellery & Watch News
Oris Holstein has unveiled new limited edition Whale Shark watch in its latest ocean conservation effort.
Let’s rewind to 2016 – the year that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared the majestic whale shark an endangered species. “Who you gonna call?”….. Oris.
Boat collisions, entrapments and illegal fishing are all very real threats for species like the whale shark – the filter-feeding, slow-moving carpet shark that can measure the length of a school bus. These plankton-eating sharks are docile, despite their huge presence out in the big blue, making them a vulnerable creature to raise awareness for. Oris – Swiss master in mechanical timekeeping – has already shown its dedication to bringing Change for the Better. The ocean’s delicate ecosystem has long been a worthy cause for the watchmaker which has now released a new limited edition watch that echoes the spotted back of the whale shark which, without its existence would certainly collapse the future of the ocean’s ecosystem altogether.
Previously we’ve seen the likes of IWC Schaffhausen support the Charles Darwin Foundation. Doxa collaborated with Project AWARE for over 12 months. Breitling has partnered with Kelly Slater’s EcoNYL, engaging the press to clean up beaches and Blancpain did some work for Pristine Seas Expeditions. A few years ago, Oris embarked on a mission of its own, collaborating with the Ocean Project. The project works towards creating public awareness around the issues of ocean conservation, helping to raise funds for non-profit organisations and targeting marine plastic waste projects. Grouped under its Change for the Better mission, Oris has also been an advocate for cleaning up the world’s beaches and simultaneously releases limited edition watches in honour of this work. Now, it extends on this passion with the Whale Shark Limited Edition watch, exclusive to just 2016 pieces worldwide.
Chosen to represent this important cause is the Oris Aquis watch, with a GMT dial adorned with a spotted whale shark-inspired pattern. Other features of the watch are identical to the Aquis GMT model with a 60-minute dive scale, 24-hour track and the ability to track three different timezones. The release of the Limited Edition Oris watch comes at a time when ocean pollution is considered critical (just watch David Attenborough’s ground-breaking “Our Planet” series for reference!). The population of the whale shark is decreasing, with information released in 2016 showing that numbers had halved over the last 75 years. Curbing pollution, fighting climate change and advocating for the importance of the whale shark are all motives behind the new Oris Whale Shark Limited Edition watch. There is a more personal link between this marine species and the Swiss watchmaker however, since the ambassador for Oris, Gerardo del Villar, began photographing the beautiful whale shark some 15 years ago.
The case and bezel:
The Oris Whale Shark Limited Edition watch measures a diameter of 43.5mm and has been crafted from a multipiece stainless steel case measuring a depth of 14mm. With a lug-to-lug width of 50cm, it’s safe to say the watch creates a considerable presence on the wrist. Its bidirectional rotating bezel is marked with a laser-engraved 24-hour scale on a black and blue ceramic insert - the black and blue hues representing night and day respectively. The stainless steel crown at 3 o’clock is screwed in for extra security and the sealed caseback with a special shark engraving upon its surface helps to uphold an impressive 300-meter water resistance. The watch is also sealed to a domed anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass front.
The dial:
The spotted surface of the whale’s back is reiterated on the surface of a specially engraved, gradient blue dial. The graduated shades of blue immerse into a darker tone towards the periphery of the dial, yet it’s the bubbly granular texture of the display’s surface that echoes the true look of the marine species so realistically. The 24-hour track is both recessed and snailed and the indexes around the hour track are picked out with a layer of Super-LumiNova to enhance visibility at night or in dark conditions underwater. The central hour and minute hands and lollipop second hand are also lume-coated. Local time can be set using the standard hour hand, while home time refers to the orange-tipped GMT hand, plus the third timezone can be referenced using the bidirectional rotating bezel.
The movement:
The Oris Whale Shark Limited Edition watch is powered by a movement based on the Sellita SW 330-1. The Calibre 798 is outsourced and offers a useful 42-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The movement, complete with its iconic red rotor, is concealed behind the image of a whale shark, meticulously engraved onto the surface of a sealed caseback (along with the special edition number of the watch). Interestingly, Oris used the Calibre 798 in the Aquis GMT Carysfort Reef Gold Limited Edition watch released just last year.
The Oris Whale Shark Limited Edition watch is completed on a matching stainless steel link bracelet, securing with a folding clasp and a diving extension facility for wearing over the top of diving gear. For more information on the new limited edition Oris Whale Shark watch, speak to a member of our team on 01335 216004 or call us on sales@cwsellors.com
