Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date
By: Michael Penate
Oris has just announced what is quite possibly the ultimate watch for bronze-loving lunatics. Today, the brand introduced the Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date, the latest version that’s been added to the growing Big Crown Pointer Date family. Produced since 1938, this specific model comes with a bronze case, crown, bezel, and dial—a perfect setup if you’re into patina and watches that age in a pretty unique way. But, with other bronze offerings within the collection, is this configuration really enough to attract new buyers?
Last year to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Pointer Date, Oris released a strikingly similar version of this watch (ref. 01 754 7741 3167-07 5 20 58BR) with a bronze case and a green dial. While I’m not the biggest fan of bronze on watches, I will say that the previous version seemed slightly more attractive, especially with that green dial. Like its predecessor, the Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date features a fully-bronze 40mm case with a classic, no-crown-guard design. We see the usual cathedral handset, a pointer date display, and a grippy, fluted bezel. It’s truly a look that has grown on me over the years, but this bronze version is drawing me even closer to the plain stainless steel options.
Under the hood, Oris incorporated the Oris 754 automatic movement—a modified version of the Sellita SW 200-1. It’s got a 38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, and an operating frequency of 4Hz. Like many of Sellita’s options, it’ll probably serve the wearer well and the integrated pointer date format really modernizes the original design introduced in the 30s. The strap is made of brown chamois deer leather and comes with a matching bronze buckle.
Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date Specs:
- 40mm Case Diameter
- Dome Sapphire Crystal
- Brown Chamois Deer Leather Strap
- 50m Water Resistance
- Oris 754
- Price: 1,900 CHF
Finally, it’s worth pointing out that the Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date is intended to commemorate the 90th birthday of Dr. Rolf Portmann—Oris’ Honorary Chairman, and an individual responsible for much of the brand’s modern-day success. It’s quite the looker if you’re really, really into bronze but I suspect that the reception could be divisive overall. Still, one can’t help but admire all of the different iterations within this collection, and I look forward to seeing what Oris does next. The Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date is available now and you can learn more by visiting the official Oris website.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.