Finally, we have what all Oris fans have been pining for since the introduction of the watchmaker’s new, in-house calibre hidden inside an Aquis. After plenty of preamble, the shiny new calibre has been adapted to the most Oris of all Oris watches, the Big Crown Pointer Date – now with the Calibre 403.
The Big Crown Pointer Date with its peripheral date display has been an Oris signature piece since the late 30s and, honestly, hasn’t been aesthetically updated all that much since then. Plenty of different colours, case materials and the like, but overall, it’s much the same utilitarian timepiece it always has been, a date-equipped pilots watch.
That’s not to say it couldn’t be improved, at least mechanically, and the new Calibre 403 is indeed a huge improvement. It’s the Oris opus, with a phenomenal 5-day power reserve protected by serious anti-magnetic properties (perfect for a pilot) and enough solidity that Oris offer a 10-year warranty.
Sure, it adds a fair chunk of cash onto the price tag, but it’s worth every penny – and you can see it’s well spent through the exhibition caseback, complete with the teddy bear ears of the balance and power train.
Dial side the Big Crown Pointer Date is dressed in a handsome midnight blue with aviation-worthy high-contrast numerals and date ring, complete with elegant small seconds and a red-tipped date hand. It’s nothing we’ve not seen before and it’s nice and comforting.
Price wise this new version will set you back CHF 3,100, or roughly £2,500. That’s exactly double the non-403 version, equipped instead with a Sellita SW 200-1 base movement. That’s a serious difference and, honestly, depends on whether you’re in it for the handsome, accessible aesthetics or the cutting-edge mechanics of the new calibre. Both are fine, I won’t judge. Though the Calibre 403 has it for my money.
Price & Specs:
Model: Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Calibre 403
Reference: 01 403 7776 4065-07 5 19 11
Case/Dial: 38mm diameter, stainless steel case, blue dial
Water Resistance: 50m (5 bar)
Movement: In-house Oris calibre 403, automatic
Power Reserve: 120h
Functions: Centre hands for hours, minutes, date, small seconds at 6 o’clock
Strap: Black leather
Price/Availability: CHF 3,100
More details at Oris.
