Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition Watch Review

As much as I want to start this article by quoting the Muppets Show theme, I don’t want to face a copyright lawsuit from Mr. The Frog, so please go to your music service and play the song in the background as you read. Why do I want you to listen to the Muppets? Well it’s because I’m talking about the Oris ProPilot X Kermit, a watch featuring the world’s most famous frog and that I’ve been able to spend a bit of time with.

When Oris first launched the ProPilot X Kermit, I considered it to be just a recolour of last year’s ProPilot X Calibre 400 in titanium and to a large extent I was right. It has the same 39mm diameter case in lightweight and durable titanium with the same fluted bezel and angular design.

It feels incredible to wear thanks to the lightweight titanium and relatively small proportions, although by the same metrics I would also say that it doesn’t particularly feel like a pilots’ watch. The ProPilot X series has been designed to emphasise Oris’ cutting edge watchmaking abilities with a technical and industrial vibe. On paper that makes it an unexpected choice for a Kermit dial.

However, with the watch strapped to my wrist I can safely say that just because it’s unexpected doesn’t mean it’s unwelcome. The most immediate response the watch garners is that it’s very green. And I mean VERY green. It’s an eye-catching and indeed almost eye-watering colour, a touch lighter than the other famous Kermit watch, the Rolex Submariner with green bezel. Fortunately, over the time that I’ve spent with it, I’ve grown to love the bold shade.

In the hypothetical battle of the Kermit watches I feel that the Oris wins out against the Rolex because it has an actual reference to Kermit himself on the dial. Specifically, the watch replaces the number one numeral on the date function at 6 o’clock with a Kermit emoji. The idea that once per month its Kermit day is a fun prospect. We could all do with more rainbow connections.

At the same time, it also means there isn’t an overwhelming amount of muppet references on the dial. You’ll only see Kermit 12 times per year and for the other 353 days of the year, it’s a regular ProPilot X with a green dial. Of course, if you’re psychotic and really want to, you can adjust the date each morning so that it’s Kermit day every day. Assuming you don’t do that, I think the watch has the perfect balance of Kermit: just enough Muppet to warrant inclusion in our character watches article, while also not being excessively tied to the character theme by hand and foot.

Below the dial and keeping everything running in orderly fashion like Scooter is the Calibre 400, Oris’ flagship movement. It has automatic winding with a 5-day power reserve from a double barrel system. Each watch equipped with this movement has a 10-year guarantee and 10-year service intervals, which is class-leading reliability. Taking the watch off and flipping it over reveals the movement through the exhibition caseback although I’m not sure why you’d want to as it’s relatively uninteresting compared to the exciting dial.

In terms of price, the Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition is £3,700. That’s £200 more than the regular edition, which was already on the more expensive side for Oris. It does make value a genuine consideration when looking buy one because for that money you could just as easily go for a super classy Big Crown Pointer Date with some cash left over. Ultimately, it shows that Oris can have fun with their watches, even with higher end models like the ProPilot X.