The Oris Big Crown ProPilot caliber 111of which we bring you a review here, is a natural evolution, a product of the know-how and commitment of the Hölstein brand. Introduced in 2014, the Caliber 110 introduced an incredible 10-day power reserve and non-linear power reserve indicator. The Caliber 111 in this ProPilot adds a quick pass date at 9 o'clock.
Not so many years ago, it was common for each watch brand to develop and manufacture its own calibers and movements. Until 1981 Oris had created – and produced – up to 279 calibers, but the quartz crisis changed the Swiss industry completely and many brands that survived ended up sourcing from third parties. More than thirty years later, Oris rejoins the small group of manufactures capable of creating and developing its movements. In 2014, on the occasion of its 110th anniversary, it presented the caliber 110 and in 2015 it evolved to the 111 within a program that I predict will be broader in the future.
Oris divides its collections into what it calls four “worlds”, namely: Culture, Motors, Diving and Aviation. Having premiered with the Artelier 110 in Culture, it was only a matter of time before it entered the
others, and theOris Big Crown ProPilot caliber 111It is the first model to mount the new caliber 111. An essential feature to house this 15-line or 34mm caliber is the diameter of the case: it necessarily has to be large (44mm), and here we find its main attraction: tired of seeing small calibers supplemented by rings or coats to reach the diameters of the cases that house them, we see with satisfaction how the caliber 111 perfectly fills the rear of the ProPilot, offering a spectacle rarely seen before outside of the old Unitas that were mounted on pocket watches.
Abounding in the case, it presents typical flieger features such as brushed steel in forceful but at the same time pleasant shapes, with powerful lugs and Oris finishes: the fluting of both the back cover and the bezel, as well as that of the crown, refer to the turbines of certain airplanes. a detail
What I particularly like is the “raising” of the lugs (or what is the same, the “recessing” of the case) to break the circular monotony and which in my opinion gives even more personality to the watch. Design hints that Oris has accustomed us to but that could escape us in a superficial glance. The large crown (not called the Big Crown for nothing) is perfectly proportioned while maintaining that principle of pilot watches that says it should be able to be manipulated with gloves. Of course, the deep groove will contribute to this. With three positions (winding, quick change of date and time setting, in this order from inside to outside) it is threaded in the service position, which gives it a water resistance of 100 meters, more than enough for a pilot's watch and not a diving watch.
Both crystals, the one on the side of the dial but also the one on the back, are sapphire, a sign of Oris' level if we take into account that in many cases the back glass is usually mineral for a matter of cost. The first one has a slight curvature without being called domed, while the bottom one is completely flat. As in most watches in this segment, the dial glass has an anti-reflective treatment... but only on the inside. Normally this is done to prevent the outer layer from being damaged, but in this case it affects the readability of the watch in a way that – in my opinion – Oris would do well to correct because it is completely insufficient.
The sphere, the mirror of the soul. The one ofOris Big Crown ProPilot caliber 111He is able to perfectly explain what he does even if we couldn't see the rest of the watch. Anthracite color with “Soleil” effect, this
es, rays that come out from the center towards the outside and that are best appreciated when the sun falls on it, it presents perfectly legible indications: three-dimensional Arabic numerals on the indices, minute and hour hands of well-differentiated length (the first covers the figures, the other does not even reach) and three additional information: date, seconds and power reserve. The latter has been given the appearance of a fuel gauge, and the whole set breathes that vintage air so characteristic of watches called Flieger. Night readability is guaranteed by what I assume is SuperLuminova impregnating both the indexes and the Arabic numerals as well as the hands. Slight variations in color (green/blue, at 8 and 1 o'clock) that could be due to the camera.
They say that perfection does not exist, and among so much harmony, the date window invading part of the seconds subdial draws attention. I tend to think there are technical reasons (like a wider date disc would interfere with some other part of the mechanism, for example), because the evidence is large and because there is enough space to the left to open the window there without cutting anything, maybe relocate it to six o'clock? In any case, and like the issue of anti-reflective treatment, it does not seem like a problem that is impossible to solve.
Although the bracelets available for theOris Big Crown ProPilot caliber 111There are three (metallic bracelet, fabric or canvas and crocodile skin) the unit that I have been able to test came with the latter, equipped with a folding clasp that already came with the 110 Anniversary caliber but in this case it is brushed instead of mirror polished. Two buttons on either side that need to be pressed simultaneously to release the stem give it the necessary security so that it does not open accidentally. Great finishes, it's a pleasure to handle and it's very easy to adjust. It fits perfectly on a 17cm circumference wrist like mine, but I'm afraid its length may cause some problems for smaller sizes. The alligator strap is simply correct. This is one point, that of the leather straps, which Oris should take a look at.
And the star of the movie: the caliber 111. I am the lucky owner of an Anniversary 110 (only 110 units in steel and another 110 in rose gold), and although I am somehow accustomed to the spectacle of that large caliber filling the entire rear view, it is still a pleasure every time. Oris has a
curious way of understanding watchmaking (perhaps it is excessive to call a caliber of its own with hand finishes Haute Horlogerie, but it is not far off): it finishes the edges of the bridges by hand while expressly leaving an “industrial” finish on their surface and on the barrel or hub. Barrel that hides a very long mainspring of 180cm (almost two meters!) necessary to provide those ten days of power reserve that it advertises. In reality, there is plenty of energy to exceed ten days, but Oris has limited it for a matter of
precision: there is a large difference in torque between the two positions of the spring (coiled/uncoiled) that would negatively influence that precision, so it was designed to literally “cut off the supply” before reaching the end of its capacity. Hence also the “non-linearity” of the indication on the dial: the indicator needle moves more slowly at the end of the development than at the beginning, so that the user can more easily see when it is convenient to reassemble (charge using the winding post) the system… come on, what we commonly call “winding up”.
The adjustment of the shuttlecock presents what we could call an evolution of the systems known until now, with a screw attached to a gear that acts on the racket and a priori it would seem that it allows for easier fine adjustment than a worm screw. Regarding the steering wheel itself, I imagine there will be motivations
techniques for that size, but a larger diameter would undoubtedly have looked better. There are no apparent differences between the rears of the caliber 110 and this 111 beyond a redistribution of the legends to the right... only something that probably only interests hopeless amateurs like me: on the barrel of the 110 you can read “PAT PENDING” while on the barrel of the 111 you can see that the patent CH702847 had already been granted. An added factor of exclusivity to its limited circulation. The whole beats at a calm 21,600 vibrations/hour or 3Hz, one less than what is usual (4Hz or 28,800 a/h), I suppose also due to its unusual power reserve.
In conclusion, theOris Big Crown ProPilot caliber 111It is a decidedly sporty watch that more than justifies its 44mm. With that size and steel case (I don't conceive of “gold sports shoes”, sorry) you might think that it is going to be somewhat heavy or uncomfortable, but the truth is that it sits very well on the wrist and its weight is not perceived as a nuisance. Of course the armis will increase that weight, but “noticing the watch” is ultimately a subjective question and will depend on each user. Another thing will be the folding clasp mentioned above: I think that on wrists of 15cm or less it can be annoying, although there will always be the option of a conventional buckle. The fact that it has a power reserve of ten days makes it in practice an automatic watch, since we can forget to wind it (or “set up the winding system” :-)) every day or two.
Finally, I think that the price (€4,990 with a crocodile strap, €4,890 with an armis and €4,690 with a textile strap), which could be considered high for what the Oris average is, is a magnificent alternative to watches that offer similar complications but at more than double that amount, especially taking into account the exclusivity of caliber 111. If it were closer to four thousand than five thousand, I would not hesitate to call it a master purchase.
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