For some years now, Oris has been sponsoring actions in the most diverse fields: motorsports, culture, and also marine issues: Tubbataha, Maldives, the Great Barrier Reef... and has ambassadors like Carlos Coste who, with his apnea records, carries the Oris name around the world. Supporting research on the recently erupted volcano on the Canary Island of El Hierro is the latest project – for now – in which the Swiss brand participates. Thanks to Cronomar I have had the opportunity to do thereview of the Oris El Hierro Limited Editionjust before its official presentation and see its characteristics first-hand. And the first thing that catches your attention is the combination of black tones, from the matte rubber strap to the shiny mirror of the bezel and crown, to the satin finish of the ceramic bezel: pure lava.
But let's start at the beginning: the wooden box, being small in size for a limited edition, is personalized inside with a medallion reproduced in turn on the back of the watch itself. And that – that it is of tight proportions – is something to be appreciated given the habit of every collector of keeping all the paraphernalia that accompanies each watch, especially if, like this one, there is the added value of being a limited series.
Maybe it is because of the black color of the entire set, but the truth is that the Oris El Hierro does not look like it is 43 mm in diameter, which we could say is the minimum size to be an Oris diver. It also does not seem to be 12 mm high, and it is precisely that black color that gives it the possibility of sneaking into some more formal clothing beyond the sports environment for which it was conceived. The entire case is treated in DLC, more resistant than the practically discarded PVD, and combines tinted and shiny areas. I'm not really sure if a diving watch should have such bright areas even though there are not many of them, although it is possible that this license gives it the touch of elegance that I mentioned above. The same happens with the screws that fix the two parts of the crown guard to the case, more aesthetic than functional.
The crown itself is of sufficient size and texture to be handled with wet hands, although this is certainly not advisable. The bottom presents an inscription referring to the underwater volcano including its coordinates and the serial number of the 2000 units of which it is composed. The tinted areas are not entirely smooth, and have a “striped” appearance that matches the lines seen on the ceramic-finished bezel. It is precisely in the bezel - unidirectional, 120 clicks - where you can see one of the few red details that break the black color: both the inverted triangle with zero positioning ("pearl" at twelve) and the fractions of a minute up to 15 are in this color, as are the seconds hand and the minutes that coincide with the hour indices inside the dial. Continuing on the bezel, the indexes of multiples of five and ten minutes do not have any type of coating or coloring and, although they can be distinguished quite well in sunlight, I do not know how they will function in working conditions (that is, with the watch submerged).
Because we are talking about a diving watch up to at least 300 meters (30 bars), which is what its dial indicates. It does not have a helium valve although some watches from other brands with the same depth do have one. This leaves me wondering if such an accessory is really necessary or if it is part of the paraphernalia that is added to certain watches to make them look more complicated. Of course, it cannot be said that this Oris El Hierro is recharged. Continuing on the dial – black, with a sunray effect –, we can see the date window at six o'clock, where Oris has been wise enough to put a black disc with the numbers in white. The luminescent indexes in a discreetly mauve tone add a touch of elegance to the whole, and against all odds, the black hands with equally black luminova are quite legible under normal lighting conditions.
I have already said that since it is all black it could pass for “almost” a dress watch… if it weren't for the fact that its only feature is a rubber strap with a folding strap. It is a rubber with a very pleasant touch and that conveys a feeling of quality. In the part that is not attached to the folding buckle, it has an arrowhead shape that works as an added security element in the unlikely event that it comes loose from its fixation on the two pivots of the aforementioned buckle: being flexible, it fits perfectly into its housing, but when released it remains locked, preventing the watch from "jumping" off the wrist. Perhaps a black waterproof leather or carbon fiber strap with red (or white, or mauve) stitching would perfectly round off a watch that promises to be chameleon-like.
Another interesting point in this watch, although it can actually be extended to the entire diver collection, is the folding clasp itself. Very easy to use, it opens by simultaneously pressing two opposite buttons, but what makes it truly useful is the possibility of adjusting the strap using another pair of buttons that, when pressed - also at the same time - allow it to be shortened or lengthened depending on where they slide. Something very practical if you are going to put the watch on over a wetsuit, for example. The general ergonomics are almost perfect, at least on a 17cm circumference wrist like mine.
The engine that powers the Oris El Hierro is a Sellita SW 200-1 that Oris renamed Oris Cal. 733 and which is areinterpretationof the veteran ETA 2824 once its patent expired. Although a few years have passed to assess its durability and reliability in perspective, it is a perfectly valid caliber.
And now two criticisms and some good news. The first of the criticisms: I don't quite understand how a brand that I admire for many reasons has not yet solved the problem of the anti-reflective coating on its sapphire crystals: it was a real ordeal to take a proper photograph, because the camera, the photographer or directly the environment, if not everything together, always appeared reflected. The second: that black-mauve luminova, as beautiful as it is, holds very little luminescence, which after a few minutes (let's say twenty) has disappeared,
The good news: that these two small problems can be perfectly rectified by Oris, which has more than proven itself capable of offering products of perceived quality well above their price.
Click on the link if you want more information about the Oris El Hierro Limited Edition model.
Best watch strap | Best annual calendar watch | Best watch winder | Best Black Luxury watch | Best Luxury Watches Men | Best Swiss Luxury Watches Women | Best Men Diamond Watches under 1000 | Best Diamond Watches Women | Best Luxury Dive Watch
