Oris GMT Rega Limited Edition
Recap: Discovering Oris’ 2018 Baselworld Novelties in the Mountains
I recently had the opportunity to travel to Colorado and get a sneak peek at Oris’ upcoming Baselworld 2018 novelties. Including the Aquis Clipperton, and GMT Rega Limited Editions.
By Josh Shanks
Contributor
Last month, Oris hosted journalists in the mountainous regions of Beaver Creek, Colorado and Zermatt, Switzerland to preview the brand’s 2018 novelties. Watchonista was delighted to participate in what the brand dubbed #OrisPreview2018.
While we’re only able to share a small sampling of the new novelties, I can confirm that Oris will be releasing some very special pieces at 2018’s Baselworld. Here’s an insider’s look at the trip, and of course, the watches.
“Country road, take me home”
At dawn, our merry group of pranksters, reporters, and friends of the brand gathered to make the five-and-a-half-hour trek to Colorado. While bleary-eyed and massively under-caffeinated, we very much looked forward to discovering what Oris had up their sleeve for 2018.
For anyone with a pair of eyeballs, these past few years have been good to the Hölstein, Switzerland based Oris. Led by their staple Diver 65 line, the brand has experienced a renaissance of sorts. By rejecting tired industry trends and forging their own path, Oris has solidified their place in the accessible (yet durable) tool watch category.
“Real watches for real people”
As you may remember from last summer’s Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition trip, Oris is a brand that you can have a beer with. This trip was no exception in that department, as the brand takes their “Real watches for real people” motto seriously. Oris’ Co-CEO Rolf Studer and US CEO VJ Geronimo certainly know how to have a good time, and we enjoyed many special moments together.
Nestled at 8,080ft, our lodge was punctuated with beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains. Day hikes and skiing were intersected with late night bonfires and a bar crawl (or two). On our last day, we enjoyed a Jeep expedition to the abandoned Camp Hale military base, which included a hike to a pristine frozen waterfall nearby.
If there’s one takeaway from this trip, it’s that John Denver’s melodic tunes resonated perfectly within our group and our surroundings. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” may have been hummed as we traversed the various mountain passes.
Clipperton Island
Situated approx. 800 miles away from the coast of Mexico, this small 12-nauticle-mile atoll is owned and controlled by the French government. Only accessible via boat, the island quite possibly has the unique distinction of being the least visited place on earth. More people have visited Mount Everest than stepped foot on Clipperton!
In recent years, overfishing and pollution have taken a toll on the ecosystem around Clipperton. The island’s beaches and inland areas are littered with plastic refuse washed ashore. While no humans permanently call the island home, many birds and endangered sharks count on the local ecosystem for survival. Which is why it’s crucially important that we raise awareness and deliver resources and funding to ensure the island’s survival. Conservation efforts are being led by Michel Labrecque and Julie Ouimet via their N2Pix organization.
Oris Clipperton Limited Edition
Based on the Aquis platform, the Clipperton LE has the same functionality you’ve come to know from the Aquis line. The key distinction is the extremely legible gradient blue dial featuring Super-LumiNova indices and hands. The caseback is embossed with a Clipperton Island motif and navigational coordinates.
From a technical standpoint, the watch sports a 43.5mm stainless steel case which is rated to 300 meters (30 bar) of water resistance. Perfect for diving to Clipperton’s 60 meter depths. The automatic Oris 733 caliber is based on Sellita’s SW200-1 movement and features a date window at 6 o’clock.
The Clipperton Limited edition joins past editions for Coral Restoration and Shark Conservation. The three watches combine to continue Oris’ pledge to protect and conserve the world’s oceans via their #changeforthebetter initiative. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each watch will directly benefit the aforementioned charities.
The Oris Clipperton is a limited edition of 2,000 pieces. Retail price is $2,000 USD on rubber strap and $2,200 USD on metal bracelet.
Oris GMT Rega Limited Edition
Experienced in Colorado, but officially released on the other side of the pond in Zermatt, a new Limited-Edition GMT dedicated to Rega. The second edition of a partnership between the brand and the Swiss air-rescue squadron. The Oris GMT Regal Limited Edition is based on Oris’ Big Crown ProPilot GMT yet features a distinct Swiss flair perfect for pilots and skiers.
Last year alone, the air-rescue service rescued 869 people via their jet helicopter ambulances. Rega was founded in 1952, and remains a non-profit to this day. The service counts on donations from 3.3 million patrons. It’s fitting that Oris would help support such a worthy cause.
The watch features a 45mm gunmetal grey PVD case, which pairs perfectly with a grey textile strap. The dial is extremely legible and features Rega’s logo at 3 o’clock. Powered by an automatic Oris Cal 748 movement based on the Sellita SW 220-1. The GMT time is delivered via a time zone hand that resembles a fuselage of an airplane.
Like the Clipperton LE, the Rega GMT is limited to 2,000 pieces and retail price is $2,650 USD.
Summary
Once again, great memories were made on this trip. I was delighted to be a part of this expedition to the Rocky Mountains. While we didn’t go diving or require a rescue via Rega’s jet helicopters, we did have a hell of a time. Once again, real watches for real people folks, and all for a great cause. For me, the experience and watches can be summed up via the succinct words of the inimitable Adam Craniotes, “This does not suck.”
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