Oris ChronOris Date Black Dial 39 mm Reference 01 733 7737 4054-07 5 19 45 - A Well Proportioned Watch, A Review (plus Video)

My first Oris. I have thought that it would be the one of the 'Sixty Five's but instead the ChronOris Date has the honour to be the first in the collection.

As of May 2022, Oris' website does not list any ChronOris Date as it is deemed as a 'Previous Collection' series (it also implies that Oris no longer producing them). Not a lot of write-up about the watch but what is available has a lot of favourable things to say about it.

 

A common misconception that stems from the name is the lack of a "chronograph" complication in the watch despite implying it in its model name. Moreover, as a reinterpretation of one of Oris' classic design of the 1970s, the ChronOris Date have so many differences that one wonders what was the brand actually trying to achieve. Anyway, more about it later.

In reality, there are only two dial design with a number of bracelet and strap options. I decided to get the black dial version with distressed leather strap for the collection. The reference for this combination is the 01 733 7737 4054-07 5 19 45. 

 

Oris Brand History

Oris was founded by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian in the Swiss town of Hölstein in 1904. The 'Oris' name was based on a nearby brook in Hölstein. For more, please visit: https://www.oris.ch/en/history.

The ChronOris Date Series

At Baselworld 2017, Oris launched their reinterpreted ChronOris Date, a racing-inspired watch that was originally produced in 1970. Back then, it was a major event as that was Oris’ first chronograph. Since then, Oris has s number of auto-themed watches, in partnerships with Audi Sport and Williams’ F1 teams. The first tribute to the ChronOris was in 2005, in the shape of a retro-themed chronograph. 

The original ChronOris from 1970 and Oris's first chronograph

The first tribute to the ChronOris  in 2005

This new watch or reinterpretation, called the ChronOris Date, is actually the only ChronOris that does not feature a chronograph.

There are 10 models in the series. The two distinct features are the dial colour (black or grey) and the type of strap (leather, rubber, stainless steel or textile). Below are the possible permutations based on the options given.

From L to R, T to B: Black dial with black leather, brown leather, rubber, textile Nato and steel bracelet

From L to R, T to B: Grey dial with black leather, brown leather, rubber, textile Nato and steel bracelet

The listed price for the non-bracelet models is RM7,200 while the bracelet models is priced at RM8,000.

The Watch

The case of the ChronOris Date screams vintage. Barrel-shaped with cut-out 19.0 mm lugs, its rounded curves are polished, except for the top where the surface has a radially brushed finish. This sunburst effect focuses one's attention towards the domed sapphire crystal which has been given an AR coating. The stainless steel case has a width of 39.0 mm, a lug-to-lug length of 45.0 mm and a height of 12.4 mm. To many, these dimensions are within the sweet spot for the ideal watch size. 

 

As the name was though to suggest, the ChronOris was originally linked to having a chronograph function as standard. For Oris to re-launched the series with the ChronOris Date minus the chronograph function shows how confident they will be explaining the true design philosophy of the ChronOris. Unfortunately, they have not been successful (in my humble opinion) and hence a lot of questions about this discrepancy is being asked. Nevertheless, I think I know why and I shall attempt to answer that question in a short explanatory paragraph below.

'Chron' comes from the Greek chrónos, meaning “time.” The original ChronOris of 1970 was a watch designed for motorsports. Timing was everything and at that time, a chronograph with a tachymeter scale was the timing instrument of choice. Today, that kind of timing instrument is easily available, cheaper and more accurate. As such, what would a motorsport professional need in a watch that can be usual and not redundant? A scale that can double as an countdown timer as well as an elapse timer would be more useful. Hence the change of the complication on the ChronOris Date compared to the original. In reality, the ChronOris still remains true to its core competency; measuring time.

The watch adopts a dual crown design, each crown with its own unique design to differentiate the differing functions they both serve. Apart from the date complication, it also has an internal adjustable bezel.

The ChronOris’ dial is midnight black. The inner rotating bezel is at the edge and is part of the slopping chapter ring.  There is a glossy finish band that covers the primary hour markers. This provide some contrast to the black dial. 

On the inner rotating bezel is a minute scale comprising white lines and Arabic numbers. An orange triangle is the primary marker on the scale and is situated at the 0 minute location. At the extreme end of the dial surface is seconds scale with with ultra-fine lines that alternate between short and long,  positioned in 12-second increments. Next to it is the primary hour markers that consists of orange painted squares and polished rectangular applied metal plates. A small square part of the metal plates (next to the orange squares) is painted with Superluminova BG W9 paint for illumination. At 3:00, instead of an hour marker (and part of the seconds scale), a date aperture, framed partially in white paint can be found. The date wheel has a white background.

 

There are four rows of texts on the dial. All are painted white on the dial. The brand is printed on the upper quadrant while the words "CHRONORIS", "26 JEWELS" and "SWISS MADE" are located in the lower quadrant. 

The hours and minutes hands are rectangle shaped polished steel with stripes of Superluminova BG W9 paint for illumination. Meanwhile, the second hand, is stake-like, long and sharp, and is painted bright orange that stands out.

 

The watch has two different crowns. At 2:00 is a grooved crown that winds and set the time and date. This crown uses a simple push-in/pull-out system to engage the gears. At 4:00 is a knurled crown that is a screw-down. Once unscrewed, one can adjust the internal bezel which has a nice ratcheting movement. The internal bezel is bi-directional and has a 120-clicks for a full rotation (either clockwise or counter-clockwise).

 

The case-back is rather plain. It is just a solid plate of stainless steel with the middle portion raised slightly. In the center raised position is the vintage Oris emblem. Underneath the plate is the Oris 733 movement, which is a modified Sellita SW 200-1. It is fully automatic, with a bi-directional rotor that provides constant power as long as it is worn. With 26 jewels, the Oris 733 vibrates at a rate of 28,800 BPH. Power reserve is approximately 38 hours.

The watch casing has water rating of 100 meters. 

 

The watch is also paired with a dark brown stressed leather strap with a signed buckle. The tapered strap fits well with the overall vintage design of the case.

Below is a photo of the watch in the dark. The hands and hour markers are of different colours.

The Wearing Experience

 

With a width of 39.0 mm, the watch is comfortable to wear. For most people, the size is just nice. Below is a short video of the watch on my wrist.

Earlier I mentioned the confusion in the design specification of this second reinterpretation of their 1970 ChronOris. A first reinterpretation of the same was made in 2005 but this was a chronograph like the original. However, the ChronOris Date does not come with a chronograph. Although I tried to justify the reasoning by making a number of assumptions, in reality, a lot of enthusiasts will continue to question the design direction of this latest reinterpretation. 

Despite this, the watch is perfectly sized to fit most wrist sizes. After wearing it for sometime, I definitely score it highly.

The Purchasing Experience

I bought the watch during a special Oris exhibition organised by AWG at the Center Court Mid Valley Megamall. Got a nice Oris branded cloth shopping bag for the purchase. 

Specifications

Watch Reference: 01 733 7737 4054-07 5 19 45

Width 39.0 mm

Length: 45.0 mm

Height: 12.4 mm

Lug Width: 19 mm

Weight: Approximately 80 gm

Material: Stainless steel
Glass: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside
Case Back: Stainless steel plate, screwed down, special engravings
Water Resistance: 10 bar

Dial: Black
Luminous Material: Indices and hands painted with Superluminova BG W9
Strap: Dark brown leather strap, stainless steel buckle
Movement: Automatic winding date
Reference Caliber: Oris 733, base SW 200-1
Caliber Size: 25.6 mm
Functions: Centre hands for hours, minutes and seconds, date window, instantaneous date, date corrector, fine timing device and stop-second
Winding: Manual and automatic winding possible
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Frequency: 28,800 BPH or 4 Hertz
Jewels: 26

Warranty: 3 years
Vendor: AWG Mid Valley

MSRP: RM7,200 

Purchase Price: RM5,400

Purchase Date: 17/5/2022

Serial No.: 36 99796

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