01/09/2020

Snowboarding In Zermatt With The Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

Oris takes Watchonista onto the slopes of Zermatt to reveal its latest Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date with a gorgeous solid bronze case and matching bronze dial.

By Sophie Furley

Contributor

Oris loves to do things differently. Even their slogan says #goyourownway. And presenting their watches for 2020 is anything but a conventional affair.

For several years, Oris has presented its new collections in Zermatt, and you have to ski to get there. Being a keen snowboarder, I have always loved the idea, and the event has become one of my favorites on the horological calendar.

The New Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

Up Early In Zermatt

The day started at 8 a.m. sharp, when Rolf Studer, the company's Joint Executive Officer, and Region Manager, Sven Mostögle, took us up to the top of the mountain on the very first train out of the village. Both are expert skiers who love to ski hard and fast, and the day was not for the faint-hearted or the out-of-shape. We spent the next four hours being guided all over Zermatt's domain by this athletic pair, going up and down runs of differing levels at maximum speed (at least for me)! It was a blast, and I don't think I can think of a better way to warm up for a press conference.

Chez Vrony

At 12:30, we rolled up to Chez Vrony, one of the most famous Swiss mountain restaurants. Here, our energy was fully replenished by some great mountain food and local wines. After a splendid lunch, our merry band of skiers moved to the sunny terrace. With breathtaking views of the Matterhorn as our backdrop, it was time for coffee and watches.

Rolf Studer, Oris Co-CEO

The New Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

The Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

The first watch to be presented was the new Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date, the latest addition to a very successful collection that has seen dials in red, blue, green, black, and silver. This new version comes in a solid bronze case with a solid bronze dial that has been chemically treated and coated with a transparent matte lacquer to create a unique finish for each piece.

A Little History

The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date was first unveiled over eight decades ago in 1938. The timepiece was made for glove-wearing pilots, hence the big crown and large Arabic numerals, enabling them to make quick calculations at a glance. In the process, the watch's creators also made a beautiful object that withstood the test of time.

The New Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

The Oris Philosophy

This new timepiece symbolizes Oris's industrial philosophy of making Swiss Made mechanical timepieces. "The role of the Big Crown Pointer Date was key in Oris's decision, in the mid- to late1980s, to rebuild the company with only mechanical movements was critical," says Studer. "It had a story, a purpose, and an emotional value… it has remained in constant production and sums up the Oris story."

The New Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

Our Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date Experience

Wearing the Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date snowboarding seemed a little strange at first. After all, it is a rather elegant watch. But the beauty of Oris watches is that you can indeed wear them anywhere, anytime, doing pretty much anything. It was extremely comfortable to snowboard with, and it was even thin enough to glide out from under all my layers of clothing for some wrist shots with the Matterhorn. It also fit snuggly on the wrist thanks to a chamois deer leather strap, which was also appropriate for our mountain experience.

The bronze theme works beautifully, and the combination of bronze and bronze/brown dial with beige SuperLuminova hands, numerals, and indices made it particularly easy to read.

Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date at Zermatt

It is powered by an automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve and features a bi-directional Red Rotor™ that can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back. Functions include central hands for the hours, minutes, seconds, and pointer date. The movement also features a stop second for precise setting.

At CHF 1,900, the Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date is a great-looking automatic watch at an amazing price point, a combination of qualities that we have come to know and love about Oris.

The New Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date

More To Come

During our sunny mountain-side presentation, we also got to see a host of other timepieces planned for 2020. They are under embargo for now, but as soon as we can, we will bring the news to you.