A Deeper Dive: The Heart of the Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV

Would it be okay to write a watch review and only write about the dial? After all, we already know the Aquis Date is a cool tool to watch.
 

And that is to say nothing about the good work Oris is doing to improve sustainability and its support of groups helping to heal our planet.
 

Seriously, this whole article could be me rhapsodizing about the dial. I could write a James Joycean, 732-page novel describing it. I won’t, but I could.

The story of this dazzling dial begins with last year’s ProPilot X Calibre 400 Laser, which featured blue, green, and violet dial made using a unique-to-watchmaking lasering technique that owed its effect to reflected light; there was nary a drop of pigment in it.
 

With the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV, Oris is again pushing the possibilities of dial design with a surface rendered in turquoise and blue. But instead of radiating from the center, this gradient emanates from 12 o’clock to simulate the natural rays breaking through the surface of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, as seen from above.
 

Even though the rest of the elements of the watch’s display are Aquis Date signatures, the dial’s unusual ombré gives the impression that these elements are new or somehow different, as if they have been arranged just for this special edition.

For starters, the window at 6 o’clock shows a date disc that matches the darker section of the dial, making it less noticeable yet still easy to read. Then, there are the applied, shield-shaped, and faceted hour indices that unobtrusively float above the surface like a boat’s sails.
 

Meanwhile, despite their Alpha-style shape and coating of Super-LumiNova for extra legibility, the hour and minute hands, plus the lollipop central seconds, somehow avoid breaking up the surface. And it’s all framed by a calmingly grey tungsten bezel insert.

Of course, nature is full of amazing effects (you need only think of the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis light shows that recently garnered so much media coverage). So, one of the most captivating things about the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV is that it seeks to evoke the phenomenon of sunlight descending through the ocean’s water – something that only a handful of divers get to experience in real life.

Herein lies the power of this dial.
 

The Great Barrier Reef is A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s most extensive coral reef ecosystem. Hence, Oris’ partner in this endeavor is the Australian non-profit partner Reef Restoration Foundation, which aims to protect corals by promoting reductions in greenhouse gases, strengthening existing management, and accelerating adaptation.
 

Unsurprisingly, given the non-profit’s goals, the new Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV goes beyond creating awareness for the plight of coral reefs: Oris has an ongoing financial commitment to funding the foundation’s coral-tree-planting mission.

Every time you stare into the dial of the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV (which will be all the time), you will think of time not only as the minutes and hours in front of you, but you will become conscious of where you fit in the greater timeline of our planet.
 

If that’s too subtle of a message, the watch features a caseback engraved with a Great Barrier Reef motif and its limited edition number.

Even the piece’s minimal packaging (a watch box with a digital certificate) is a signal of Oris’ Change for the Better campaign’s overarching commitment to the health of natural environments.

Again, the Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV is the first limited edition built on the body of the recently updated, stainless steel Aquis Date 43.5mm.
 

Even with its refined architecture, at 43.5mm, it is still a big watch; however, its screw-in crown, crown protection, uni-directional rotating bezel, and three-link bracelet have all been redesigned for improved ergonomics and performance, so it doesn’t feel clunky.

Did we mention how gorgeous the dial is? Well, the shiny surfaces of its brush-finished metallic elements look great, too.
 

Finally, at the heart of this ocean-friendly timepiece is the anti-magnetic (for desk divers) in-house Calibre 400 movement, which is a five-day automatic that is so robust it comes with a 10-year warranty (after signing up to MyOris) and recommends 10-year service intervals.

The Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV is available now, limited to 2,000 pieces, and priced at $4,500. For more information, check the Oris website.

(Photography by Watchonista)