Horse Power: Oris Debuts a Fiery Limited Edition to Fête the Chinese New Year
Launched today, the watchmaker’s newest model takes on some distinctly international appeal by honoring the Chinese Year of the Fire Horse in a stunning crimson limited edition that visually chomps at the bit.
By Mike Espindle
Executive Editor
On February 17th, the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Fire Horse will begin, which is particularly special not only for those born under this powerful spirit animal, but for the entire structure of the Chinese zodiac’s animal associations.
As most know, years in the Chinese calendar are associated with 12 animals; however, less well known is that years are also assigned one of 5 elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) on a rotating basis within a 60-year cycle.
The fire horse connection is rare (the last one was in 1966) and adds a fiery dimension to the significance of a standard Year of the Horse, with intensified energy, unfettered passion and freedom, and deeper transformations foretold for the year ahead. (Fun Fact: Watchonista’s very own Rhonda Riche is a Fire Horse, which helps explain why her IG feed is basically the exact opposite of doomscrolling.)
Well, Oris’ watchmakers in Hölstein, Switzerland, clearly got the memo, and the racing form as, today, the brand unveiled the new Year of the Horse Limited Edition.
Burning Up the Track
The 43mm Year of the Horse Limited Edition is based on Oris’ innovative Calibre 113 movement, which packs a whopping 10 days of power reserve with an out-of-the-box circular retrograde power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock and a small seconds display at 3 o’clock.
Moreover, this movement features a down-to-business calendar layout that displays the day (12 o’clock) and the date (9 o’clock) in a pair of dial apertures. Meanwhile, a third hand serves double duty, indicating the month and week number along the outer edge of the dial.
Visible via this new piece’s exhibition caseback, the Calibre 113 debuted in 2017, and we’ve seen it in variations of the Big Crown and all-but-phased-out Artelier collections (this novelty, in fact, carries Artelier badging). Still, under the restrained eye of Oris’ design team, the movement’s unique time-telling approach finds an uncannily apt new home in this limited edition.
In short, the Oris Year of the Horse Limited Edition is a winning combination of the velocity and power of the equine spirit with the civilized, “slow-hand” storytelling of the business calendar functions (indicated by the third hand). Moreover, its gorgeous, fiery crimson colorway lends this piece an elegant mystique.
A Handicapper’s Look
The stunning dark red dial (with lumed hands) of this stainless steel timepiece is enhanced by the equally sober brown cordovan leather strap and the two graduated sunburst red sub-dials that move from bright centers to subdued outer edges. In addition to the flaming optics, and as we hinted at earlier, the two sub-dials don’t exactly perform the tasks you might expect.
The circular sub-dial at 3 o’clock constitutes a retrograde power reserve indicator for the hand-wound movement, with a subtle galloping steed icon to indicate a full tank and a resting horse at the “getting to empty” end of the gauge.
Meanwhile, the sub-dial at 9 o’clock serves as a small seconds indicator, opening up the dial design to make the ongoing month/week count of the third hand even more prominent and special.
Breaking up the day and date apertures into the 12 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions, respectively, also adds to the overall balance of the dial design.
Pricing & Availability
With only 88 editions being produced (a numeral signifying “double luck” in China), the Oris Year of the Horse Limited Edition is an odds-on favorite for fans of both the brand’s inventive time-telling spirit and those who appreciate the spirit of the Chinese New Year in general.
Available as you read this, the timepiece lists for CHF 6,650. For more information, check out the Oris website.