Oris celebrates its roots with the first in a series of limited edition pieces named in honour of the Swiss village of Hölstein where the company was founded more than a century ago.
On 1 June 1904, Paul Cattin and Georges Christian signed a contract in the Swiss village of Hölstein that began a story that would span many generations. The contract gave the two watchmakers permission to set up and run their own watch company. They named it after a local creek: Oris.
More than a century later, Oris and Hölstein have become synonymous with one another. The village and the surrounding Waldenburg Valley have shaped Oris's philosophy, just as Oris has shaped the area and its identity. On June 15 this year, Oris begins a new chapter in the story, releasing the first in a series of limited-edition watches named in honour of this magical place. The Oris Hölstein Edition 2020 celebrates the company's roots and its proud association with the Swiss village of Hölstein. The Oris Hölstein Edition 2020 is cast in solid bronze, including the bracelet (a first in Swiss watchmaking), an industrial material with intriguing characteristics that we hope will charm everyone who comes into contact with it. On top of that, the case back is embossed with the Oris Bear.
'The Oris Hölstein Edition 2020 is a celebration of Oris's roots and the values we carry through into today and tomorrow,' says Rolf Studer, Oris Co-CEO 'But we also wanted to give Oris fans and all watch enthusiasts something to cheer, something to make them smile.'
Stats:
Case width: 43mm
Case Material: Multi-piece bronze case, uni-directional rotating bronze bezel with bronze insert
Dial Gold-plated with black chronograph counters, rose gold-plated indices
Case back: Stainless steel, screwed, special engravings of the Oris Bear
Crown: Bronze screw-in crown
Bracelet: Multi-piece bronze bracelet with folding clasp
Water resistance: 10 bar (100 m)
Movement: Number Oris 771
Functions: Centre hands for hours, minutes and chronograph, two subsidiary dials with continuous seconds at 9 o'clock and a chronograph 30-minute counter at
3 o'clock, fine timing device and stop-second
Limited edition: 250 pieces, available through Oris boutiques, the Oris e-Shop, and retailers with access to the Oris e-shop. Online tool to choose your limited edition number.
Retail price CHF 4,800 ( £3,750)
Available June 2020
Some personal thoughts
The Oris Hölstein Edition 2020 - Image Credit: Oris Watches
This thing is beautiful. I was almost tempted to leave my personal thoughts at just that because it summarises the watch perfectly, but I guess I'll say a few more things.
If anyone was going to create a completely solid bronze bracelet first it was going to be Oris. They have done a fantastic job to ensure bronze remains a viable, interesting choice for a watch finished in a way that is truly stunning. It sounds like this marks the start of a few releases for Oris that celebrate the village the brand is from. Well, if this model is anything to go by we're in for some fantastic new watches. At the time of writing the watch is available on their website, so if you're interested you'll have to be quick. There are only 250 of these and I imagine they won't hang around for longer.
