he Oris Hölstein Edition 2023 captures a story that began more than a century ago and that has never felt more relevant than it does today. If you’ve been following the Oris story these past few years, you’ll know that the company was registered on 1 June, 1904. And more, that on 1 June each year, Oris releases a 250-piece limited edition watch called the Hölstein Edition, named after the beautiful village in the Swiss Jura mountains that the brand has called home for 119 years.

This year, Oris continues the tradition with the release of the Hölstein Edition 2023, which for the first time introduces the best-selling line, the Aquis diver’s watch, into this ultra-special family of designs. As before, only 250 pieces will be made, and sold on a first-come basis. While there’s no doubting the character of the watch, what’s more fundamental is the spirit behind it.

On that founding date in 1904, a set of values was established that continues to motivate how Oris thinks and operates. The founders wanted to create high-quality watches for the citoyen of the day. In other words, to make beautiful, high-functioning, highly reliable pieces that weren’t decorated beyond their core purpose to a point that made them inaccessible and exclusive. Now, the brand talks about making watches “for today’s world citizen”.

This year, the fourth Hölstein Edition continues this story. It’s the first based on the evergreen Aquis diver’s watch. And it has a few twists.

First is the dial colour: deep purple. Next is in the movement. The watch is powered by Calibre 400, our game-changing five-day automatic. As before, this delivers elevated anti-magnetism, better than chronometer accuracy (-3/+5 seconds a day) and the promise of 10- year service intervals and a 10-year warranty. But there’s one key difference: no date. This is the first ever “no-date” Aquis, a response to another request fielded from the Oris community.

And then there’s the case back. It’s engraved with the limited-edition number and printed with an illustration of the Oris Bear, diving in his scuba gear. Why? Because why not. It’s fun and it makes people smile. And to be literal for a moment, because it shows this is still a diver’s watch water-resistant to 30 bar (300 metres).

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Case: Multi-piece stainless steel case, uni-directional rotating bezel with grey ceramic bezel insert

• Size: 43.50 mm (1.713 inches)

• Dial: Purple

• Luminous material: Hands and indices filled with Super-LumiNova^®

• Top glass: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside

• Case back: Stainless steel, screwed, numbered engraving, Oris Bear printed motif Operating devices Stainless steel screw-in security crown with crown protection Bracelet Multi-piece stainless steel metal bracelet, security folding clasp with clasp extension

• Water resistance: 30 bar (300 m)

• Movement: Oris Calibre 400

• Functions: Centre hands for hours, minutes and seconds, fine timing device and stop-second

• Accuracy: -3/+5 seconds a day (within COSC tolerances)

• Extra features: Highly anti-magnetic

• Winding: Automatic

• Power reserve: 120 hours

• Warranty: Extended to 10 years with MyOris sign-up. Applies to watch and movement. 10-year recommended service intervals

• Limited edition: 250 pieces, each watch is delivered in a special wooden presentation box

• Swiss retail price: CHF 4,000