Oris Artix

Oris Artix Collection Review

This is the best 21st-century design of the Oris collection. It combines the Oris complication design with the avant-garde case. It gives rise to the Oris Artix GT collection.

The Oris Artrix GT collection is a steel sport watch with lots of interesting features. Each model is made with a bi-rotating bezel that has a ceramic insert and a unique Oris rubber on the outer edge for taking accurate fast readings. Under the Oris Artrix GT collection, we have the Oris Artrix GT Skeleton, Oris Artrix GT Chronograph, and the Oris Artrix GT Day-Date.

The Oris Artrix GT Skeleton (REF: 01 734 7751 4133-07 5 21 09FC)

This model has a skeletonized movement based on the SW200 Sellita movement. It also has 38 hr. power reserve, a 100m depth water resistance with a 26 jewel crystal. It can take vibrations up to 4 Hz. The movement is automatic winding with a signature bi-directional red rotor. The model is housed in a multi-piece stainless steel case with a sapphire top glass domed on both sides painted with anti-reflective coating inside. The back case is a screwed stainless steel cover with a through the mineral glass. Straps are made of high quality dark brown soft leather straps and with the watch being size 42 it can fit perfectly to any wrist. This model retails from between $ 2,100 to $2,400.

The Oris Artrix GT Chronograph (REF: 01 774 7750 4153-07 1 22 10FC)

This model is racing-inspired thus having a timeless contemporary design with sporty elegance. It has a bi-directional timing scale bezel up to 60 tracks. It has a 44 mm stainless steel case with a top-notch mirror finish. This model also comes with a linear second track which makes the watch unique in its way, the second track moves gradually in a red stripe from left to right up to 60 then rewinds to 0. The model also has an automatic chronograph that starts and stops by the top pusher and is reset by the bottom pusher. Unlike other chronograph watches the second hand just flies back into position when reset. The straps for this watch is a dark brown Croco leather that is comfortable to the wrist. The watch retails at $ 3,800.

The Oris Artrix GT Day-Date (REF: 01 735 7751 4153-07 5 21 09FC)

The day-date model is the simplest of the Oris Artix GT collection. It comes in size 42 which is comfortable to wear on any wrist size. It has a bi-directional timing scale bezel up to 60 tracks similar to that of the Chronograph. There is a small date window at the bottom of the screen which is visible. This model is also 100 m water-resistant with a 26 jewel crystal. The movement is automatic winding with a signature bi-directional red rotor. Straps are made of high quality dark brown soft leather and with the watch being size 42, it can fit perfectly to any wrist.  The watch retails at $ 1,750.

The Oris Artrix Complication (REF: 01 915 7643 4051-07 5 21 81FC)

The Oris Artix complication which is not in the Oris Artix GT collections has an impressive size 42mm and yet offering a compact fit for the size, meaning everyone including people with smaller wrist will be comfortable wearing it. The watch features the day, the month, a radial date and a conventional moon phase that has what's known as the 59 tooth wheel embedded within its display. The moon phase is a bosom style moon phase with plenty of endurance with a radial half-moon crescent style date indicator. The complication uses the Oris caliber 915 which is a modular complication powered by a Sellita SW200 where the module on the top provides the calendar complications. Pusher corrector on the sides attends to all the individual indications with a 38 hrs. Power reserve. Retails for $ 1,250.

The Oris Artix Audi Sport GMT (REF: 01 747 7701 4461)

This model was as a result of the 2014 – 2016 alliance between Audi Sport and Oris. The model size of the watch is 44mm. This watch is all stainless steel including the display housing. The bezel of this model is retracted into the dial to create a slim watch easily wearable with cuffs. The watch has a GMT automatic winding with 100m water resistance. The outside bezel of this watch is made of rubber for a better grip to make it easy for timing. Similar to the Oris Artrix GT Chronograph this model has a linear second track. All the plied hours, with the hour and minute hand, are robustly illuminated for nighttime visibility. The watch also features a quick set for both the date and the 24 hr hand. Straps are made of perforated leather making it a sports car enthusiast’s watch. This watch retails for $ 2,600.

The Oris Artrix GT Day Date Slim (REF :  01 735 7751 4153-07 5 21 09FC)

The slim is similar to the day-date model with the difference being its smaller dimensions. It comes in size 11.5mm which is comfortable to wear on smaller wrists. It has a bi-directional timing scale bezel up to 60 tracks but instead of this bezel protruding out its retracted into the dial making the watch slim. There is a small date window at the bottom of the screen that is visible. This model is also 100 m water-resistant with a 26 jewel crystal. The movement is automatic winding with a signature bi-directional red rotor. Straps are made of stainless steel that is easily adjustable to any wrist size. Retails for $1,500.

Oris Watches

Oris Watches have a long history of quality, efficiency, and performance. The watchmaking company was named after a brook next to Holstein town. It has been around for a century doing what they do best. The company built itself slowly and steadily with the zeal to always come up with new and innovative ideas that revolutionized the watchmaking industry. Today Oris is still one of the few watch companies that are independent and privately owned.

Oris History 

1904-1906

The Oris watch company was founded by two business idealists Paul Cattin and Georges Christian in 1904. The two businessmen saw a business opportunity in the small Swiss town of Holstein and entered into a contract with the mayor allowing them to buy the recently closed Lohner & Co watch factory and rebuild it as Oris watch factory. After operating for two years, the company opened another branch in Holderbank a nearby town.

1911-1925

After another five years, Oris companies grew to be the largest employer in the small town of Holstein giving over 300 people descent jobs. In addition to providing jobs, Oris Company built houses for its staff, therefore, increasing their productivity. By 1925, Oris Company had begun fitting their pocket watches into bracelet buckles making their first wristwatches.

1927-1934

The company's Co-finder dies in the year 1927 leaving Oscar Herzog who was the brother in law to Christian to take over as general manager. He was to propel the company through the many challenges it faced for the next 43 years. Among these challenges was the new Swiss watch statute that was introduced in the year 1934. This statute prohibited watchmaking companies from coming up with new technologies without permission from the authorities.

1938-1940

In the year 1938, Oris company went ahead and came up with its watch escapements. It also introduced the first watch for pilots during the same year incorporating a big crown with a pointer calendar function. In 1940, Oris Company is negatively impacted by the Second World War reducing sales beyond Switzerland and making them turn to the manufacture of alarm clocks to stay afloat.

1945-1952

During the year 1945, the company was awarded over 200 distinctions for their pin level movement which was as accurate as of the level escapement. Oris Company launched its first automatic watch in the year 1952, it was powered by Oris's Caliber 601.

1965-1966

In the year 1965, Oris Company launched a specialized driver's watch with a uni-directional rotating bezel. The hours were illuminated and it had a water resistance of up to 100m deep. Thanks to the lawyer Dr. Rolf Portmann hired by Oscar Herzog in the year 1956, the company was able to break from the Switch Watch Statute in 1966. This allowed the company to use level escapements in its watch movement. As a result, the company launched the Oris Caliber 652 which was awarded full chronometer certification.

End of the 1960s

By the end of the 1960s, Oris Company was among the 10 largest watchmaking companies in the world. It was producing an average of 1.2 million watches annually for global markets. With this success, they were able to provide employment to over 800 workers across various branches throughout different towns, provide apprenticeship programs to watchmakers and engineers as well as producing their watchmaking machines.