ReviewThe Altimeter Rises Again: Oris’s ProPilot Altimeter Returns
Oris’s high-functioning pilot’s watch is back, now in a slimmer, smarter and more sophisticated avatar. This is the new ProPilot Altimeter
May We Recommend
In the past few years, Oris have been all about those contemporary dive watches like the Diver’s Sixty-Five and vintage-style pieces like the Big Crown Pointer Date, offering tons of dial and case options. So, if you’re new to the watch world, you’d think that’s their whole deal. However, at the 2023 Watches and Wonders, Geneva, they brought back one of the most interesting and impressive ProPilot timepieces—the Oris ProPilot Altimeter Watch. This bad boy comes with awesome updates and is the only automatic watch in the world with a mechanical altimeter. How cool is that! Back in 2014, Oris rocked the watch world by launching the first-generation ProPilot Altimeter. They were the pioneers, blending an automatic mechanical watch with a mechanical altimeter in one timepiece. From then on, this watch became a hit among pilots, mountaineers, hikers, adventure-seekers, and watch collectors alike. And now, the second-generation edition has made a comeback with a better altimeter, sleeker design, and a lighter case.
The ProPilot Altimeter And Its Elevated Elegance
The new ProPilot Altimeter is equipped with an improved altimeter module, AKA a new pressure box. What this means is that the 2023 edition is capable of gauging altitude up to 6,000m or 19,700ft. Previously the scales topped out at 4,500m or 15,000ft. The Oris ProPilot Altimeter has always been a big watch. However, with the new edition, Oris has made a few changes. The watch is sized at 47mm, and is 1mm thinner than the original. The case holds a slimmer calibre 793—an automatic with a power reserve of 56 hours. The use of a new lightweight carbon fibre composite material helps in making the case of the watch feel smaller on the wrist.
Carbon Couture: The ProPilot Altimeter’s Slimmer, Lighter, and Ultra-modern Case
The 47mm watch case of the Oris ProPilot Altimeter is made from the aforementioned carbon fibre composites built in partnership with 9T Labs, a spinoff of the prestigious ETH Zurich University (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). According to Giovanni Cavolina, CCO and co-founder at 9T Labs, this is ‘a unique, all-in-one manufacturing solution based on additive manufacturing and moulding’. This is different to normal 3D printing, which is mainly for prototyping. “We can industrialise manufacturing and use the technology to produce structural end-use parts at high volumes,” he states. Mostly used to make parts for aeroplanes, satellites, surgical instruments, the carbon fibre composite combined with a polymer called PEKK offers high mechanical, heat, and chemical resistance. Furthermore, the case also features the turbine bezel, time-setting and altimeter crowns, and a caseback made from PVD-coated titanium.
Scaling Heights: How to Set Up the ProPilot Altimeter
The high-functioning mechanics of the Oris ProPilot Altimeter is a practical tool, which is easy to understand and simple to operate. All you need to do to activate the altimeter function is unscrew the crown at four o’clock until you see a red ring appear indicating the altimeter is in use. To set it up, you will pull the crown out to the second position and rotate it so that the reference air pressure aligns with the red triangle at six o’clock on the central dial. What this means the watch is now showing your current altitude via the yellow indicator and the current air pressure via the red indicator. Push the crown back to position one, and you are all set to read the changes from the outer dial ring.
To keep ambient moisture out of the case, Oris have a patented altimeter-adjustment and venting crown equipped with a vapour barrier. Finally, to deactivate your altimeter, all you need to do is return the crown to its neutral position by screwing it down. This also re-seals the watch so that it becomes water-resistant to 100m again.
With its big watch aesthetic, carbon case structure, expanded specs and slightly thinner execution, the Oris ProPilot Altimeter is a rather niche yet appealing product, especially for those who really know the extent of the brand’s expertise.
