ReviewIn-depth Review Of The Oris Staghorn: A Diver’s Watch With A Noble Cause

The Oris Aquis Staghorn is a crusader, out to accomplish a noble task: ‘preserving the world’s endangered Staghorn coral’. Oris is not a new rescuer on the block, but they don’t scream out loud about their noble deeds. Since 2010, Oris has been cleaning up under deep waters, literally. Having taken up projects in Australia, Red Sea and the Maldives, Oris has launched a glorious timepiece for every mission.

The launch of the Staghorn led the Aquis portfolio to grow with the inclusion of another handsome watch. Oris Staghorn was launched specifically to support and spread awareness around the alarming rate at which coral reefs are declining.

Oris, in association with the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF), grows corals in nurseries and carefully plants them in the seabed. In a bid to focus on a task of such epic proportion, Oris has not compromised on the performance or aesthetics of the watch.

 Oris Aquis Staghorn: A Baselworld 2017 Launch

Oris has pleasantly surprised watch enthusiasts and critics alike by producing some groundbreaking watches such as the Chronoris and Aquis Date in 2017. The watches are nothing like anything we’ve seen Oris produce before.

Aquis’ predecessors can be counted as a little mundane but Oris upped the ante by launching two limited edition, power-packed versions of the Staghorn at Baselworld this year. In its natural habitat, ie underwater, the Staghorn’s performance is impeccable.

The Case

Trust a brand like Oris to belt out the best quality watches, and Staghorn is no different. The 43.5mm case is built of high-grade stainless steel. It cuts a sleek modern appearance with a unique combination of polished and brushed finishing.

A minute, orange zero marker scale covers a small portion of the bezel, and lends an aquatic vibe to the watch. Considering the Staghorn is essentially a diver’s watch, the bezel is a fundamental feature.

The unidirectional rotating bezel has a polished ceramic finish and scratch resistant properties. The knurled pattern on the bezel provides an excellent grip underwater even with a diver suit on. Staghorn qualifies as a diver’s watch because it is water resistant up to 300m, which makes it an apt choice for any underwater escapade.

The Caseback

You’d probably wonder that if the case has so many features, what could be left for the caseback. However, the Staghorn will show you. The caseback of this watch will leave you enamoured with its perfectly engraved, elegant piece of staghorn coral. The limited edition timepiece mentions the model name and the individual serial number given to a particular watch in a circular pattern around the coral imprint.

It is noteworthy that the Staghorn, unlike other watches in the Aquis collection, has a metal caseback and not the conventional glass back. This has both its pros and cons. Speaking of pros, the metal caseback increases the water resistance of the watch by sealing it better. However, a glass caseback surely lends a watch more class and style, and allows a peek at the movement beating inside.

The Dial

The overall colour palette of the watch is captivating. Staghorn’s dial is in symmetry with the aforementioned. Undoubtedly the deep, dark blue dial at the heart of the watch is striking and stands out instantly. What further accentuates the presence of the dial is the choice to sparingly use orange accents, creating a striking contrast. With no Arabic or Roman numerals for the hour indexes, the simple baton appliques are loaded with legible SuperLuminova.

A unique, never-seen-before way of presenting the day makes the watch all the more interesting. All the days are displayed in a circular wheel at the centre with a gap for each, an orange highlight from underneath fills the space corresponding to the current day. The date within the window at six o’clock and the second’s hand are both in tangerine as well.

While the SuperLuminova treatment given to the watch makes it glow in the dark, the installation of domed sapphire crystal adds to the functionality of the watch. Not only does it make the watch more durable, but, the anti-reflective coating inside, increases clarity by reducing the glare.

Food for thought for watch enthusiasts: The use of orange has a purpose beyond adding to the tropical feel of the watch. It symbolises the colour of the Staghorn coral. Orange also happens to be one of the most legible colours underwater, in low-light surroundings.

The Movement

Promising and delivering quality timepieces with flawless movement is Oris’ forte. The Staghorn is no exception, as it is powered by the automatic Oris Calibre 735, based on the Sellita SW 220-1. The only apprehension in the watch is the power reserve that it hosts. A power reserve of 38 hours is not the best we’ve seen in an Oris timepiece. The bi-directionally rotating red rotor that powers the movement uses 26 jewels and runs at a frequency of 28,800 A/h.

The Packaging

In line with the coral restoration project, the Staghorn comes in environment-friendly packaging. The brand’s dedication to making the world a better place to live, leads to the box being constructed of environment-friendly regenerative algae. Inside the box is an insignia of a Staghorn coral. The outstanding packaging deserves to be lauded.

The Final Verdict

The watch is miles away from disappointing a watch aficionado. It’s a universal watch that’ll adapt to any situation and domain. Although it’s most comfortable being in its aquatic abode, the watch can go from being at the beach to becoming a part of pub milieu in a jiffy without inhibitions. It is further encouraging to know that buying this handsome watch will also contribute to safeguarding our endangered planet.

The Oris Staghorn is available at Ethos Watch Boutiques in two models, one with a steel bracelet and the other in a sturdy rubber strap.