Hands-On With The Bronze Oris Hölstein Edition 2020 Watch

From Hölstein with love. It is the catchphrase Oris has chosen for their new series of Hölstein Edition watches. Like many of you, I love 007, so a good Bond reference is always welcome. But what does it stand for? Well, Oris shows us with a new series of limited edition watches. The first in the series is the visually stunning Oris Hölstein Edition 2020. It’s an all-bronze version of the well-known Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph. The moment I took the watch out of the box, I thought: “Now this is something I will enjoy!”. With the Oris bling factor turned up all the way to 11, this one is for fans of making a statement.

Before I get into the details of the watch, I would like to get back to “From Hölstein with love.” I have never been to the Swiss village of Hölstein, where Oris is based, so I have no image of what it’s like there. From having been to Switzerland quite a few times, I can imagine what it is like, though. But it’s not my first association with Hölstein all together.

Take away the so-called umlaut on the letter O, and we end up with Holstein. Whenever I read Holstein, I think of one of our other collective Fratello passions — schnitzels! A Schnitzel Holstein is a variation of the Wiener Schnitzel with a garnish of fried egg, smoked salmon, oil sardines, capers, anchovy fillets, and toasted white bread. I enjoyed quite a few when I was younger.

The name Holstein comes from the 19th-century German politician Friedrich von Holstein who the schnitzel was named after. Although the schnitzel has no connection to both Oris or the Swiss town of Hölstein at all, these positive emotional cues definitely work in favor of the watch.

The story of the Hölstein Edition

The story behind the new series of Hölstein edition watches is the love Oris has for their hometown. The brand has been based out of the Swiss village of Hölstein ever since Oris was founded in 1904. And it are still based on the same site as it was back in 1904! Oris decided to celebrate its roots with a new series of Hölstein Edition watches of which this limited edition 2020 Edition is the first release. It celebrates 116 years of Oris and independence, as Andreas explained in his article right after the introduction.

The all-bronze version of the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph will put a smile on your face.

As an added message, the brand would like to add that the Hölstein Edition is “something to make you smile.” After seeing the watch for the first time and putting it on my wrist, I can tell that Oris has definitely delivered upon that promise.

What makes it unusual is the fact that Oris chose to go for a full bronze bracelet. The only parts of the case and bracelet that are not made of bronze are the stainless steel case back, the inner parts of the folding clasp, and the screw links of the bracelet. When you wear the watch, only the last will be visible from certain angles. That flash of steel is a shame really. It could have been the perfect bronze bracelet. But, for obvious practical reasons, steel was preferred to bronze for the screws.

Technical Specs

Technically, the Oris Hölstein Edition 2020 is in line with the regular Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph models. The watch is powered by the automatic Oris Caliber 771, which is based on the Sellita SW 510 movement. The SW510 is derived from the Sellita SW500, which is a Valjoux 7750 clone.

The movement is not the most exclusive but a highly trustworthy caliber.

This reliable cam-operated chronograph caliber is well known and features center hands for hours, minutes, and chronograph seconds. The left of the two black sub-dials at the 9 o’clock position indicates continuous seconds, and the right at the 3 o’clock position serves as a 30 minutes counter. As Gerard mentioned in his review of the Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph Bucherer Blue Editions, the movement is not the most exclusive but a highly trustworthy caliber, and perfectly able to make the Oris Sixty-Five Chronograph a very reliable watch.

Impressive overall looks

First impressions are lasting, and I have to say I love what Oris has done with the Hölstein Edition 2020. First, the Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph is the perfect model in their line-up to pull off this look. The 43mm bronze case and bronze tapered bracelet to match perfectly with the gold plated dial and black sub-dials. This Gold Panda look is finished perfectly with the gold hour markers and gold hands that are all filled with white Super-LumiNova.

The case back is decorated with the Oris Bear, which represents the brand’s character of warmth and openness. I wasn’t sure at first about the image of the bear, but then I was quickly reminded of the tongue-in-cheek intentions of the watch, and it suits that purpose perfectly.

I was quickly reminded of the tongue-in-cheek intentions of the watch, and it suits that purpose perfectly.

Below the image of the bear, you will find the limited edition number of the watch. A total of 250 pieces will be available, and if you want to buy one, you can choose your preferred number on the Oris website. It’s these small details that show it’s a watch made for the true Oris fans.

Wearing the Oris Hölstein Edition 2020

The first thing that I noticed when I put the watch on my wrist is its weight. It’s an easy-to-wear watch that boasts some incredible looks. The visual impact of the bronze is excellent. And Oris has done a great job with the dial design. The gold-plated dial is nicely contrasted by the black subdials and the white color of the markers and hands. It makes the watch a joy to look at.

Another thing that stood out — as it does with the regular models — is the domed sapphire crystal. I like how it emphasizes the retro looks of this Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph. And the full bronze color of the watch makes the profile view from the side even more impressive compared to regular models.

The moment you pick up the watch, fingerprints are almost instantly visible on the bronze material.

The most significant question marks are the effect of wearing a watch with a full bronze case and bracelet. The practicality rating might not be the best. The moment you pick up the watch, it will be covered in fingerprints. To be honest, it didn’t bother me one second because the joy of wearing it compensates for this unusually reactive material.

As we all know, bronze will get its patina from wearing and using the watch. From the bracelet to the pushers to the bezel, they will all have their own look over time, and that’s a big part of the charm of wearing it. And as Andreas said in his article, wearing the watch will leave marks of oxidization on your skin. In the short time I had the watch, it was never a problem. If you think this will be a problem for you, then this is not your watch. It’s that simple.

Final thoughts

Overall I think Oris did a great job in creating a watch that perfectly fits the story the brand would like to tell with their new series of Hölstein Editions. And in these weird times, a watch that puts a smile on your face is welcome. Sure the used bronze material has its impracticalities, but it didn’t bother me at all. And the people at Oris also realize the effects of creating a full bronze watch. They went ahead with it because they wanted to create a fun watch. And that’s precisely what it is.

Next to the oxidization issues of a bronze bracelet, the €4,600 price tag might also keep people from cracking a smile. It’s a pretty steep price considering the relatively straight-forward movement. But I guess that Oris will easily find 250 people that would love to buy this watch. And from wearing it for a short period, I get it. After all, it made me think of my favorite food. And that’s more than you can expect from most watches… Visit the official Oris website for more info here.