Introducing: The Oris Divers Date — A Revamped Divers Sixty-Five That’s More Stylish And Capable Than Ever
In 2015, Oris reintroduced its dive watch based on a 1965 design. Since then, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five has become a popular and well-loved model line within the brand’s portfolio. Now, almost 10 years after its reintroduction, it was time for an update. Meet the new Oris Divers Date. Even though it lost the “Sixty-Five” name, it still comes with a ’60s-inspired design. However, both its style and performance received some serious upgrades.
Oris offers some great watches at the more accessible end of the spectrum. The brand’s Divers Sixty-Five was no exception. But with other brands, especially microbrands, closing in on both the design and capabilities side of things, Oris needs to make sure to stay ahead of the competition. The new Oris Divers Date seems to be exactly the upgrade people like me were waiting for. So, without further ado, let’s take a look.
The new Oris Divers Date
I’ll start with the new 39mm stainless steel case. Just like the outgoing model, the top is vertically brushed, and the sides and case back are polished. The lugs span 46mm from tip to tip, and including the double-domed sapphire crystal, the watch is 12.1mm thick. The unidirectional bezel has more pronounced teeth for better grip, and the bezel insert is ceramic instead of aluminum as on the outgoing model. In addition, the elegant and sleek riveted bracelet received an upgrade. It has polished (real) rivets that stand out more from the other brushed links, and it has (removable) quick-release spring bars.
The dial of the new Oris Divers Date is also more sophisticated. For now, you can choose between black, a very dark grayish blue, and beige. The applied indexes now have a bevel, which nicely reflects the light. The Oris logo still stands proudly at 12 o’clock, and the brand updated the font for the model name and water resistance rating. When you look at that last one, you’ll notice that the water resistance jumped from 100 meters to 200 meters for the new Divers Date. This is a direct result of the new case construction. With the screw-down crown at 3 o’clock, you operate the Oris 733 movement inside.
Sellita with a red rotor
Essentially, this automatic movement is a Sellita SW200-1 with a red Oris rotor. You can look at it through the sapphire crystal of the exhibition case back. It features 26 jewels, holds a power reserve of 41 hours, and runs at a frequency of 28,800vph. I’m almost certain a Calibre 400 version of the new Oris Divers Date is in the works, but I think it’s great that Oris still caters to the less demanding watch enthusiasts. Besides, the Sellita movement keeps the price down, and practically any watchmaker out there can service it.
On the wrist
When you put the new Oris Divers Date on your wrist, you can immediately feel the difference between it and the Divers Sixty-Five. Somehow, its proportions work better than before, and the Divers Date feels like a more substantial piece on the wrist. While the outgoing model could sometimes feel a bit like a plaque on the wrist, the updated Divers Date is more compact and feels nicer as a result. I also noticed the elevated level of finishing with the beveled hour markers and the ceramic bezel insert.
I’m also glad that Oris didn’t forget about the bracelet. I always liked it because of its slim profile and the rivets. But now, with the real polished rivets and the quick-release spring bars, it’s even nicer. The only thing missing here is on-the-fly micro-adjustability. However, that’s probably something Oris will reserve for the more expensive Calibre 400 version later on.
Final thoughts
The other thing I love is the white lume. This is a feature that was often only available on limited-edition Oris Divers Sixty-Five models. But now it’s also available on the new Divers Date, and it looks great, especially in combination with that beautiful dark grayish-blue dial color. Can you imagine this dial with that yellowish fauxtina color Oris used to use? This, together with all the other small but important changes, makes the new Oris Divers Date feel like a more grown-up watch compared to the outgoing Divers Sixty-Five.
It’s certainly not a revolution, but that’s also not something you expect on a watch with a vintage-inspired design like this one. It’s great that the people at Oris were able to keep the attractiveness and elegance of the Divers Sixty-Five but could also substantially improve its style and performance.
The new Oris Divers Date is now available for CHF 2,450. In addition to the stainless steel bracelet, you also get a black rubber Tropic-style strap for that money. Just like the bracelet, it comes with quick-release spring bars.
What do you think of the new Oris Divers Date? Is it a worthwhile evolution of the Divers Sixty-Five, or do you miss the more retro outgoing models already? Let us know in the comments!
