Oris Introduces the Big Crown Calibre 473

Photo: Monochrome

Oris, a well-liked independent Swiss brand, is in the middle of a transformation in in-house movements. Following the Calibre 400 automated movement’s introduction in 2020, the company has improved in several ways, incorporating it into every one of its main product series while also producing versions with new complexities and characteristics. 

In order to advance this process, Oris introduces a hand-wound version of the Calibre 403 pointing date movement featuring a power reserve display positioned on the caseback for its initial kick-off of 2023. Moreover, with a traditional fundamental structure and precise polishing, the innovative Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 emphasizes Oris’s qualities as the company’s newest movement. 

Collectors and lovers of the Hölstein-based company will be especially happier to hear that the movement premiers within a Big Crown Pointer Date, a legendary watch that has been on Oris’ travel path since 1938. Indeed, this manual-winding Big Crown Pointer Date watch, which boasts an almost ideal 38mm casing size and a divine blue dial, is bound for success.

Background 

Since the 1982 corporate acquisition of the brand, Oris has amassed a desirable collection of durable, relatively affordable sporting, diving, and pilot pieces. The company, established in 1904 in the Swiss village of Hölstein, produced over 270 calibers in its prime before low-cost quartz movements crushed the market. Herzog, who has been in charge of the business for nearly 35 years, was a key player in the early eighties revival of mechanical timepieces.

Oris reopened movement manufacturing in 2014 with the conception of the manual-wound caliber 110, which boasted an impressive power reserve of 10 days from a solitary barrel.

Photo: Oris Caliber 400

The caliber 400, an innovative anti-magnetic fully automated movement including a five-day power reserve, was produced 6 years afterward. Notably, this caliber 400 line, which became the inaugural range of automatic movements created over four decades, was hailed as the ultimate baseline for Swiss-made automatics.

New Caliber 473

This innovative caliber 473 was created by Oris’ manufacturers from scratch and took up to 4 years to complete. It has many characteristics similar to the caliber 400 line, including durability, accuracy, high quantities of anti-magnetism, as well as a ten-year warranty. The hand-winding movement drives the hours, minutes, tiny seconds, pointing date, and an additional function: a power reserve display on the back. 

Photo: Oris – caliber 473

Furthermore, Cal 473 is founded on the foundation of the Oris caliber 403 mechanical movements installed within the Big Crown Pointer Date introduced in 2021. The indication has a great deal of logic, considering the substantial power reserve of five days.

The innovative power reserve display, shown on the bridge above the barrel and viewed using a blued hand, contains markers at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120. Moreover, the precision of the movement is measured at -3/+5 seconds each day, which falls within COSC limits.

The Big Crown Pointer Date

It’s smart to put a manual-wound movement back within a classic piece like the Big Crown Pointer Date. It certainly transports the user to when this wristwatch was first used for flight. 

The Big Crown, which debuted in 1938 as a pilot’s clock, had an extra-large crown that allowed pilots to change the time without removing their protective gear. The Big Crown Pointer Date is thus among the most well-liked variants. Besides, the recognizable date display is replaced by a centered pointing hand in the watch’s initial date complexity. Remarkably, this piece, relaunched into the line in 1984, kept the brand alive throughout the quartz period. 

Photo: Prestigetime

General, the huge Arabic numbers, a center hand featuring a red tip that points to the date on the outer track, and the 2021-redesigned Sellita SW 200-1 manual movement are all characteristics of the Big Crown Pointer Date collection. However, all of this transformed 2 years ago once the Hölstein Limited Edition Big Crown Pointer Date was equipped with the company’s freshly created automated caliber 403. It was a descendant of the Cal 400, boasting tiny seconds and pointer date functionality.

On the other hand, the Big Crown Pointer Date unveiled a new, better-sophisticated 50 meters waterproof casing structure featuring a slimmer, sharper casing shape in addition to the innovative automated Oris movement. The 38mm Big Crown of 2021 substituted a flat-finished bezel for the fluted bezel, which had more vintage-based elements and relatively modern Arabic numbers for the retro versions. Furthermore, it replaced the traditional cathedral hands with leaner sword ones and changed the date’s crescent-like index with an arrow-like hand.

Photo: Monochrome

Certainly, this revolutionary Big Crown Calibre 473 adheres to the 2021 model’s aesthetic guidelines and has a nearly perfect 38 millimeters casing size featuring polished and refined surfaces. The length of the casing, which has to be thinner due to the manual-wound movement, is not specified in the news report, which is peculiar. An additional feature that distinguishes this variant from standard Big Crowns is the sapphire crystal’s less prominent dome, which gives the timepiece a flat, more modern appearance.

Beautiful Dial Tint

The Big Crown Calibre 473’s dial color, a watery bluish tone, stands out among the many blue dials. Moreover, Super-LumiNova has been applied to the hands, hour markings, and engraved Arabic numerals. It’s also important to note that the hands and numbers are white, but the arrow indicators on the minute line are yellow. The date is displayed outside with a red arrow-like marker, and a small second timer is displayed at six o’clock.

Photo: Monochrome

More like automated predecessors, this watch includes the words BIG CROWN 5 DAYS on the dial. Also, the manual-wound movement and the specific power reserve indication are visible on the bridge atop the barrel, thanks to the caseback.

Adjusted Fine Modification Mechanism

Once more, Cervo Volante is behind the textured brown strap made of deer leather acquired ecologically.

Photo: Monochrome

The stainless steel butterfly foldable clasp’s innovative exemplary modification system, which enables the user to change the strap when the wrist stretches or shrinks in various temperatures, is another advancement.

Final Words 

This year, the Calibre 400 series of movements will be in its 4th year of manufacturing. Remarkably, the brand-new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is compelling evidence that this in-house movement line continues to have a promising future of exploration and diversity.