Every year, Oris releases a limited edition watch on June 1 to celebrate their birthday. These Hölstein Editions run the gamut: last year’s was a somewhat wild blast from the past, and the year before saw a sober but very attractive rendition of their popular Big Crown Pointer Date. This year, Oris is tackling the Aquis, which makes its Hölstein Edition debut. As you’d expect, being an anniversary edition, there are a handful of twists that separate this Aquis from others in the collection.
First, the obvious. This dial is purple, folks. I feel like I’ve been banging the purple drum for a long time. We’ve clearly reached a point, probably months ago, where this is the color of the moment. A look back at new releases over the last year or so reveals plenty of evidence that we’re in the midst of peak purple, and that’s totally fine by me, especially as we enter the summer months. But this is the first time I can recall seeing a purple dial from Oris, and it looks great on the Aquis. This is a platform that plays particularly well with color – the deep red (and diamond set) Aquis remains a Watches & Wonders favorite.
The purple theme is extended to the caseback, where instead of a typical exhibition window, we get a full color Oris bear, wearing his diving gear, against a bright purple background. You’ll also find the limited edition number as well as a “Hölstein Edition” designation on the caseback. Like the ProPilot X Kermit Edition released a few months ago, this shows a whimsical and fun side of Oris, which we’re in full support of them fully embracing.
The other notable differentiating factor in this Hölstein Edition is the movement. This Aquis runs on the Caliber 400, which is the brand’s next-gen five day automatic caliber with better-than-COSC specs and a ten year service window and warranty, but eagle eyed collectors will notice that this version of the movement is missing something. That’s right, lovers of symmetry and balance who never need to write a check: there’s no date window to be found here. Oris notes, surprisingly in my opinion, that this is the first Aquis ever without a date. So in addition to being a fun purple diver with a dial completely unencumbered by windows of any kind, this watch is also the answer to a trivia question. Just file that away, and thank us later.
In terms of specs, there aren’t a ton of surprises here beyond the aforementioned nixing of the date. This Aquis is in the midsize 41.5mm case, and is mounted to the integrated stainless steel bracelet that many Aquis owners will already be familiar with. The bezel insert is ceramic and in a gray tone that nicely complements the dial, and the watch is rated to 300 meters of water resistance.
The Aquis Hölstein Edition is limited to just 250 pieces, and carries a retail price of $4,300. Oris
