The recent history of dive watches is all about going deeper and deeper beneath the ocean’s surface. Recent releases (and major technological advancements) from Rolex and Omega underscore the continuing interest on the part of brands, collectors, and, we assume, pro divers in maximizing depth ratings, whether for practical purposes or bragging rights. The watches that come out of the research and development around extreme depth resistance have a certain appeal even if you don’t have a particular desire to even get them wet – they are technological marvels, and often compelling design objects with an offbeat aesthetic appeal. Now, Oris is getting in on the act, with a new member of the Aquis family that goes deeper than any before it, the AquisPro 4000m.
The headline here is right in the name of the watch: this is an Aquis that is rated to an impressive 4,000 meters of water resistance. While not as robust as Omega’s Ultra Deep which is rated to 6,000 meters, or the truly incomprehensible Deepsea Challenge diver by Rolex that goes to 11,000 meters, this Aquis handily beats other divers in the Aquis family, which are typically rated to 300 meters. It does so with an oversized, multi piece titanium case measuring 49.5mm in diameter and a little over 23mm thick.
I don’t know if there’s an obscure Swiss law that says any dive watch rated over a certain depth rating needs to have some kind of ocean themed dial design, but we get one with the AquisPro 4000m in the form of a blue wave pattern. The tone here is a lighter and more playful blue than what we sometimes see on a serious, professional watch like this, and I think it makes the watch feel a little bit more approachable. You could get away with wearing this for fun on a beach holiday even if you’re not a diver, I think, as long as you’re secure in sporting a very large watch that will probably garner some questions. Or, if you just have a very big wrist, the AquisPro 4000m might fit like a glove. Either way, for a particular segment of the collecting community, there’s something undeniably fun about a massive, over engineered diver, and the light blue tones of the dial and strap (and that wave pattern) help reinforce the idea that you, yes you, can pull this off.
The AquisPro runs on the Oris Calibre 400, their manufacture movement offering a full five days of power reserve, protection against magnetic forces, and accuracy claims that beat chronometer specs. This watch also features Oris’s Rotation Safety System bezel assembly, which is designed to keep the bezel locked in place, and a clasp extension system that allows a strap to be adjusted while the watch is being worn without removing it.
The AquisPro 4000m is available this month through Oris authorized channels, and carries a retail price of $6,200. Oris
