The latest release from Oris, and one that highlights their ongoing Change for the Better initiative, is a sequel of sorts to a watch that became a cult hit when it was released in 2021. The Dat Watt Limited Edition II is very much in the same vein as the original Dat Watt Limited Edition, but with a few twists to make this new LE its own thing. Its release comes alongside an announcement from Oris that they’ve extended their relationship with the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) by another two years, the organization that works to protect the Wadden Sea, which provides the inspiration for the new watch. 

The Wadden Sea covers 11,500 square kilometers in northern Europe, and includes shoreline in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. This intertidal zone is a unique geographical space in that it happens to be the world’s largest unbroken tidal flats system, and is in a largely undisturbed state, thanks in part to the efforts of the CWSS. Because of the area’s size and the fact that it has been so well protected, it’s an important area for the study of the 10,000 species that live there. The Wadden Sea has held UNESCO World Heritage Site status since 2009 based on its importance to global biodiversity. 

Like the first Dat Watt Limited Edition, this new release uses the Aquis diver as a platform, here in its 43.5mm footprint. The dial’s green tone is inspired by the waters in the Wadden Sea’s salt marshes, which act as critical natural storage for CO2. This version of the Aquis features what can be thought of as a modified pointer date display, with an interior ring that shows a white marker moving around it as the month passes. A running seconds indicator at 9:00 (somewhat unusual for a modern dive watch) has an elongated counterweight, making it easier to determine at a glance that the watch is running. 

Like other members of the Aqus family, this watch is water resistant to 300 meters and utilizes a unidirectional dive bezel, which on this edition has been outfitted with a tungsten insert which nicely complements green dial. The Dat Watt Limited Edition II is mounted on a matching stainless steel bracelet, but also comes with a blue rubber strap with a dive extension, making it possible to wear over a wetsuit.

The Dat Watt Limited Edition II is limited to 2,009 pieces, and carries a retail price of $3,200. Oris