Oris - Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition

The latest two-counter chronograph from Oris is dedicated to Carl Brashear, the U.S. Navy’s first African American and first amputee Master Diver. His life was remembered in the film Men of Honour.

The Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition is based on the Divers Sixty-Five model and cast in bronze.

Oris has chosen the material to represent the early diving equipment Brashear used, which was also made of bronze.

Bronze has a natural warmth, a quality that makes it an appealing material for use in watches. Bronze also ages over time, developing a natural patina that will make each watch bespoke to its wearer.

Water-resistant to 10 bar (100 metres / 330 feet), the Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition is powered by the Oris Calibre 771, a special movement with a two-counter chronograph and a 48-hour power reserve. It’s based on Sellita’s SW 510 and appears in the Oris collection for the first time.

The dial’s balanced, symmetrical layout is known as ‘bicompax’ and gives the watch its classic chronograph look, which is further enhanced by the absence of a date indicator. The subdial at 3 o’clock is a 30-minute counter; the subdial at 9 o’clock a small seconds. The curved dial is dark blue, a handsome complement to the bronze case, with applied rose gold-plated indices, filled with Super-LumiNova.

Bronze is used for the 43 mm case, the uni-directional rotating bezel, crown and pushers while the screwed case back — featuring an embossed traditional diver’s helmet and Carl Brashear’s famous mantra: ‘It’s not a sin to get knocked down, it’s a sin to stay down’ — is crafted from stainless steel.

Coming on a vintage brown leather strap with bronze pin buckle, the watch is presented in a wooden box with additional stainless steel pin buckle and with Carl Brashear Foundation commemorative coin inside.

Only 2,000 pieces of the Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition (ref. 01 771 7744 3185 LS) will be produced with a retail price of Swiss Francs 4,700. oris.ch