First revealed at the Baselworld 2015 trade show, the 2015 Oris Divers Sixty-Five (ref. 01 733 7747 4055-07 4 17 18) automatic diver pays homage to a classic model from 1965. Although it is absolutely not a true reissue (even the choice of the movement makes it a different model), the Sixty-Five makes a strong impression and will be a wonderful choice for a person who wants to buy something “vintage”, but with brand new guts to power it.
Overall Impression
I wasn’t able to find pictures of the exact 1965 diver that this new model pays homage to, so I can’t say anything about how faithful this reproduction is. Still, looking at this specimen, I must say that Oris managed to quite successfully reproduce that cool Sixties vibe using nothing more than a convex crystal, signature hour and minute hands (they did use similarly shaped parts back in the 1960s), and nicely styled Arabic numerals that are painted with what they call “Light Old Radium” Superluminova fluorescent compound.
Available either with a black NATO textile strap or with a rubber band of the same color, the watch looks organic and, if you don’t mind, historically correct. Sure, it could possibly look even more natural if the brand opted for a Plexiglas crystal instead of sapphire. However, the choice seems to be a bit more practical since the synthetic material is less prone to scratches.
If it is Tudor that Oris has in its crosshairs, they have surely taken the right caliber to hit the target. Offered at a lot more affordable price, the timekeeper seems to be a lot better choice either than their Pelagos Diver Titanium or Heritage Black Bay model.
Although Divers Sixty-Five‘s design is not as iconic as those resurrected by Tudor during the recent years, Oris’ public perception is not plagued by that ‘poor man’s Rolex’ stigma that Tudor still tries to get rid of.
Case
Measuring 40 millimeters in diameter, the new Divers Sixty-Five is just a tad larger than a typical timekeeper of the era. It predictably doesn’t occupy too much space on a normal wrist, but, at the same time, radiates a sort of self-assured presence with its oversized crown, long lugs, and notched bezel that not only provides superior grip but also looks extremely cool.
Although the watch definitely doesn’t belong to the “ultra-thin” kind, it still looks quite slender thanks to its convex sapphire crystal and cleverly shaped case profile that, like Batman’s or Captain America’s armor makes it look muscular but extremely lean.
To my taste, the crown protrudes longer than I would care to: I tend to wear my watches closer to my palm and these type of crowns often make me feel uncomfortable at certain angles, but you should see for yourself whether your style of wearing a watch will make the part feel awkward or not.
The only thing that I don’t like here is the chosen water-resistance rating of just 100 meters, although totally adequate if you never plan to use it for anything beyond occasional swimming or snorkeling, it would be a lot more pleasant to have the rating increased to at least 200 meters just to know that it could be used as a real diving companion.
Mechanism
The self-winding mechanism that powers this new timekeeper is the good old Oris caliber 733. Also known as Sellita SW200, it is as reliable and accurate as its main competitor made by ETA.
There is nothing groundbreaking about this engine, which is good: what you get is a workhorse, a less expensive alternative to the ubiquitous ETA 2824-2 base mechanism that simply does its job without giving you any sort of headache which usually associated with ‘in-house’ mechanisms manufactured by more obscure brands. Don’t forget to service it at proper intervals, and the movement will reward you with years of hassle-free operation.
The fact that the movement is hidden behind a solid case back cover makes me think that the engine probably comes in its basic decor offering nothing more than the usual branded oscillating weight.
Although it certainly played its part in making the timekeeper so affordable (Oris asks only CHF 1750 for this beautiful model), and I frankly don’t see anything wrong with it, I know that for a number of people this may be a deal breaker.
Dial
The dial is what will make this watch sell like hot pancakes. Its beige-toned lume, as well as high contrast, easy to read both in daylight and in darkness layout, not only make the watch look cool, but also greatly increase the value of a watch that is supposed to be worn on a daily basis.
While I would have placed the date aperture at a more traditional place between four and five o’clock in order not to cut into the luminous rectangle at 6 hours, otherwise the face of this gadget looks almost perfect.
As a sort of resume of this brief review, I think it needs to be reiterated that this is a nice alternative not only to the recent batch of vintage-styled Tudor watches but also to the modern Oris timekeepers.
Compared to their thick, bulky cases that often take just way too much space on your wrist dominating the view, this compact little beast will always know its place and will only show its friendly face when you feel like it. Make sure to check this one, something tells me that you won’t be disappointed with this little gadget.
See also: Homage to Rolex 6200? Steinhart Ocean One Vintage
Photos: Oris
WWR Verdict
Originality 4.5/5
Build Quality: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Overall Legibility: 4.5/5
Nighttime Legibility: 4.5/5
Value for Money: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Oris Divers Sixty-Five specification
Price: CHF 1750 (MSRP)
Movement: Automatic, Oris caliber 733 (base Sellita SW200), Swiss Made
Number of jewels: 26
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 38 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Case and Crown: Stainless steel
Bezel: Steel, black aluminum inlay with luminous dot at 12 hours
Shape: Round
Size: 40.00 mm
Lug width: 20.00 mm
Dial: Black
Numerals: Arabic, luminous
Hour markers: “Light Old Radium” SuperLuminova, luminous
Hands: Luminous, nickel
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Black NATO textile strap with steel folding clasp / Black rubber strap with a steel buckle
Crystal: Sapphire
Back: Solid, engraved