You may be thinking: “Wait, didn’t they already review the Oris Aquis Date?” And I wouldn’t blame you for drawing that conclusion. Will wrote about being gifted the Aquis by his then-girlfriend, now-wife; he wrote again about that same watch in a pseudoreview; and he did review the new Oris Aquis with the Oris Calibre 400 (but I’d argue that was as much about the movement as it was about the watch). So in a sense we’ve covered the watch to death.
But we’ve also not given it a focused, full treatment. The Oris Aquis Date line is made up of 42 different configurations in sizes of 39.mm, 41.5mm, and 43.5mm. There’s something for everyone, but the middle ground champion is the 41.5mm, despite Oris limiting the offerings in that size to four iterations. Herewith, a review of the 41.5mm Oris Aquis Date in green.
On the Wrist
The Oris Aquis Date in 41.5mm is spot on. The size pulls away from the jumbo of the 43.5, and is a bit more modern than the 39.5mm. To me, the chunky shaping of the case just begs for more than 40mm, but at 43.5 becomes unwearable except on the largest of wrists.
The dial is resplendent in its radiant finish, with the softer ceramic bezel balancing the polish and shine. It’s a pleasure to look at, whether it’s checking the time or just a glance down to remind yourself of how nice it looks. The bright white lume against the green makes telling time a snap, no matter the conditions.
The integrated lugs means you won’t be swapping straps, unless you go custom or buy direct from Oris. With that, the bracelet is solid and extends from the watch in a natural way, thanks to the lug shape and angle. This all means a rather comfortable wear.
Dial Details
The sunburst green of the Oris Aquis Date is striking. In poor light, it skirts on very dark, almost black, but never fully gets there, which is a nice little chromatic dance. Some may quibble with the half marker at 6, but I’ve got no problems with it, as it doesn’t disrupt the dial or inhibit lume (see below).
One of my favorite features of the Oris Aquis dial are the applied markers. They have an obelisk-like shape and cut in and slope down right at the end, towards the middle of the dial. While they may look partially brushed here, that’s actually the high polish reflecting the brushing of the rehaute.
The Oris Aquis features solid, but not out-of-this world lume, as you can see here in this photo that includes two microphones (have you listened to the 40&20 Podcast?)
Case and Bracelet Details
The defining feature of the Oris Aquis collection is its case. The integrated lugs are one thing, but the midcase that expands as it descends to the wrist, with a bezel that matches the bottom width, is exceptionally crafted. The finishing is a perfect blend of polished and brushed, the former of which is enhanced and complemented by the gleam of the ceramic bezel insert. The bezel takes a bit of working through the first several wears before it beds in; once it breaks in, it works easily with a satisfying click. Allow me to state unequivocally: I do not support bezels having break-in periods.
Instead of having the crown guards be a part of the case, Oris has used two separate guards, affixed with the same screws as are used for the bracelet. The profile here is great, especially the rounding of the lug ends against an otherwise blocky case. That dramatic downturn you can see is what allows this watch to wear so well. I’ll say here, too, that the Oris Aquis crown is one of the very best I’ve ever operated.
If you’re not familiar with Oris movements (which are Sellita movements), they all have pretty red rotors.
As if you’d actually wear this to dive (ok, you may), you’ve got a diver’s extension that folds neatly into the clasp, which is slim, with little extra bulk on the wrist. While I’m no fan of the limitations introduced by integrated bracelets, I found this one to be easily adjusted to the perfect fit, and comfortable thereafter.
Final Thoughts
I’d never been fond of the Oris Aquis. It seemed too chunky and the integrated bracelet was a big turn off for this unapologetic strap swapper. But consider me swayed. The watch is shockingly wearable at 41.5mm and the emerald dial with the ceramic bezel is a killer combo.
The Oris Aquis Date is one of ninety different Aquis models, including chronographs, a regulateur, a mechanical depth gauge, and some of the best LEs in recent years (from any brand). But the Aquis Date is the backbone of the entire collection, and it’s clear why.
Check out more Oris reviews at The Watch Clicker
Check out the Oris website
Oris Aquis Date Specs | |||
Case Width | 41.5mm | Thickness | 12.5mm |
Lug-to-Lug | 48mm | Wrist-to-Crystal* | 11.5mm |
Lug Width | 22mm | Weight | 141g |
Crystal | Sapphire | Bracelet | Integrated bracelet |
Water Resistance | 300m | Lume | Super-LumiNova BGW9 |
Movement | Oris 733 (Sellita SW200-1) | Price | $2200 |
*Height of the watch from the wrist to the top of the crystal | |||
