In 1965, 61 years after Paul Cattin and Georges Christian founded the company, Oris introduced one of its most iconic models, the Oris Diver. Fifty years later, it took the form of a classic reissue called Divers Sixty-Five. Today, it’s time to celebrate the original’s Diamond Jubilee with the launch of the Oris Diver’s Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition.
Oris Divers Sixty Five 60th Anniversary Edition
Last year, Oris celebrated its 120th anniversary with the 40mm black DLC-coated Diver’s Sixty-Five, powered by the in-house Caliber 400. It was a masterpiece in many ways and the perfect way to celebrate Oris’ 120th anniversary. Most people appreciate that Oris developed a more sophisticated caliber than the ETA and Sellita movements that were primarily used before it, but the price of watches equipped with this caliber inevitably increases. Its rise to the top was not always greeted with praise.
So, in a way, it’s nice to see Oris dabble in a 40mm model powered by the Sellita-based caliber 733 for the Diver’s Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition. When it was introduced in 1965, the Diver’s was an accessible watch for many people. . Then, when the first re-edition debuted in 2015, it once again became very popular, especially among watch enthusiasts. Unfortunately, the new 60th Anniversary Edition won’t be available to many people, probably not because of the price, but because Oris will only make 250 of them.
brief history
The Oris Diver’s 65 is a reinterpretation of the 1965 Oris Diver, a watch that seems to have been around forever. In fact, this work was released only 10 years ago. That’s quite an accomplishment. There has to be something right about that. First introduced in 1965 with inverted (color) numbers, the original continued to be produced in several variations until at least 1979. Its introduction coincided with the time when Oris began using movements with lever escapements. Until then, Oris could only use pin escapements due to Swiss regulations. However, a major breakthrough also occurred in 1968 with the introduction of the in-house Oris caliber 652. Caliber 652 is a no-date, chronometer-certified automatic movement with a lever escapement that powers, for example, the Oris Star Diver. Inspiration for the second collaboration between Fratello and Oris.
1965 Oris Divers Revival
After production of the Oris Divers ended by the end of 1979, it wasn’t until 2015 that Oris employees in the Netherlands came up with the idea of reviving the popular 1965 model with reverse numbers. A re-edition of the 40mm Oris Divers 65 was born, and the design was once again a huge success. Over the next few years, Oris introduced many variations. Along the way, the iconic inverted numerals were lost and a more mainstream dial layout became the norm. The case size ranged from 38 to 42 mm, and the date position changed from 3 o’clock to 6 o’clock, and then disappeared altogether. The Diver’s 65 became a popular platform for limited editions and collaborations, sparking a flood of different materials and dial colors. There was certainly something for everyone.
First “65” reprint
Aside from the differences in size, material, and color, two important things happened to the Diver’s 65 during its relatively short lifespan. Five years later, in 2020, it was powered by the sophisticated Caliber 400, developed in-house by Oris. This was a major advance in technological development, but as mentioned above, it also increased the price significantly. Fortunately, there are still 65 models in the Oris catalog with both caliber options. The second most important and somewhat confusing event in Sixty-Five’s life is more recent. It was the announcement of the 2024 Oris Divers Date. This resulted in frequently requested specification updates, including chamfered and applied indexes, a diameter of 39 mm, and a length of 200 m. Depth rated, ceramic bezel insert, display case back. It’s confusing because the new Diver’s Date no longer has the “Sixty-Five” name. But it’s nice to see that the 1965-inspired design is still around.
Back to the Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition
Updates, changes and variations aside, it’s time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the original Oris Diver. The brand primarily recalls the 2015 Heritage reissue, which commemorates the original 1965 watch. So let’s take another look at the reverse numeral dial, 40mm case diameter, and automatic caliber based on the Sellita SW200. While much remains the same, there are also differences for the better.
Details and differences
Reprints, in this case commemorative editions, must have a visual reference to the previous edition. Once you see it, you’ll know which watch it’s related to. This does not mean that due to modernization and technological progress there should not be deviations from the original at the level of detail. Oris has done a very good job in this regard. The new Diver’s Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition is immediately reminiscent of its predecessor from 1965, but the watch has been improved in several ways. Let’s take a look at the similarities and changes.
dial, logo, hands
The most striking similar detail is, of course, the reverse numeral style with block-shaped luminous cardinal indexes featuring hollowed out numerals. This alone is enough to remind us of Oris’ Divers from the mid-1960s. Even the “waterproof” designation is back just below the Oris brand name, as is “anti-shock” and the number of jewels (now 26 instead of 17). This time, the font used for the Oris logo is a historic sans-serif, just like the one we at Fratello chose for our Oris Star Divers-inspired collaboration. What Oris did not adapt to us is the use of the original style of hands. The Diver’s Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition features segmented lume on the hour hand, whereas on the original watch the lume was linear and solid.
Size, undated dial, bezel
Perhaps the most notable difference is the size of the watch case. Like the first reprint in 2015, the Divers 65 60th Anniversary Edition has a 40mm diameter instead of the 36mm size of the 1965 original. Another important deviation from the original is that Oris omits the date, which I appreciate. The beautiful design of the dial shows its true value even more because there is no date window. A bold move is that the bezel is now bidirectional, just like it was in the 60s. I’m glad to see that the 60-minute scale on the bezel is just a dot, rather than the familiar triangle of today.
What else could be better?
It differs from the original design in many more details, but I think I have already mentioned the most interesting points. Of course, the movement in the 60th Anniversary edition is different and more sophisticated. Although relatively basic by modern standards, prices for new watches remain attractive. Compared to its ancestor, the glass has been updated from acrylic to a beautiful double-domed anti-reflective sapphire. The caseback and crown are sturdier than the original watch from 1965, but that’s all for the better thanks to advances in technology.
Conclusion and pricing
If you’re a fan of the distinctive upside-down numerals, this Oris Diver’s Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. After the 2015 reprint, these numbers were quickly discontinued and replaced with more regular dots. Since then, only a small number of models have been released with these indexes, and Oris’ current lineup has no models with this feature. If, like me, you also love watches without a date, this 60th Anniversary edition could be the perfect watch for you. We understand that the brand’s Caliber 400 in this watch is more sophisticated than the Sellita SW200-1 based Caliber 733. However, as a commemorative edition, it doesn’t bother me at all. The fact that Oris can offer this watch with a stainless steel bracelet and a leather strap for 2,250 euros makes a lot of sense to me.
What do you think of the Oris Diver’s Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition? Do you want to see something different or is this the perfect watch? Let us know in the comments below.
