Oris is known as a watchmaker dedicated to reducing environmental impacts and supporting legitimate causes around the world. Today I had the opportunity to put into practice the brand’s latest efforts in that spirit. This is Oris Akis New York Harbor Limited Edition II.
This 2,000-piece limited edition supports Big Apple’s Billion Oyster Project. Let’s take a closer look!
1 Billion Oyster Project
The Billion Oyster Project is one of New York City’s most ambitious environmental initiatives. Founded in 2014 by educators Pete Marinowski and Murray Fisher, the nonprofit aims to restore 1 billion oysters to New York Port by 2035. Over 150 million oysters have already been reintroduced at 17 coral reef sites, filtering out huge amounts of water and creating an ecosystem that attracts marine life. While each adult oyster can clean up to 50 gallons of water per day, coral reefs act as a barrier to natural storms, like tropical corals. As the founder said, oysters are in the ocean and in the forest trees.
Pete Malinowsky, founder of the Billion Oyster Project
Equally important is that the project focuses on people. Since its establishment, over 15,000 volunteers and 30,000 students have been engaged in practical restoration work. This provides New Yorkers with the opportunity to actively improve the urban environment while learning about marine science. Millions of pounds of oyster shells are collected from restaurants and recycled to create coral reef structures, while students and community scientists monitor water quality and biodiversity.
The broader goal lies in changing attitudes towards stewardship. The challenges remain, from pollution to regulatory hurdles, but the trajectory is clear. Collective action works. The Billion Oyster Project shows that even one of the busiest cities on the planet can work together to build resilience and create a healthier future. Oris has been involved since 2022 when it launched its first limited edition to support the project.
Oris Akis New York Harbor Limited Edition II
The New York Harbor Limited Edition II is based on regular AQUIS days with the regular 43.5mm multi-piece stainless steel case. It is 13.1mm thick and has a 51mm lug-to-lag span. The one-way bezel features a stainless steel insert with a scale of 60 minutes. On the back is a special New York Harbor engraving with a screwed stainless steel case. Oris rated the case water resistance at 300 meters. This watch comes with a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp and includes an additional aqua green rubber strap for a more casual look.
Inside, checks the Oris 733, an automatic movement based on the Sellita SW200-1. It provides a central hour, minutes, seconds and a 6 o’clock date opening. Oris promises a fulfilling 41 hours of autonomy.
The dial is where this limited edition makes the strongest visual statement. Aqua-Green Mother-of-Pearl offers the perfect theme link to a billion oyster projects. The rich texture regenerates in light, providing depth and great visual appeal. The applied indexes and hands are filled with Super Luminova to ensure excellent low light readability.
Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II Wearing II
Good stories and good causes come a long way, but in the end, the watch itself must be fantastic. So, is that so? Certainly, I was not a fan of the 43.5mm version of the AQUI. This is purely subjective, but it feels a bit overwhelming on the 18cm wrist.
This version is no exception. Still, if you like it on your wrist, it’s hardly related to how you perceive its size. If so, I think you can do much worse than this Port of New York LE, especially with a great rubber strap that fully pulls out the dial. Let me explain in detail about that…
I enjoy the colour
Aside from being suitable, the main attraction for the Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the dial. I first saw this new model in a relatively dark room and immediately thought it was the BraceNet version. When I took the watch into the light, I realized that this was something completely different. It looks bluer than the previous bracenet, and when the light hits the dial, you’re looking for something special.
Mother of pearl sparkle and sparkle, as you would expect from the material. However, its effectiveness is somewhat more subdued than typical, probably thanks to the treatment of Aqua colours. However, what remains is a surface that looks like water. It feels like you are staring at the surface of the tropical sea, gently shaken by the wind. It doesn’t have the typical jewelry-like appearance of most mother-of-pearl dials. Instead, it blends in with the marine themes of the clock, both conceptually and visually.
I especially enjoyed the rubber strap watch that mimics the dark shades of the dial. It will be a very sporty and summer dive watch.
Closing thoughts on Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II
I’m biased towards the 39.5mm version of AQUI. Still, that’s about the only argument I have along with Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II. I like to have Oris select and access the Ceratabase caliber 733. I like the colour and unique mother-of-pearl dial. And then there are billions of oyster projects, giving the relevance and purpose of the watch.
Overall, there’s so much I like here and there’s very little to complain about. The Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II is limited to 2,000 units and is priced at CHF 2,550 / €2,550 / US $3,000.
What do you think about this limited model from Oris? Let us know in the comments section below!
