It’s very easy to love Oris. It’s a brand that knows what it’s about and knows how to have fun. The brand’s Geneva Watch Days releases are a perfect example of this. The Big Crown Calibre 113 is proper watchmaking, with a unique take on the calendar and a seriously funky colour scheme. Then there’s the Oris X Bamford ProPilot Altimeter ‘Mission Control’, which looks like wearing the future on the wrist. Here’s what you need to know.

The Oris Big Crown Calibre 113

The Oris Big Crown Calibre 113 features an uncommon week of year indicator

Oris’ watches featuring its own in-house calibers are among some of the most interesting — and compelling — watches the brand creates. TheBig Crown Calibre 113 is no exception. Building off the brand’s legacy of large, manually-wound movements, the Calibre 110, originally released in 2014, is unmistakably Oris. The classic Big Crown case houses the manually wound movement, which fits a mighty 10 days of power reserve, with a non-linear power reserve display. On top of this base, the Calibre 113 adds an uncommon calendar. Oris has created a ‘business calendar’ complication, which shows the date, the weekday, and the week of the year: an unusual, but entirely practical way of marking the time, especially if you’re in project management. Of course, there’s also a month indicator for maximum versatility. It wouldn’t be an Oris watch without a remarkable colour scheme, and the minty green dial with rose pink highlights is fresh and, to our eyes at least, delectable.

Calibre 113, with a mighty 10 days of power reserve

Tech Specs: Oris Big Crown Calibre 113

Movement: Manual-winding Oris Calibre 113; 240-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; small seconds; week and month indicator; power reserve indicator, date; day; day and week corrector
Case: 43mm × 13.5mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 50m
Dial: Green with pink counters
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet
Price: CHF 6,350

The Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter ‘Mission Control’

George Bamford and team have worked their magic on the Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter ‘Mission Control’

Famed watch-tweaker George Bamford and his team of merry modifiers have taken the Oris ProPilot Altimeter, one of Oris’ biggest and baddest pilot’s watches (with a built-in altimeter, no less), and given it an out-of-this-world spin. Bamford’s version, takes the Altimeter on an retro-nostalgic out-of-this-world mission, inspired by 80s sneakers and a cyberpunk aesthetic. The most obvious modification on ‘Mission Control’ is that the dial has been extensively modded in lime, yellow and red to look like something out of Alien, but there are some other changes. This model boasts the updated calibre 793, slimming the profile of this heft 47mm watch down a little, but all that size doesn’t equate to massive weight, as Oris partnered with 9T Labs to create a carbon fiber and polymer case. It was created using an additive moulding process, giving the case a unique layered effect, not unlike the rings of a tree. Bamford’s undeniable gift for accentuating the drama in any given watch design is not to be underrated, and the colourful Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter ‘Mission Control’ is a fun and dramatic take on one of Oris’ most specialised watches.

At 47mm, the Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter ‘Mission Control’ has plenty of presence on the wrist

Tech Specs: Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter ‘Mission Control’

Movement: Self-winding Oris Calibre 793; 56-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; central seconds; date; altimeter
Case: 47mm × 16.7mm; carbon composite with PVD-coated titanium bezel and caseback
Dial: Black with yellow, lime and red detailing
Strap: Black textile strap with yellow and green leather lining
Price: CHF 6,700
Availability: Limited to 250 numbered pieces