Oris has united with aerial firefighters Coulson Aviation on a new watch that marries bold hues with technical innovation. The Oris Coulson Limited Edition, based on the Big Crown ProPilot, adopts a tough carbon-fibre case, created using a 3D-printing process new to watchmaking.
For co-CEO of Oris, Rolf Studer, the partnership is a natural one. ‘At Oris, we are working on a number of fronts to bring change for the better to our planet and its people,’ he says. ‘We are now independently certified as a climate-neutral company, and we work with pioneering agencies to bring change that will make this world a better place. Wildfires are a sign of a warming Earth and climate change. To work with Coulson Aviation, the world’s leading aerial firefighting organisation, allows us to talk about this threat to our planet and the people who go out there and fight it. Based in Canada, the family-run independent company sends pilots, planes, and equipment to areas of the world affected by wildfires. To me, these pilots are today’s aviation heroes.’
An Oris watch that nods to firefighters and wildfires
It is a philosophy encompassed in a striking design centred around an orange gradient dial, making a bold contrast against the tough and lightweight case. ‘When you look at the watch, the first thing you will see is its fiery, gradient orange dial. Impossible not to think of a blazing fire – impressively beautiful and frightening at the same time. It is what these pilots see when approaching their targets,’ Studer adds. ‘We have used avant-garde technology in this watch as well as carbon, the product of fire. I think this watch is a fitting tribute to the heroes at Coulson Aviation and puts the spotlight on the urgent subject of wildfires.’
Incorporating the new technicality into the horological process was not without its challenges. ‘Using an innovative technology to make high-precision parts such as a watch case is always a challenge. The process we use is so advanced that you can fix the material’s pattern, where typically carbon-fibre watch cases are random. The watch, movement included, weighs just 65 grammes. The result is as beautiful as it is useful. We are incredibly happy with the outcome.’
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