So, a bit of a drive, but I found the only place within a lot of miles that carries Oris, and they also carry Longines, so that was handy. Not super knowledgeable staff, and tried to convince me there wasn't a Big Day Date in the Aquis line, haha.....
Then they couldn't find it in their catalog either, so were insisting it must be a really old model. I assisted with my phone, to show them photos, to assure them I hadn't dreamed it up, lol, but obviously no luck seeing that one, in the metal. They did have a few Aquis Dates though and I was able to handle them at least, which was helpful.
They had the newer HC, which is 43mm now instead of 44mm, so no chance to actually see that 44mm model either, but, again, being able to handle the current HC and look at some other Longines did give me a sense of the brand.
Kind of funny -- as I was leaving, they asked if I wanted an Oris catalog to peruse, in consideration of models they DO carry, which was very nice of them, and it's a lot of lovely Oris eye candy....which, I noted as I flipped through it, back in the car, also includes the Big Day Date I'd asked about, and there it is in their current catalog (2018/2019).
So, again, while I’ve often been told that an AD experience is so stunning, it remains my own experience that paying AD prices (nearly twice as much, in the case of the Oris models), isn’t missing out on much, for me. Nice enough folks, don’t get me wrong, but I can serve myself coffee and open my own watch box on a leather padded watch tray, even wearing some white gloves if I want, when it arrives from an online vendor, and do so at a much more appealing price.
In terms of brand thoughts, having now seen both brands, neither really jumped out at me, unfortunately, so I’m glad for the trip, from that perspective. I think it’s a combination of things: my own hyped expectations, just being their more entry level models I was seeing, and the usual issue of being a bit spoiled with affordables – which leaves me perplexed at even entry level higher pricing sometimes. I mean, the Oris watches are nice, very nice, but didn’t strike me as that much far superior to be priced in the many thousands. Not to detract from their heritage and expertise, at all, and I’d be happy with a roomful of them, haha, but I guess I just started my journey in one arena, and it’s had its influences on me. So, for now, back on the wishlist for maybe a someday addition.
I tend to get stuck sometimes on merely what I’m getting for the money, in terms of specs, I suppose, and neither brand knocked my socks off from that standpoint, versus what else is in the marketplace.
I was slightly more impressed with the Oris, than the Longines, however, and I can see why Oris fan-folks are so pleased. Some very beautiful watches, especially in their upper range and special edition line-ups. I think it almost seems the kind of brand I’d rather pay more for, than go for one of their “starter” pieces. Maybe go for the Oris Aquis Chronograph, for example, but, then again, I already have a 500m Swiss Chrono Diver in my Edox, and a 600m one, for that matter, from Chris Ward, so I don’t know where adding an Oris kind of fits into things.
I am a fan of their sizing, and it’s great to find a pedigreed brand that offers models in the larger case builds, but, to pay in the thousands, I guess I become more aware of why I’m adding it, other than, with super affordable buys, I rarely think twice beyond, “Oh, wow, I like that!”
I did quite like a few of their models that came in a full kit with extra straps, etc, but, of course, if going up-range with Oris it’s not too far of a journey to stave off impulse and aim for an Omega, where I do feel the added “brand” price tag feels more worth it. I kind of have a lot of entry level Swiss stuff already, in considering my watches. Maybe time to bite some bigger bullets, haha.
In looking a bit more at Oris offerings, one I do like a lot is this model:
Gives kind of a different diver feel, and, in terms of the Aquis design I was considering, my Tissot Seastar already gives me a black ceramic on blue dial, with 80h PR no less, although it’s on rubber and not a bracelet. But, even looking at that Oris, I then consider a model I like even more, along those lines, from Raymond Weil:
I love the Freelancer Diver I already have, but it leans more toward being dressy, the black dial on a “jubilee” style bracelet, so a more sporty iteration of that, in the black and orange mode there, is appealing, and they are floating around now for as little as $650, which is even more appealing, given the same basic specs as an Aquis Date.
And, it would leave some funds left over, haha, because, seeing the beautiful green Oris Aquis date at the AD reminded me that I still have been considering this Seiko:
I really don’t have a bold green dive watch, and my medium range Seiko buys have been extremely pleasing and that 2019 model gives a 70h PR.
So, enough of my rambling. Thanks for being a place to think out loud. The search goes on, but my current state of mind, once I learned more about this nutty hobby, has been to slowly kind of upgrade my early buys, which has kept my eyes open to the more established brands, when not just rampaging on buys that catch my eye and are sweetly priced.
Being in the AD today, surrounded by “lux” watches, one whacky thought I had was wondering why there aren’t more “fun” styles like Invicta, in the “better” brands. Continues to make me happy with the ‘Victers I do have, since the nice (and pricey!) stuff can be a bit boring sometimes to my small brain, even though, from the perspective of high end watchmaking, I do get the obvious allure (and, to some degree, the price justification) of the difference.
Just makes it again so great that this group here appreciates all comers.
Anyway, at this point I think I will pass on those considerations for the Oris and HC. I could pick up the RW and Seiko for the same relative cost as the Oris, and that would expand me into a “nice” sporty Swiss design, and a “nice” green diver. I’ve still got a bit of time to think about it, waiting on some incoming funds that I’ve decided to earmark for some watch fun, so we shall see what we shall see, as the saying goes.
Thanks everyone, you great bunch of watch people!