Oris Big Crown collection further explores the dressy elements of pilot's watches. The watchmaker brings the design oriented approach started in Flight Timers to its logical conclusion by incorporating precious metals and elaborate complications. The flute bezels stay, though in a more subdued variation, and the vertical 2 o'clock crown travels south to occupy its more traditional centralized location. Let's take a closer look at the Telemeter Chronograph, Pointer Date, and Complication, the three models that comprise the collection.

Though all three retain the unique spaceship shaped hands, the pointed markers create a different effect because they have more free space to operate in. In a way, it's as if the designers literally take the watches to higher spheres where less stars (indices and numerals) interfere with the movement of the “vessels”.

Two models – Oris Pointer Date and Oris Complication – introduce white dials, making additional steps towards aesthetic elaboration. White dials can't provide as much legibility, but they look good – that's why these are more suitable as anniversary, or simply elegant dressy timepieces, than professional pilot's watches. Appropriately enough, the white faces feature various patterns (grayish color), and the Pointer Date version adds a rose gold plating on the bezel.

Oris trademark harmonious interaction between various dial and watch parts reaches its peak in the Big Crown collection. This, however, is not without some sacrifices: harmony suppresses functionality, making it less prominent; the watches lose some of their professional edge.

Functions and Complications

Oris Big Crown watches contain a chronograph, a pointer, aperture, or subdial date, and moon phases complications. The latter places Oris right between the most venerable Swiss brands as Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe.

These aviation models encase some of the company's most advanced movements, which propel up to three subsidiary dials and counters. Standard 42 hours of power reserve and automatic self-winding features ensure the caliber's precision.