News: Oris Unveils The New Divers Sixty-Five Date 'Forest Green'

Oris has developed a knack for creating thoughtful, evocative colorways in recent years that go beyond your typical palette. We’ve seen some seriously beautiful hues used by the brand in some rather unexpected ways, from their Cotton Candy collection, to the more subtle mixes found in the Big Crown Pointer Date collection. This week, the Hölstein-based brand is returning to their Divers Sixty-Five collection with a rich, earthy green colorway meant to evoke summertime. The new 40mm diver comes on the heels of a few other big, colorful releases in both the Aquis and Divers Sixty-Five collections, but this latest example is more of an exercise in restraint, the result of which is compelling in its own way. 

The Divers Sixty-Five collection has been fleshed out in some rather interesting ways in recent years. Not only has the platform served to connect the brand with its history, the collection has become quite comfortable in both throwback and modern liveries. It’s also come to welcome Oris’ own caliber 400 movement series without much of a compromise to its old-school sizing and case design. This has split the collection into multiple sizes, case materials, and price points. There’s a Divers Sixty-Five for all tastes, it seems, and while some could be considered polarizing, none could be considered ‘boring,' which is a welcome quality these days. 

The latest addition to the Divers Sixty-Five collection is no exception. The new reference gets a steel case measuring 40mm in diameter fitted to a steel ‘riveted’ three-link bracelet. The case feels decidedly old-school with a sloping lug that tapers from the case with no crown guards in sight. It’s a classic look that works quite well on the wrist, if a bit more substantial than its 38mm stablemates. The crown sits a bit further away from the case than I’d prefer, but it doesn’t inhibit wearability for the most part, so it’s largely an aesthetic preference. 

Oris is using the 733 caliber with this Divers Sixty-Five, which is based on the Sellita caliber SW200-1, or what Oris calls its "Red Rotor Sellita" movement. This example uses a closed caseback emblazoned with the Oris shield, however, so there is no view of said red rotor. This movement keeps the case around 13mm in thickness, which includes a domed sapphire crystal, while also providing a date complication, which has been placed at 6 o’clock on the dial. 

The real focal points here are the dial and bezel, which have been rendered in warm green tones for this piece. The aluminum bezel matches the color of the outermost portion of the dial, which fades from lighter tones at the center, to darker tones at its perimeter. It’s the kind of green that will evoke some manner of feeling, though exactly what will come down to the viewer. The inspiration for the colors is stated by Oris as being the “dense forests that surround our historic factory in the Swiss village of Hölstein, deep in the Waldenburg Valley.”

The colors take on a soothing appearance that works well with the simple dive- watch design, save for the fully indexed bezel, which feels a bit overkill for this package. This 100M diver, while capable, falls into the casual diver space and presents well as a go anywhere, do anything kind of package, though the unique color scheme here will somewhat limit its overall flexibility. 

This Divers Sixty-Five is a great example of the dive watch genre serving as something of a catch all for expressive ideas and colorways. The design language here is approachable and broadly capable, not only as a great toolish watch, but also as a casual wearer that brings an element of style to the table. This is a genre that’s been increasingly broadened in scope, and while over-engineered, spec-built tools are still at the core, there are more and more options living closer to the border which don’t feel quite as extreme, and as a result make themselves better everyday-wear candidates. In reality, very few of these will see more than a few meters of depth, but the genre itself is thriving, and that’s largely thanks to the more casual perimeter. 

Overall, this is another compelling example of the Divers Sixty-Five from Oris. While this is a crowded space, especially at this price point, this execution makes a strong case with an interesting colorway and classic design DNA. The Oris Divers Sixty-Five in Forest Green is available, priced from $2,700.