What is the Oris Star Edition?
For Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, Oris has unveiled the Star Edition. A 35 mm time-only and date watch, it is a reissue of a historic Oris model from 1966.
Why is it historically significant?
Introduced in the 1930s, the Swiss Watch Statute was a law “to counter anti competition measures taken by companies battling for survival during The Great Depression.” One of its unexpected consequences was that it prevented Swiss watch companies from engaging in innovation. This applied to Oris; which as per the statute was only allowed to use “less accurate pin-lever movements” in its watches. This enabled the Swiss watch lobby to hold back the competition. In 1956, Oris hired Dr. Rolf Portmann (then a young lawyer, now Honorary Chairman of Oris) to reverse this law.
It took him a decade. In 1965, the law was overturned and all Swiss watch brands were free to innovate and progress. In 1966, Oris introduced the Oris Star, a watch featuring the brand’s first in-house lever escapement movement. “The Star quickly became a symbol of innovation, precision, and a new chapter in the brand’s mechanical watchmaking journey.” And the rest as they say is history, both for Oris and the the Swiss watch industry.
What are its dial, case and strap features?
Silver dial. Square-tipped hands and twin-baton shaped applied hour-markers are coated with Super-LumiNova. Subtle hour and minute scale on the outer dial.
Multi-piece case is made from stainless steel. It measures 35 mm (diameter) * 11.1 mm (thickness). Lug-to-lug distance is 41.5 mm. All operations via the screw-in crown at 3 o’clock. Dial side features a domed Plexi-crystal. Stainless steel screwed caseback features an engraving of the vintage Oris Shield and other lettering. Water resistant up to 5 bar or approximately 50 metres. The watch comes with a black leather strap fitted with a pin buckle.
Is it powered by an automatic movement?
Yes. It is powered by Oris Calibre 733-1, an automatic movement that drives the hours, minutes, seconds with a stop seconds function and date. Its diameter is 25.6 mm or 11 ½ lignes, comprises 26 jewels, beats at a frequency of 4 Hz or 28,800 vph and has a power reserve of 41 hours.
What do we think?
Today, the ease with which mainstream watch brands churn out impressive watches and independent watchmakers set up ateliers and create desirable watches, the latter with a menu of desirable horological features and waiting lists spanning a decade (if not more) is unprecedented. Directly or indirectly, they have Dr. Rolf Portmann to thank for this. Without his legal efforts spanning a decade during the 1950s and 1960s, the industry as we know it today might not have existed.
The original Oris Star stands as a symbol of democratising the Swiss watch industry. The new Oris Star Edition is a much-needed reminder. A simple time-only watch with date, its simplicity and affordable price tag of CHF 1,800 belies its true significance. It is one of the most important watches launched in Geneva this year, and stands shoulder to shoulder with watches costing hundreds, thousands of times more.
Additional Details
Name: Oris Star Edition
Reference: 01 733 7813 4151-Set
Price: Swiss Franc (CHF) 1,800
Warranty: 2 years. Extendable to 3 years upon joining MyOris.
Please visit oris.com to learn more about the Star Edition and other Oris novelties.
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