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ORIS Watch…The World Awaits the In-house Movement

ORIS Watches have for quite some time now been renowned or their stylish designs and have garnered the reputation as the finest value for money mechanical watch in the world today.

It was a reputation hard fought for and won on the back of breakthrough mechanical movements such as the World Timer and cutting edge design showcases through their Jazz collection and ever impressive divers where the Carlos Coste Limited Edition is still one of the most sought after divers watches in the world today.

ORIS Watches are evolving and yet the ever loyal ORIS Watch community is asking a serious question.......”will ORIS pricing evolve as quickly as its watches?”

It is an interesting question. ORIS quality has certainly improved over the past decade and now sits comfortably against the like of Omega and at a fraction of the price. Lovers of the ORIS Watch will also point out that head to head in terms of design ORIS has perhaps pushed the design envelope a little harder.

The leaking last year that the first complete ORIS in-house movement was due to be released made every ORIS lovers jaw drop  while increasingly nervous competitors raised an eyebrow. Is it possible that ORIS could maintain its price advantage with a complete in-house movement? The pragmatists in the industry say impossible. “The future of value for money watches comes from very good watch movements from large scale manufacturers such as Sellita.”

Still, others point out that ORIS is making a very smart move with a possible eye to total self sufficiency should the need arise in the future.

As the watch world awaits the new ORIS in-house movement, to be released some- time this year. The money is on an initial workhorse movement where complications can be built upon in time.  The question that has the watch world tongues wagging is at what price point will the in house movement take the ORIS Watch. Will it remain one of the best value for money mechanical watches in the world? Or will it enter the pantheon of Omega and Rolex and get lost?

Personally I am thrilled that ORIS has taken this challenge and market positioning. It can only make you a better watchmaker if you are handling internally the research, development and manufacture of the movements your watches use. ETA and Sellita are excellent movements but it will be lovely to see ORIS Watches sporting movements which have sprouted from the loins of its design team.

I am intrigued about the final pricing. It may provide a definitive insight as to where ORIS Watches are heading.

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