Come back In the late 60s, even the most discerning observers could not have predicted the impending devastation of the Swiss watch industry with quartz technology. The arrival of the electronic wristwatch was so revolutionary that, the era is still known as the Quartz Crisis in Switzerland.
Once bitten twice. Today, after reshaping the traditional mechanical watch as a luxury watch and having built a huge industry upon it, Swiss brands are engaged in an arms race. completely new to each other. Watch movements are getting more precise, more reliable and longer lasting. Simply put, mechanical watches are getting better on all margins, moving towards real-world utilitarianism and sustainability.
It’s an idea close to the heart of Rolf Studer, Co-CEO of the independent brand Oris, a company with a tradition of intelligently industrializing. Last November, Oris launched an automatic movement, the Caliber 400, which can be seen as the poster child for this third wave of watchmaking. Powering select pilot and diving watches for under £3,000, it offers significant improvements in accuracy, power reserve, anti-magnetic and longevity compared to the industry standard “tractor” movements that Oris used to use.
“This is a movement with a purpose,” says Studer, who describes a five-year R&D process that has improved everything from the shape of the gears to the efficiency of the winding system. “By defining a few elements and setting a new standard for all of them, the Caliber 400 addresses the needs of the customer directly. It is suitable for any everyday situation. “
In strong winds, it runs for five days (120 hours), of which 40 to 42 hours used to be the norm. Most impressively, Oris says watches with Caliber 400 movements can be worn for a whole decade before they need servicing. or five years.
