Hands-on Review of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze
For the past month I have had the chance to test out a watch from Oris, a brand that I admire for multiple reasons. Beyond offering many classic styles at a luxury but affordable price-point, the brand has become climate neutral and offered some very cool pieces using recycled parts. While I did not review the Upcycle, I did have the chance to spend a while with the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze and it does not disappoint.
The initial reactions I got from my friends and family were all very positive. They loved my classy rose gold watch. I had to politely correct them that the watch was not gold, and in fact bronze. The use of bronze is actually very smart idea for a watch in this price category. At under $3,000 USD you just aren’t getting a solid gold watch, and who wants a gold plated watch that will eventually flake? The bronze hue of the Big Crown Pointer Date gives it the classiness of a gold watch without the price-tag. For those of you who like a nice patina on your timepieces, the watch is not treated. However, even with a full bronze case and bracelet, I did not get any of that nasty green discoloration on my wrist (as I have with many other bronze and brass watches). If you don’t like the patina, you can always clean the watch to give it that fresh “rose gold” look.
The Pointer Date is an extremely legible field watch that is can be dressed up or down. The watch is offered in four different colorways, including green, brown, bordeaux and blue. I had the blue dial, which is apparently their most popular offering. The blue dial is rich and fits the overall aesthetic of the watch. Oris clearly recognizes the appeal of blue dial watches without being drawn into the crazy over variations such as Tiffany or baby blue.
The watch runs on an Oris 754 movement, which uses as a base the trustworthy Sellita SW-200. The watch is a three-hander with the date is displayed by 4th hand with a red pointer, instead of a typical date wheel. This gives the watch more of a retro feel (like something you might expect the military to wear in the 1940s or 1950s).
One of my favorite parts of the watch is the bronze bracelet. The bracelet has a jubilee-esque design with 7 links. It is also extremely comfortable to wear. The Pointer Date is actually one of the more comfortable watches on a bracelet I have worn in a while. The fact that Oris has somehow managed to design a watch made out of bronze that doesn’t stain your skin (or at least mine) is a huge plus in my opinion. I believe this is due to a coating on the underside of the bracelet that inhabits patina formation. This is a nice solution to a known problem with bronze watches (and a reason why few watchmakers have attempted to make a bronze bracelet). Beyond the bracelet, I am sure that, given its vintage look and feel, the Big Crown Pointer Date would also look great on a leather strap as well.
The 40mm size of the case fits well on my 6.75 inch wrist. While the watch might look a little larger on the wrist because of its smaller bezel, this is offset by the thinness of the case. The watch comes with a domed sapphire crystal which represents another retro detail that adds to the character of the watch.
All-in-all the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date represents a great value proposition for someone that wants a Swiss Made field watch produced by a respected brand. There are not many watch brands out there right that achieve the same attention to detail precision watchmaking as Oris at a similar price-point. Whether it is the coin bezel or the beautifully machined and extremely comfortable bracelet, Oris hits a homerun with the Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze.
How Much Does The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze Cost?
The Oris Big Crown Pointer date is currently for sale for $2,600 USD on Oris’ website (or $2,100 USD on a leather strap). In addition to the blue dial, green, brown and red dial colors are also offered.
