Oris Aquis Depth Gauge

The Oris Aquis Depth Gauge is the first watch in the world that allows water in for measuring depth underwater. Water flows into a small channel carved in the glass and compresses the air. A small air bubble inside the channel shows the current depth with the help of a scale. You can monitor your dive times the traditional way by using the unidirectional bezel, which comes in ceramic on the model introduced in 2013.

A highlight of this collection is the Aquis Depth Gauge Edition Chronos. It had a limited run of 50 pieces and was developed by Oris in cooperation with the watch trade magazine Chronos. In addition to its blue sunburst dial, this diving watch has an orange rubber strap and an orange depth scale. Those looking for a diving chronograph will find what they're looking for in the Aquis Depth Gauge Chronograph.

The patented depth gauge uses the Boyle-Mariotte Law to measure depth. Simply put, the law states that the volume of gas decreases as pressure increases. Since water pressure increases with depth, the air in the channel becomes compressed. This compressed air, along with a scale from 1 to 100 m around the edge of the dial, allows you to determine your depth. One major advantage of this type of mechanical measurement is that it displays depth in real time while other methods have a delay. A conversion chart engraved on the case back also makes it easy to convert between meters and feet. Due to physical constraints, the Oris Aquis Depth Gauge is only exact up to 10 m. The scale then becomes less accurate up to 30 m. Past 30 m, it becomes difficult to properly determine your depth. That being said, this is not much cause for concern since very few recreational divers ever go much deeper.

You can purchase an Oris Aquis Depth Gauge in mint condition for as little as 2,100 euros. Models with a yellow rubber strap are slightly more expensive at around 2,300 euros, while pre-owned models run for almost 1,900 euros. If you're looking for the Aquis Depth Gauge Edition Chronos that had a limited run of 50 pieces, you will need a lot of luck and at least 3,000 euros. Never worn chronographs from this series cost only a few hundred euros more at 3,300 euros. Pre-owned versions cost 2,800 euros. The Oris Aquis Date is a standard diving watch and markedly less expensive. You can buy one of these watches in mint condition for around 1,300 euros. Pre-owned models are even more affordable and can be purchased for under 1,000 euros. The price for a new diving watch with a chronograph function comes in at about 2,200 euros. You will need around 1,800 euros for a pre-owned model.

The size of the Oris Aquis Depth Gauge alone is enough to make it stand out. Even by modern standards, the 46-mm three-hand version is big, and it's not even the largest model. The chronographs surpass it by 2 mm. At 48 mm, the Depth Gauge Chronograph is in the same weight class as the largest diving watches from Panerai. Thanks to their relatively small lugs, the Oris watches still fit on a normal-sized wrist. Their large size also guarantees readability in the underwater environment they were intended for. The hands, indices, and zero marker on the bezel all have a layer of luminous material so you can keep track of your dive time and time of day, even in the dark or on deep dives.

The bezel is made of ceramic on both the standard and chronograph versions. The Aquis Depth Gauge Yellow , with a bright yellow rubber strap, has a tungsten bezel and a stainless steel case coated in black. Its fold-over safety clasp has the same black coating, and the yellow strap can be switched out for a black one that also comes with the watch. The standard version has no coating on the case or clasp and comes with both a black rubber strap and a stainless steel bracelet. A tool for changing the band and a water-resistant box also come with every watch.

Oris chose the Oris caliber 733 based on the Sellita SW 200-1 to power the Aquis Depth Gauge. This movement is almost identical to the ETA 2824-2 and has the same 38-hour power reserve. It also has the same frequency of 28,800 alternations per hour (A/h). That being said, Oris has replaced the winding rotor with their trademark red rotor. Furthermore, this movement features a date display at 6 o'clock that is easy to correct thanks to its quick-set mechanism. The stop-seconds mechanism is also very practical and allows you to set the time to the exact second.

The Hölstein-based manufacturer opted for the automatic, Sellita SW 500-based Oris caliber 774 for the Oris Aquis Depth Gauge Chronograph. This movement is also very similar to an ETA caliber, namely the Valjoux 7750, and is capable of measuring periods of time of up to 12 hours. Its date display is located within the hour counter at 6 o'clock. The small seconds dial is at 9 o'clock, and the 30-minute counter sits at 12 o'clock. The manufacturer has printed the inscriptions "ORIS", "DEPTH GAUGE", "CHRONOGRAPH", and "AUTOMATIC" on the dial at 3 o'clock. Similar to the three-handed models, the screw-down case back and crown lend this watch its 500 m (50 bar) water resistance.