Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Oris Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun Limited Edition
Oris lends the Changjian Conservation Foundation a helping hand to reverse the fate of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise.
The Oris Aquis Date collection made a splash in 2011 as a new generation of dive watches catering to professional divers and landlubbers looking for a resilient sports watch. Characterised by its competent diving credentials and robust architecture, the Aquis Date represents Oris’ more technical, contemporary side, compared to the vintage-inspired Divers Sixty-Five line. Redesigned over the years, the latest Aquis Date partners with the Chinese Changjiang Conservation Foundation to help conserve the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise.
Through its “Change for the Better” programme, Oris has established a solid record of aquatic and marine conservation initiatives. Special Aquis editions dedicated to marine and coral preservation, the restoration of harbours, rivers and lakes, the removal of plastic from ocean waters, and the use of upcycled PET plastics, highlight Oris’ earnest commitment to the environment.
The Yangtze finless porpoise, or jiangtun in Mandarin, is uniquely adapted to the Yangtze River system, the longest river in China and the third longest in the world. Following the extinction of the Baiji dolphin due to overfishing, water and noise pollution, habitat loss and shipping, a 2017 report estimated that only 1,012 specimens of the Yangtze finless porpoise remained. Known for its intriguing smile and intelligence, the Chinese porpoise could follow the fate of the Baiji dolphin and is listed as “critically endangered” by the WWF.
Working with the Changjiang Conservation Foundation (CCF), which has helped increase the population to 1,249 – partly by involving fishermen to patrol the river – Oris will donate eight watches to the CCF. The organisation will auction them on 21 March and use the proceeds to support the ongoing protection of finless porpoises.
The model selected for the partnership is the 300m water-resistant Aquis Date 43.5mm reference, featuring special details that evoke the habitat of the finless porpoise. An appropriate material in this context, the dial is made from mother-of-pearl, a natural material with an iridescent sheen that forms inside certain mollusc shells. Highlighted in a blueish-green colour, the natural iridescence of mother-of-pearl captures and reflects light like the surface of the Yangtze River. Although mother-of-pearl is delicate and brittle to work with, Oris has printed a wave pattern on the dial emulating the sound waves of the finless porpoise’s high-frequency ultrasonic clicks used for echolocation and social interactions.
On the reverse side, an engraving of a Yangtze finless porpoise swimming in a wavy stream greets you with its enchanting smile. The number 1,249 is also symbolic: it represents both the current number of existing porpoises and the number of Aquis Date models produced in its name. Recently updated with shorter, more ergonomic lugs, a slimmer case profile (13.1mm), and a redesigned tapering steel bracelet, the slightly thinner unidirectional rotating bezel of the Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun now features a dark grey tungsten insert instead of a ceramic one.
In accordance with the latest design tweaks (applied to 43.5mm, 41.5mm, and 36.5mm references), the shield-shaped lume-filled hour markers and Alpha hour and minute hands have sharper outlines, and the new typeface is used for the dial inscriptions. One detail, though, that does not align with the recent upgrade is the white background of the date window.
As a bona fide diving companion, the screw-down crown is flanked by tapered guards, and the screw-down caseback protects the automatic Oris calibre 733 (Sellita SW200-1 base) with its 4Hz frequency, 41-hour power reserve and hacking seconds. A limited edition of 1,249 pieces, the Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun retails for CHF 2,550. More details at oris.ch.
