The New Oris Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye”

A watch packed with history and pivotal in Oris’ destiny, the Big Crown Pointer Date saw the light in 1938. As the brand’s first dedicated pilot’s watch, the oversized crown was designed so pilots could operate the watch while wearing gloves in their unheated cockpits. With its legible Arabic numerals, graphic railway track, cathedral hands and pointer date, the Big Crown Pointer Date is an Oris icon, a cornerstone model that is revisited periodically with updated case sizes, improved movements and materials, all the while maintaining its distinguishing features. Appealing to fans of neo-vintage models, the new “Bullseye” references an Oris model from the 1920s with a two-tone bull’s eye dial that disappeared from the catalogue in 1988.

After a hiatus of 38 years, Oris rescues this popular design for its Big Crown Pointer Date and scores a winner. Speaking of rescue missions, we have to mention the role of Dr Rolf Portmann, a former Oris employee and current Honorary Chairman, who staged a management buyout in 1982 to save the brand from extinction following the quartz invasion. Given the flood of cheap quartz movements, banking the brand’s future on mechanical watches was a risky venture, but the decision to make the Big Crown Pointer Date the brand’s flagship model was visionary, pre-empting the enormous sway that vintage pilot’s watches hold on the market today.

Hitting the bull’s eye on many fronts, the choice of a compact 38mm case size hits the sweet spot. While there are plenty of 40mm, 36mm, and even 34mm diameters, the only other 38mm Big Crown models are the Cervo Volante references and the more expensive models powered by the brand’s in-house calibres 473 and 403.

Equipped with the distinctive oversized fluted crown and coin-edged bezel, the stainless steel case is 12.2mm thick and has a lug-to-lug span of 45.5mm. To get a feel for the fit, the watch was photographed on Xavier’s 18cm wrist.

Although the dial elements are identical to those found on the Cervo Volante model, the Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye” creates an immediate impact with its bold sector-style layout. Like a target you might find in archery or darts, with a series of concentric circles diminishing in size to mark the central bull’s eye, the dial features four rings. Starting with the peripheral light grey ring bearing the red date numerals indicated by the central, red-tipped pointer hand, the successive minutes/seconds railway track has a light grey background, black rails, black triangular wedges at 5-minute intervals, and a double marker at noon. Inverting the colour scheme, the wider chapter ring is black, with crisp white Arabic numerals and frames the light grey central bull’s eye.

In addition to its graphic impact, the different tracks improve legibility and underscore the watch’s original mission as a cockpit ally. The hands are classic cathedral style with sharp tips and internal segments filled with Super-LumiNova, and the dial is protected by a retro-inspired domed sapphire crystal treated with an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare.

The mineral glass on the caseback reveals Oris’ hallmark red bi-directional rotor of the automatic calibre 754, a modified Sellita SW200 with a date. Beating at 28,800 vibrations/hour, the power reserve is modest at 38 hours, but the movement is reliable, easily serviceable and helps keep the price in check.

This new Oris Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye” is paired with a rugged black Cervo Volante sustainable deer leather strap, a pin buckle, and a quick strap-change system. This handsome watch, which might well become a best-seller in the family, retails for a very competitive CHF 1,950, slightly cheaper (CHF 145) than the similar Cervo Volante models listed on the brand’s website.

More information at oris.ch.