The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition

As you might have guessed from its name, the now very well-established Oris Divers Sixty-Five was inspired by a watch created back in… 1965. A classic skin diver model, with recreational divers in mind, it has since its comeback been made in countless editions, colours and sizes. But there’s more than just the original (and rather quirky) model. Proof; the latest limited edition created by our friends of Fratello in collaboration with Oris. This time, they have looked back at a later edition from 1968, which might have quite some historical importance too… Meet the new Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition.

Behind the successful Divers Sixty-Five collection is the resurrection of a specific model born in 1965, this dive watch with a compact case, slim profile and cool, original dial with trapezoidal markers. A watch that has been later derived in a multitude of editions, with larger or smaller cases, in steel, in bronze (or even in both), and importantly with more classic dials – for most of the versions.

Behind the new Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition is a slightly different inspiration. A model that has one or two design specificities, but mostly has one important detail inside its case. The new watch is modelled after a later edition of this watch, precisely a model from 1968, which was an important milestone for the brand. It was the first of the brand’s dive watches to have the “STAR” designation on its dial. What does that mean? It indicates that the watch had a Swiss lever escapement. This marked a significant improvement over the pin-pallet escapements that Oris had been forced by the Swiss Watch Statute to continue using since 1934. And if you know a bit about watchmaking, it indeed made quite a change.

The new Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition uses most of the design elements found in this 1968 iteration of the watch and blends them into the modern watch we’ve come to know for some years now. The result is this…

The Fratello Edition relies on the compact 40mm case, with a 13mm height and a 48mm lug-to-lug measurement – not the smallest but still very manageable. Most of the components are the same as the standard watch; brushed and polished case, ultra-domed sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and solid steel back with a 100m water-resistance. What changes then? For the external parts its mostly about the bezel, which has a new black aluminium insert with a dotted 60-minute scale (instead of small baton markers), and a caseback decorated with Fratello’s logo.

The dial of this Oris x Fratello model is also showing its fair dosage of new elements. The surface is black with a glossy surface, the hands are classic batons and the markers are painted dots and rectangles in beige Super-LumiNova. The two main differences; the trapezoidal date window that is now at 3 o’clock and outlined in white with a black disc; and the historical typography for the Oris logo, the Star mention and the specifications at 6 o’clock – all referring to the original 1968 model.

Inside, no surprise, as it’s powered by the classic Oris 733, also known as a Sellita SW200-1 automatic. The Divers Sixty-Five Fratello is delivered on a black calfskin strap with a signed pin buckle. Also included are an additional black tropic-style rubber strap and a brown leather travel pouch.

The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition will be available from 6:00 AM CET on Tuesday, December 6th, 2022. It is a limited edition of 300 pieces in total – 250 pieces will be available to order from the Fratello Shop, and the remaining 50 pieces will be available directly from Oris boutiques. It is priced at EUR 2,299 (incl. Dutch VAT, for EU customers) or EUR 1,900 (excl. VAT).

For more details, please visit www.oris.ch and www.fratellowatches.com.