It’s no secret that retro styling is all the rage in dive watch design. Plenty of brands scour their archives for iconic designs from the ’60s and ‘70s and then recreate them in modern pieces. But most of these throwback pieces concede to modern trends, like larger cases and higher water-resistance ratings than their historical inspirations. The result almost scratches the itch, but often leaves one wanting the real deal in all its original perfection.
The Divers Sixty-Five is as close as you can get to a mid-1960s dive watch you might actually dare to wear diving. It’s styled after a watch from Oris’s 1965 catalog, smack dab in the middle of an era when scuba diving was a popular and adventurous new sport. In those days, a watch was an essential piece of kit, alongside a depth gauge and big-ass knife.
The original Oris diver was a far cry from today’s leviathans with their 1,000m depth ratings and 45mm cases. Yet it most likely saw more bottom time than any of those seen adorning wrists in offices today, despite its modest 100m water resistance and slim case. Oris kept the 100m water resistance and modest proportions for the Divers Sixty-Five, which is a modest 40mm across. Aesthetically, the dial’s blocky font and yellowed markers and hands, along with the high-domed crystal (now sapphire) and retro basket-weave rubber strap are pure Age of Aquarius.
$1,850
Movement: Self-winding mechanical calibre 733
Case: 40mm stainless steel
Water resistance: 100m
Functions: Time and date; elapsed time rotating bezel
Strap: Rubber or fabric strap
