The Oris Artelier Complication is an icon reborn from watchmaker Oris epitomizing the spirit of innovation and creativity that has made Oris one of the world’s most recognized and celebrated watch companies. This year, it returns in a modernized version of the Artelier to inspire a new generation of mechanical watch enthusiasts.
The Complication was first introduced in 1991 at a time when the Swiss watch industry was slowly recovering from the troubles of the Quartz Crisis. Believing in the long-term future of intricately designed and beautifully crafted traditional movements, Oris had decided in the mid-1980s to only make watches with mechanical movements.
The Complication was a bold statement of intent and put a marker in the sand for the whole industry. It featured an automatic movement with day, date, moon phase and second time zone indications. This suite of useful yet romantic functions made the watch an essential tool for stylish, sophisticated international travellers. It has been part of the Oris collection ever since.
The Artelier became a series of timepieces aimed at lovers of traditional watchmaking and classic design, and helped communicate Oris’s continued commitment to the watchmaking values passed down through the generations, since the company was founded in 1904.
Today, 26 years after the original Complication, Oris has introduced it into a new version of the Artelier. Oris’s designers updated the Artelier collection, giving it a sleeker, lighter, more tapered feel in keeping with the tastes of contemporary Oris customers. The new watch also has an elegant, Art-Deco-inspired guilloche dial that pointed to Oris’s deep admiration for the art of traditional watchmaking.
This is the first time that the new case-shape and dial pattern have been married with the Complication. The result is a watch that combines day, date, moon phase and 24-hour second time zone functions with a beautifully designed, hugely versatile watch.
There are two versions, both with stainless steel cases – one with rose gold-plated hands and hour markers and a brown leather strap; and a second with blue hands and hour markers and a blue leather strap. In both, the moon phase is in two colors, giving the watch a romantic feel. In keeping with Oris’s philosophy, the Artelier Complication has been designed for use in the real world. The second time zone can be adjusted quickly using the pusher at 4 o’clock, a useful function that will be appreciated by travellers.
