ORIS Carl Brashear LIMITED EDITION

By TLex To all the neigh sayers that said that bronze was just a passing fad that would never catch on! Oris is the latest big brand to get in on the bronze act with this lovely new 2000 piece Limited Edition Diver made in honor of Carl Brashear,



the legendary US Navy Master Diver whose extraordinary story was the inspiration for the 2000 film, Men of Honor, in which he was portrayed by Oscar award winning actor, Cuba Gooding Jr.



Carl was just 17 years old when he first joined the Navy in 1948; despite facing discrimination on account of his race he graduated from the Navy’s diving program in 1954. In 1966, he lost the lower part of his left leg in an accident during a mission to salvage a hydrogen bomb.



After an exhausting period of rehabilitation, he became the US Navy’s first amputee diver in 1968, and then went on to qualify as a Master Diver in 1970, becoming the US Navy’s first African American master diver. Carl Brashear retired in 1979. He died in 2006 aged 75.



ORIS have honored Carl Brashear with the introduction of their first ever bronze watch, the Oris Carl Brashear Limited Edition which is based on Oris’s popular vintage model, the Divers SIXTY-FIVE made from the same naturally aging material used for deep-sea diving helmets like the ones that Carl would have worn in the 1950s.



Its 42mm in diameter Bronze case will initially be bright and shiny, but will darken as its copper content reacts with carbon dioxide and moisture. This means each of the limited run of 2000 pieces will develop a unique patina over time.



Its unidirectional rotational divers bezel is also made of bronze, with a raised minute scale for tracking dive-time. Its Stainless steel caseback shows Carl’s helmet and his very personal claim – It’s not a sin to get knocked down – it’s a sin to stay down!



A Bubble-curved Sapphire crystal domed on both sides and a dark blue dial further the watch’s aquanautic character. Underneath this stunning dark blue dial is an automatic mechanical movement, an Oris Cal. 733, based on Sellita SW200, with a date at 6 o’clock. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters.



The ORIS Carl Brashear Limited Edition Ref. No. 733 7720 3185 LS comes on a dark brown leather strap with a bronze pin buckle. Its Swiss retail price is 2600CHF.