Introducing the new Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm; introduced as a trio, the collection includes models with anthracite, blue or green colorways.
If you hadn’t already worked it from the new model’s suffix – yes, this is a slightly smaller 41.5mm version of Oris’s CALIBRE 400-powered Aquis Date.
Pound for pound it’s pretty much the same watch as the one that wowed us back in the fall of 2020 but of course it’s shrunk and also comes with one minor cosmetic tweak that helps to differentiate it from its big brother.
Most noticeably is the simple line of otherwise superfluous text once saying “PRESSURE RESISTANT” which is absent from the dial of this 41.5mm version.
While the missing dial text does set the sizes apart at a glance the most obvious reason for removing it was owing to the reduced space on the smaller dial.
Unlike the also (relatively) new AQUISPRO Date Cal 400 which has a ton of other cool tricks up its sleeves in addition to its movement, the Aquis Dare Cal 400 is all about its engine –
the very same ground-breaking automatic movement from Oris, the specifications of which include:
a power-reserve of 5-days thanks to twin barrels both of which house extended mainsprings with 2.5 days of autonomy each,
a more stable rotor-system with a low-friction slide bearing system, in which a metal stud runs through a lubricated sleeve – naturellement!
The system is far less complex, than a traditional one so is not only more efficient but is less prone to wear and tear resulting slimmer chance of a breakdown.
Then there’s the Cal 400’s inclusion of a silicon escape wheel as well as a silicon anchor.
When tested by the renowned Laboratoire Dubois, the Calibre 400 deviated by less than 10 seconds a day after exposure to 2,250 gauss. In short the movement is highly magnetic resistant.
And finally with regard to the watch’s movement – such is its level of specification that Oris offer all watches powered by their Cal 400 a whopping 10 years warranty.
So imagine you bought one and wore it for 7 or 8 years and finally decided to flip it, you’d be able advertise it as still being under warranty – that’s crazy!
Further features of the watch include: a multi-piece Stainless steel case with 300 meters of water-resistance, a screw-down crown and case-back, a domed sapphire crystal plus sapphire exhibition back glass and a unidirectional diver’s bezel with ceramic inlay.
The new Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm can be delivered with either; a Stainless steel bracelet or with a black rubber strap –
both with of which come with a security folding clasp with a diver’s extension and make use of Oris’s Quick Strap Change system.
The new Aquis Date Calibre 400 41.5mm has a Swiss retail price 3’200 CHF on its bracelet or 3’100CHF on rubber and is available as of June 2021.
Thoughts? I would imagine that these are going to fly off the shelves given the more popular size. It’s such a lot of movement for the price, too.
Personally I must admit, I think the new AquisPro Cal 400 is damn near perfect – but I would love to see that moving down in size from 49.5mm to a more manageable 45mm.
But what do you think – this, its big brother or the new TITONI?
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