Oris’ grand overhaul continues! For Dubai Watch Week 2025, the Swiss independent has launched a new, more professional rendition of their ProPilot Date collection.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” If a design clearly works, there’s no point in making broad or sweeping changes. There’s a reason Porsches, PlayStation controllers, Wikipedia and even the wheel have kept the same silhouette over the years. That said, it doesn’t mean a better design isn’t possible.
In the watch world, this idea of gradual innovation is championed by Oris. While not as slow-moving as some other incremental innovators (looking at you, Rolex), Oris has made small but meaningful updates across a wide range of its watches.
The first to see these refinements was the flagship Aquis collection, which gained major improvements in ergonomics and day-to-day usability without disrupting what already worked. At Watches and Wonders this year, Oris continued this approach with a refreshed Big Crown Pointer Date collection, revising the look and adding lively bursts of colour to the dials.
But while previous changes have been fairly incremental — a colour tweak here, a font adjustment there — the new ProPilot Date models from Oris are anything but. Where the Big Crown Pointer Date and Aquis collections have become more colourful and distinctive, the ProPilot Date line has gone in the opposite direction. Rooted firmly in practicality, the new ProPilot Date references feature a trio of matte, textured dials that reinforce their reputation as true flight-ready watches.
Measuring 41 mm wide, 49 mm long and 11.7 mm thick, all three versions come in stainless steel. They can be paired with either the iconic ProPilot bracelet, complete with its airplane seatbelt-inspired LIFT buckle, or a suede leather strap matched to the dial. Like their stablemates, the new ProPilot Date models also carry a range of subtle redesigns that sharpen their no-nonsense character.
While it’s familiar at first glance, many of the proportions and surfaces have been reworked. The case is now tauter, the lines sharper, and the transitions more deliberate. The case and lugs are predominantly brushed, while the case flanks remain polished. It’s a balanced mix of finishes that adds refinement while reinforcing its utilitarian character.
Oris has also redesigned the signature turbine-inspired bezel. The detailing is more pronounced, with deeper fluting that still echoes jet engine architecture. The oversized screw-in crown has received similar attention: its taper and knurling have been reprofiled for better grip, whether you’re wearing gloves or not. With 100 metres of water resistance, the watch remains a robust companion and a reliable daily wearer.
The dial of the ProPilot Date has also seen a series of updates. First are the three new colours: black, chalk grey and moss green — serious tones for a serious watch. The old sunray-brushed finish is gone, replaced by a fine-grained texture that cuts glare and strengthens the instrument-like feel.
A raised minute track circles the dial, adding depth and improving legibility. The applied Arabic numerals have been refined as well, with crisper brushing and updated typography. The new 7, for instance, now features a slightly more angled stem that subtly modernises the design.
The sword hands have been reworked, too. Once fully lumed, they now use lume-tipped accents, creating a cleaner and more contemporary look without sacrificing night-time readability. The tip colours — red, white or orange — match the black, chalk and moss models respectively. A neatly integrated date window sits at 6 o’clock, improving symmetry and balance. It’s also colour-matched, which in my view remains an underused detail that even many haute horlogerie brands still struggle to embrace.
Speaking of gradual improvements, the Oris ProPilot Date’s Calibre 751 has also been retired. It’s now powered by the Calibre 733, based on the Sellita SW200-1 architecture. It still beats at the luxury standard of 4Hz (28,800VpH), but the power reserve has been raised from 38 to 41 hours. It’s not a Calibre 400 as much as we might wish it were, given that a five-day, near-chronometric pilot’s watch is well within Oris’ capabilities. Despite this, the Cal. 733 does help keep the price at a more accessible level and does a good job of it to boot.
My Thoughts
On the whole, I appreciate what Oris has been doing over the past two years. They’re not going all-out with smoke and mirrors (bright colours aside), but they are making incremental changes to the parts of a watch that matter most.
You know, the things you start to notice once the honeymoon period wears off. In that sense, the ProPilot Date follows in the footsteps of the Aquis and Big Crown Pointer Date, further modernising the brand. To borrow from Pusha T, Oris “didn’t have to reinvent the wheel, just a better design,” and they’ve executed that idea perfectly here.
That said, I’m not entirely convinced it was the ProPilot Date that needed attention right now. In my opinion, while Oris has already done a lot with the ProPilot X line, it’s a collection that the community has been asking for some additional TLC.
I probably wouldn’t be the first to call for applied indices on the ProPilot X, nor the last. I suspect Oris will get to it eventually, if they haven’t already, but they seem focused on ensuring the rest of their catalogue is up to scratch before refining a younger lineup. For that, I do applaud them — though I remain keen to see which watches they’ll revise next.
References:
- Steel Bracelet: 733 7805 4164-07 8 20 04LC (Black) / 733 7805 4167-07 8 20 04LC (Moss) / 733 7805 4163-07 8 20 04LC (Chalk)
- Leather Strap: 733 7805 4164-07 6 20 14LC (Black) / 733 7805 4167-07 6 20 16LC (Moss) / 733 7805 4163-07 6 20 15LC (Chalk)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 41mm case diameter x 49mm lug-to-lug x 11.7mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Dial: Textured black / chalk grey / moss green
- Movement: Automatic Oris Cal. 733 with date complication
- Power Reserve: 41h
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: Steel bracelet / colour-matched suede leather strap with folding ‘LIFT’ clasp