Oris

Oris was founded on 1 June 1904 by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian in Hölstein, Switzerland, named after a nearby brook. They bought the recently closed Lohner & Co watch factory. By 1911, the company was Hölstein's largest employer with over 300 workers. Oris introduced the Big Crown pilot's watch in 1938 with an oversized crown for gloved operation. The first Oris diver's watch was released in 1965. In 1917, Oris created its first pilot's wristwatch. By the late 1960s, Oris was among the world's top 10 watch companies, employing 800 people and producing 1.2 million watches and clocks annually. In 1970, Oris joined ASUAG, the predecessor of the Swatch Group. The quartz crisis hit hard, reducing staff to a few dozen. In 1982, Dr. Rolf Portmann and Ulrich W. Herzog executed a management buyout, restoring independence. The company abandoned quartz production, and by 1992 produced only mechanical watches. In 2002, the Red Rotor became a registered trademark. In 2014, Oris launched Calibre 110, its first in-house movement in 35 years. The Calibre 400, introduced in 2020, offers a five-day power reserve, anti-magnetism, and a 10-year warranty.