Oris has long established its credentials in the realm of purpose-built timepieces, particularly those designed for underwater exploration. The brand's focus on creating functional, reliable, and innovative tools for professionals is a core part of its identity. This philosophy is not about superfluous decoration but about solving practical problems that divers face. The company has a history of engaging with the diving community, asking what features are genuinely needed, and then engineering solutions. This approach has led to some of the brand's most respected developments. The Aquis collection stands as the modern pillar of this underwater legacy, and at the peak of that range sits the professional-grade "Pro" series, built for the most demanding environments.
The new Oris Aquis Pro 1000M is a direct expression of this problem-solving mindset. It is an instrument designed from the ground up for extreme performance and absolute security. As its name plainly states, this watch is rated for a staggering 100 bar, which translates to 1,000 meters or 3,280 feet of water resistance. This level of over-engineering places it in the elite category of saturation dive watches, built to withstand pressures far beyond the limits of human physiology, ensuring that the watch is never the weak point in any underwater expedition. This capability is not just a number on a dial; it informs every aspect of the watch's construction, from the case materials to the patented bezel system.
Courtesy of Oris
The watch makes an immediate and formidable impression. Its case measures 49.50 mm in diameter, a dimension that speaks directly to its purpose. This is not a subtle timepiece meant to slide under a cuff; it is a large, highly legible piece of equipment designed to be worn over a thick wetsuit and read in challenging, low-light conditions. Despite this massive footprint, Oris has made a critical material choice to ensure wearability: the multi-piece case is crafted from titanium. This material is significantly lighter than stainless steel, providing a much more manageable experience on the wrist for a watch of this size, while also offering superior strength and corrosion resistance.
This titanium case is further treated with a grey PVD coating. This physical vapor deposition process adds a layer of surface hardness and gives the watch a distinct, modern, and utilitarian appearance. The grey finish is matte and non-reflective, cutting down on glare and reinforcing the "tool" aesthetic. It’s a finish that looks technical and serious, perfectly matching the watch’s professional intentions. This coating extends across the entire case, creating a cohesive, monolithic look that visually slims the watch's massive proportions, even if only slightly.
The case architecture itself is robust, with thick, angular lugs that integrate directly into the strap system. The lug-to-lug measurement is 55.00 mm, and the thickness is a substantial 16.60 mm. These dimensions confirm that the Aquis Pro 1000M is built for presence and durability. On the side of the case, the stainless steel screw-in security crown is also finished with a matching grey PVD coating. It is protected by substantial crown guards that flow directly from the case's mid-body, shielding the crown from accidental impacts that could compromise the case's water-tight integrity.
Flipping the watch over reveals a solid titanium, screwed-in case back. This is a hallmark of a serious dive watch, as a display back would be a potential failure point at such extreme depths. The case back is not merely functional; it features special engravings, including a useful conversion scale for meters to feet, circling a central medallion bearing the Oris shield. This practical touch underscores the watch's role as a functional instrument for international divers.
Courtesy of Oris
Arguably the most significant feature of the Aquis Pro 1000M is its Oris-patented Rotation Safety System, or RSS. This is a feature born directly from professional diver feedback, addressing the critical risk of an accidentally bumped bezel. A diver relies on the unidirectional bezel to time their decompression stops, and an incorrect reading can have life-threatening consequences. Oris’s solution is an ingenious locking mechanism. The bezel is a multi-part construction, featuring a tough, grippy outer ring that functions as the lock. This ring must be manipulated to "unlock" the inner minutes-scale bezel, allowing it to be set.
Once the dive time is set by aligning the pip with the minute hand, the outer ring is re-secured, locking the bezel firmly in place. This system provides a physical guarantee that the set time cannot be altered by an accidental knock or friction against equipment. It’s a reliable, mechanical backup to modern electronic dive computers and a feature that has become a design icon for Oris's professional-grade watches. This system is a clear example of the brand's commitment to "innovation with purpose," delivering a tangible safety benefit.
The bezel insert itself is made of ceramic, a material now standard in high-end dive watches for its exceptional properties. It is virtually impervious to scratching and will not fade or degrade over time from exposure to saltwater and UV light. The top ring features a full, 60-minute ceramic minutes scale. The markings are sharp and clear, with bold numerals at the 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50-minute marks, and individual minute hashes for the first 15 minutes, allowing for precise setting. A luminous triangular pip at the 12 o'clock position serves as the primary marker.
The dial of the Aquis Pro 1000M is both visually striking and functionally legible. It is a vibrant blue gradient, transitioning from a bright, electric aqua-blue at the center to a deep, dark ocean-blue at the periphery. This gradient effect gives the dial a feeling of depth and energy. This is further enhanced by a printed wave structure that ripples across the dial's surface, a direct "nod to the watch’s extreme capabilities" and its home in the water. The dial is wide and open, maximizing readability.
Courtesy of Oris
Legibility is paramount for a dive watch, and this dial delivers. It features large, applied indices that are blocky and filled with generous amounts of Super-LumiNova. The hands are similarly oversized, with broad, sword-style hour and minute hands that are also heavily lumed, providing a clear distinction between them. The seconds hand is a "lollipop" style, with a lumed circular plot that allows the diver to confirm at a glance that the watch is running, even in complete darkness.
The dial text is kept minimal to avoid clutter. Below the 12 o'clock position is the Oris wordmark. Above the 6 o'clock position, the "AQUIS PRO" name is printed, along with the "1000m / 3280ft" depth rating. There is also a date window at the 6 o'clock position, a practical feature for daily wear. While some purists prefer a no-date dial for ultimate symmetry, its placement at 6 o'clock maintains the dial's balance, and the white date wheel corresponds with the bright white lume of the applied indices.
Protecting this dial is a heavy-duty sapphire crystal. This crystal is domed on both sides, a shape that helps to mitigate distortion when viewing the dial from an angle, particularly underwater. A domed crystal is also inherently stronger and more resistant to the extreme pressures found at 1,000 meters. Oris has applied an anti-reflective coating to the inside of the crystal. This is a crucial detail, as it prevents distracting glare from the sun or dive lights, ensuring the dial remains "super legible" in all conditions, without the risk of an external coating getting scratched.
Driving the Aquis Pro 1000M is the Oris 733 automatic movement. This caliber is a reliable, Swiss-made workhorse, known for its robustness and ease of service. It operates at a modern frequency of 4 Hz, or 28,800 vibrations per hour, which provides a smooth, sweeping motion for the seconds hand and contributes to its accuracy. The movement is built with 26 jewels to reduce friction on key components and offers a power reserve of 41 hours when fully wound.
Courtesy of Oris
As a self-winding, or automatic, movement, it is powered by the natural motion of the wearer's wrist, eliminating the need for a battery or manual winding when worn regularly. This is a critical feature for a professional dive watch, as it means the crown does not need to be unscrewed often, which protects the gaskets and maintains the water-resistance integrity. The movement also includes a stop-second, or "hacking," function, which stops the seconds hand when the crown is pulled out, allowing the watch to be set to a reference time with to-the-second precision.
The watch is presented on a high-performance blue rubber strap that perfectly matches the bright aqua tones of the dial. This strap is designed for the rigors of diving; it is completely waterproof, durable, and comfortable against the skin. It integrates seamlessly with the 26.50 mm interhorn width, creating a secure and gap-free connection to the case. This integrated design is a signature of the Aquis line, providing a very secure fit.
The set, with reference number 01 733 7801 7255-Set, also includes an additional black rubber strap. This gives the owner the versatility to switch between a bold, color-matched look and a more subdued, classic black tool-watch appearance. A strap-changing tool is supplied with the watch, allowing the owner to perform the swap themselves. This versatility is a thoughtful addition to the package.
A key component of the strap system is the clasp. It is a grey-PVD-coated titanium security folding clasp, matching the case material and finish. This clasp is not a simple buckle; it’s a sophisticated piece of engineering in its own right. It features a diver's extension with a quick-adjustment system. This allows the strap to be rapidly and precisely lengthened, all without tools, to fit securely over the bulky sleeve of a wetsuit or drysuit. This is another practical, professional-grade feature that demonstrates Oris's understanding of a diver's real-world needs.
Courtesy of Oris
The Aquis Pro 1000M is an uncompromising tool. It is a feature-rich, purpose-built instrument that prioritizes safety, legibility, and durability above all else. From the lightweight-yet-massive titanium case to the tactile, patented Rotation Safety System, every element is designed with the professional diver in mind. The vibrant blue wave dial adds a strong visual character, but it never comes at the expense of function. This is a watch that makes no apologies for its size or its singular focus, standing as a proud testament to Oris's commitment to building serious, functional watches for the most extreme environments on Earth.
For those in search of this ultimate expression of Oris's dive watch capability, the Aquis Pro 1000M (Reference 01 733 7801 7255-Set) is available at a suggested retail price of USD 4,100.00. The watch comes with a standard 2-year warranty, which can be extended for free to 3 years by the owner registering the watch with the MyOris program, providing additional peace of mind for this professional-grade piece of equipment.
Case: 49.50 mm multi-piece titanium case with grey PVD coating. 55.00 mm lug to lug, 16.60 mm thick, 26.50 mm interhorn width. Features Oris-patented lockable Rotation Safety System (RSS) bezel with ceramic insert. Sapphire crystal domed on both sides with inner anti-reflective coating. Titanium screwed case back and stainless steel screw-in security crown. Water-resistant to 100 bar (1,000 metres).
Movement: Oris 733 automatic movement. 41-hour power reserve, 4 Hz (28’800 A/h), 26 jewels. Functions include centre hands for hours, minutes, seconds, date window, instantaneous date, date corrector, fine timing device, and stop-second.
Dial: Blue gradient dial with a printed wave structure. Applied indices and hands with Super-LumiNova.
Strap: Blue rubber strap with a grey-PVD-coated titanium security folding clasp, featuring extension and quick adjustment. An additional black rubber strap is also supplied.
Price: USD 4,100.00
Reference Number: 01 733 7801 7255-Set
Notes: Features Oris-patented Rotation Safety System (RSS) which locks the bezel in place. Lightweight grey-PVD-coated titanium case with 1,000-meter water resistance.