Reading a headline like this, many watch fans might groan, “Ugh, not another favorite biting the dust!” While, yes, Oris is replacing the popular Divers Sixty-Five model with the Divers Date, this is more of a name change with an updated design and specs — something of a new generation of the Divers Sixty-Five than a replacement. So just months after finally unveiling a 38mm version of the sporty dive watch, the Swiss watchmaker has supplanted it with this Divers Date. Let’s dive in…
Some History of the Divers Sixty-Five
In 2015, Oris decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its inaugural dive watch by reviving it. Dubbed the Divers Sixty-Five, this was an automatic watch powered by a Sellita movement and featuring a funky vintage dial design. And best of all, it only cost a couple thousand bucks. Over the years, the Divers Sixty-Five has evolved a bit, especially when it fitted its own in-house Caliber 400 movement in place of the outsourced one. It was also available in 40mm, 38mm, and 36mm sizes.
I’m guessing Oris will still keep the old Divers Sixty-Five models on the shelf until there are none left, so get them while you can. Otherwise, the Divers Date isn’t a bad replacement.
What’s New?
Side by side, it’s clear to see that there aren’t any drastic changes between the outgoing model and the Divers Date. First of all, the handset and hour markers are almost identical at first glance. Available in black, blue, and beige dial colors, the new watch gets some beveling on the hour markers, better definition on the hands, and an updated typeface at the bottom of the dial. It also ditches the 6 o’clock hour marker in favor of a taller date window, which is a welcomed change.
The most obvious change here is the bezel, which not only swaps the aluminum insert for a ceramic one but switches to a more traditional diving design. Some liked the Divers Sixty-Five’s fully-marked 60-minute bezel for the ease with which you could check a second time zone. However, the graduated version of the Divers Date looks classic. It’s also wider, making the dial opening a bit more compact.
Setting the case size at 39mm — right between the 40mm and 38mm D65 — the Divers Date is slightly slimmer too, dropping from 12.8mm to 12.1mm in thickness and from 47.6mm to 46.5mm lug-to-lug. Likewise, the caseback is thinner for better wearability all around despite the thicker middle case. Perhaps most notably, the water resistance gets a big bump, from 100m to 200m of water resistance thanks the the all-around reengineering of the watch. Band options include a black Tropic-style strap or a riveted stainless steel bracelet.
Returning is the Oris in-house Caliber 733 automatic movement, which is a Sellita SW201 base and can now be viewed through the caseback, upping the luxury value here.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 39mm
Case Thickness: 12.1mm
Lug-to-Lug: 46.5mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 200m
Movement: Oris Caliber 733 automatic (Sellita base)
Band: Black Tropic strap or stainless steel bracelet
Limited Edition?: No
Pricing & Availability
Best of all, the price is very similar to the outgoing models. At $2,700, the Divers Date is now available from Oris’ website. Head over there to learn more.
Recap
Oris Divers Date
Oris upgrades the Divers Sixty-Five, renaming it the Divers Date. Changes include a new case size, revamped dial design and bezel, and boosted water resistance.
