Review: Oris’ Vintage-Inspired Divers Date Hits Max Versatility with This Beige Dial Variant

In a watch industry increasingly dominated by conglomerates, Oris has remained a beacon of independence for over a century. Founded in 1904 in Hölstein, Switzerland, the brand has earned a devoted following for delivering watches that hit the sweet spot between quality, style, and price.

Over the past decade, Oris has been riding high on the success of the Divers Sixty-Five collection, a vintage-inspired line introduced in 2015 that helped pioneer the heritage diver trend. The Sixty-Five became a cornerstone of the brand’s identity, offering mid-century dive watch aesthetics at accessible prices.

In late 2024, Oris introduced the Divers Date. At first glance, you might mistake it for just another iteration of the Sixty-Five, but this would be missing the point. The Divers Date represents a complete rethinking of what a modern-vintage dive watch can be, addressing enthusiast critiques while pushing the concept forward. So without further ado, let’s dive into the beige dial variant on bracelet and see if Oris has created more than just a simple evolution in their dive watch lineup.

At a Glance

When you first unbox the Divers Date, there’s an immediate sense of familiarity mixed with novelty. The beige dial (which Oris officially calls “brown”) immediately distinguishes this piece from the sea of black-dialed divers flooding the market.

We were initially skeptical about how this watch would present in person. After all, the $2,700 price tag places it in hotly contested territory, directly competing with heavy hitters like the Longines Legend Diver and knocking on the door of Tudor’s Black Bay territory. But once you spend some time with the watch, the quality is immediately apparent.

The first thing that strikes you is how the watch plays with light. The ceramic bezel provides a glossy contrast to the soft, matte beige dial. The polished accents and beveled edges of the indices catch light beautifully. While the Sixty-Five always had a certain charm, it could sometimes feel a bit too faithful to its vintage inspiration, and if you’re in that camp, we think the Divers Date strikes that perfect balance of vintage and modern.

At 39mm, it sits in that Goldilocks zone that works for a remarkably wide range of wrists. It’s slightly larger than the 38mm “Cotton Candy” variants of the Sixty-Five but more restrained than the 40mm standard models. This sizing, coupled with the relatively compact 46.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, creates a watch that wears true to size without overwhelming smaller wrists or looking diminutive on larger ones.

Thus far, community reaction has been mixed. Many enthusiasts have questioned whether the updates justify the $2,700 asking price, particularly given the continued use of a Sellita-based movement rather than Oris’ in-house Caliber 400. Others have praised the refinements and upgrades as exactly what they’ve been requesting for years. We certainly understand both arguments and our first impressions landed somewhere in the middle, but we’ll circle back on that during our final thoughts at the end of this review.

The 39mm stainless steel case represents a significant rethinking of the Divers Sixty-Five formula. Measuring 12.1mm thick with a lug-to-lug span of 46.5mm, it’s a full 1mm thinner than the original Sixty-Five despite doubling the water resistance – a testament to improved engineering.

Placing them side by side reveals just how different these cases truly are. While the Sixty-Five featured more vertical case sides, the Divers Date employs a subtle taper toward the caseback, improving comfort and creating a more elegant profile.

The finishing demonstrates a clear step up in quality. The top surfaces feature vertical brushing that transitions to highly polished case sides. What’s impressive is how the transition between these finishes is executed – crisp and precise, with no blending or inconsistency.

The bezel represents perhaps the most significant upgrade. Gone is the aluminum insert, replaced by a ceramic bezel with engraved and painted markings. The ceramic has a slightly matte finish that prevents it from appearing too modern. The 120-click unidirectional bezel action is outstanding – firm, precise, with great tactile feedback and virtually no backplay.

The most significant functional upgrade is the increased water resistance – now 200m versus the previous 100m – a much welcomed addition in our books.

Flipping the watch over reveals a mineral crystal display caseback showcasing the Oris 733 movement. This is a departure from the solid casebacks of most Divers Sixty-Five models and reflects a more contemporary approach to the design. Some purists might prefer a solid caseback for a more authentic vintage feel (and potentially even thinner profile), but the transparency aligns with the watch’s hybrid vintage-modern character so we’re not too bothered by the choice here.

Let’s talk about that dial for a second. The beige dial is unquestionably the star of the show. It occupies a unique space in the color spectrum – not quite cream, not quite tan, with a subtle warmth that shifts depending on lighting. In direct sunlight, it takes on an almost champagne quality, while in dimmer settings, it appears more sand-colored. This chameleon-like quality gives the watch versatility that’s rare in the dive watch category.

The glossy black ceramic bezel creates a striking frame for the matte dial. The outer minute track is printed in black, with bolder markings at five-minute intervals providing clean, legible time-reading.

Applied indices sit just inside the minute track, featuring polished, beveled edges that catch the light beautifully. The hour markers at 12, 3, and 9 are slightly larger to aid orientation. All indices are filled with Super-LumiNova that glows a cool blue in low-light conditions, and the lume application is noticeably improved over the Sixty-Five.

At 6 o’clock, Oris places a squared date window. The date wheel is white – which has drawn some criticism for not matching the beige dial – but in practice, we found it creates a visual balance with the white indices and handset.

The handset follows the familiar pencil style from the Sixty-Five, with polished, faceted edges that give them depth. Text on the dial is kept to a minimum – just the Oris logo below 12 o’clock and “DIVERS 200M” above the date window.

Under the slightly domed sapphire crystal, the dial has a three-dimensional quality that flat-crystal dive watches often lack, though it does create some distortion at extreme angles.

The movement is certainly where much of the criticism of this watch is going to reside, but we’ll start by just reporting the facts. 

Inside the Divers Date beats the Oris 733 automatic caliber, based on the Sellita SW200-1. While not an in-house caliber like Oris’ more premium Caliber 400 series, the 733 is a tried-and-tested workhorse that offers reliability and reasonable ease of service.

The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), providing a smooth sweep to the seconds hand. It features 26 jewels, hacking seconds, and hand-winding capability. The power reserve is rated at 41 hours – sufficient for overnight rest but less than many modern movements. This is perhaps the most obvious area where the Divers Date shows its price compromises, as competitors in this range are increasingly offering 70+ hour power reserves.

Finishing is industrial but attractive, with the signature red Oris rotor being the standout visual element. Our testing showed the Divers Date running at approximately +7 seconds per day – well within acceptable parameters for a non-chronometer-certified movement.

So, let’s circle back to that criticism for a moment  – as the debate around value inevitably centers on this movement choice. At $2,700, many enthusiasts have questioned why Oris hasn’t upgraded to their in-house Caliber 400. While we do tend to agree with this sentiment, we imagine the answer likely lies in product segmentation – Oris is positioning the Divers Date below their Caliber 400-equipped models, which typically command prices around $3,500 to $4,000. We also think a longer power reserve would be a welcomed addition here, but the Sellita-based caliber does offer trustworthy performance that most owners will find entirely satisfactory for daily wear.

The Divers Date comes on a stainless steel bracelet with a distinctive vintage-inspired design, and Oris includes a black rubber tropic-style strap in the package. This dual-option approach adds significant value and versatility.

The bracelet sports a three-link design with a 19mm lug width that tapers to 16mm at the clasp. The outer links feature polished edges, while the center links are fully brushed.

Of course, just like many of Tudor’s Black Bay models, we couldn’t talk about the bracelet without the elephant in the room – the vintage-inspired faux rivets. These rivets are purely decorative, and interestingly, they only appear on the first few links nearest the case before transitioning to a standard bracelet design. This design choice has been controversial among enthusiasts to say the least, and while we definitely understand the critique, it’s worth noting that they’re not really visible while wearing the watch.

The bracelet employs a quick-release mechanism that makes switching to the included rubber strap a tool-free affair. The clasp is a significant improvement over previous generations, now featuring a fully milled construction with five micro-adjustment positions.

Speaking of micro-adjustments, we’d once again like to make the case for all watch makers to really start considering including tool-free options on their bracelets, especially at this price point. We also find that the small investment by brands to include this feature goes a long way with customers.

After spending considerable time with the Oris Divers Date, the inevitable question arises: Is it worth $2,700?

From a pure specifications standpoint, there are certainly watches that offer “more” on paper for similar or less money. The continued use of a Sellita-based movement rather than Oris’s in-house Caliber 400 will be a sticking point for some. Competitors like Christopher Ward offer ceramic bezels, Swiss movements, and 600m water resistance for significantly less, while pushing just slightly higher in price can put you in Tudor territory with their excellent in-house calibers.

But watches aren’t merely the sum of their specifications, and the Divers Date offers an intangible quality that transcends the spec sheet. The refined case shape, the distinctive beige dial (did we mention we loved this dial color in person?), the overall coherence of the design – these elements combine to create a watch with genuine character. This isn’t just another dive watch; it’s distinctly an Oris, with all the heritage and charm that entails.

The upgrades from the Sixty-Five are substantial: doubled water resistance in a thinner case, a ceramic bezel with improved action, enhanced finishing, and a quick-release bracelet with a better clasp. The included rubber strap also adds versatility and value. These improvements directly address feedback from the enthusiast community and show that Oris is listening to its customers.

For those seeking a do-everything watch that can transition effortlessly from beach to boardroom, the Divers Date makes a compelling case. The beige dial variant offers a refreshing alternative to the sea of black and blue dials dominating the dive watch category. It’s distinctive without being flashy, vintage-inspired without being derivative, and premium without being pretentious.

Is the Oris Divers Date the absolute best value in its price bracket? Perhaps not by pure metrics. But it offers something less quantifiable – a unique character, a connection to Oris’s independent heritage, and a thoroughly considered design that bears the hallmarks of a company that genuinely cares about the products it creates.

Recap

Oris Divers Date 39mm Beige Dial

The Oris Divers Date 39mm represents a significant evolution of the Sixty-Five formula, offering upgraded materials and construction while maintaining vintage charm. The beige dial variant stands out as particularly special, offering versatility and character that helps justify the premium price despite some compromises.

Pros

• Beautiful beige dial
• Ceramic bezel with excellent action
• Thinner case (12.1mm) despite doubled water resistance (200m)
• Perfect 39mm size
• Quick-release bracelet and included rubber strap add versatility
• Upgraded milled clasp

Cons

• Basic Sellita-based movement at a premium $2,700 price point
• Limited 41-hour power reserve
• Mineral rather than sapphire display caseback
• Controversial faux rivets on bracelet
• No tool-free micro-adjustment system on the clasp

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