On wrist, the Oris Divers Sixty Five is all charm. While it might be easiest to attribute the Sixty Five’s charm to its vintage aesthetic, the effect is so complete in its execution that it might be more accurate to suggest that wearing the Oris Divers Sixty Five elicits a less vintage you. The Oris Divers Sixty Five doesn’t feel like a new-old-stock safe queen as much as wearing it feels like stepping back in time. It wears its vintage aesthetic in a very straightforward manner, less of a nod to a past model and more of a philosophy, the original model is the mentor and the Oris Divers Sixty Five is the student.
The Oris Divers Sixty Five can be had with a textile nylon-style two-piece strap or the rubber strap seen in this review. The rubber strap is soft, elastic, and very comfortable. One note: in some of the photos it may look as though the strap is not quite wide enough for the lugs. In fact, the strap is so soft and pliant that when worn on wrist, especially when posing for a wrist shot, it compresses ever so slightly to reveal a small gap. If this will bother you, I suggest going with the textile strap.
Weighing just 76g, the Oris Divers Sixty Five wears well, looks great on a variety of straps and is just at home on a dive trip as it would be on the couch or at the bar. To make the mix just a bit more exciting, Oris recently announced a second version of the Divers Sixty Five that is identical save for a lovely blue and grey dial inspired by the fashionable ’60s vacation scene in the French town of Deauville. In either color option, I can easily see the Oris Divers Sixty Five making for an excellent everyday watch for casual environments or the ideal weekend piece for those who require a dressier piece for their nine-to-five.
Regardless of color, the Oris Divers Sixty Five retails for a price of $1850 USD, with your choice of either a textile strap or the rubber seen in the photos here. Viewed within the breadth of the market, this price is quite reasonable. With the vintage market growing ever hotter, Oris is far from the first brand to offer a vintage-inspired piece in their lineup, but the Oris Divers Sixty Five is as successful as any I’ve experienced and it costs considerably less than all-star examples like the Tudor Black Bay ($3100+) or the Longines Heritage Diver 1967 ($3150). The Oris Divers Sixty Five’s most direct competition is likely the Longines Legend diver, which has a 42mm steel case, an ETA 2824-2, and a price tag of $1900 USD. Picking between the two will largely come down to personal preference as both are great, but if you want to go diving, I’d stick with the Oris and its more accessible external bezel. Needless to say, if you’re in the market for an easy-wearing, fun and dive-ready vintage-inspired watch, the Oris Divers Sixty Five is most certainly worth a closer look. oris.ch
Necessary Data
>Brand: Oris
>Model: Divers Sixty Five
>Price: $1850 USD
>Size: 40 mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Anyone who likes a vintage watch but wants to avoid any of the pitfalls and headaches.
>Best characteristic of watch: Dial design and proportions
>Worst characteristic of watch: The reflective bubble domed crystal may be too reflective for some.
