Welcome to the special “20th Anniversary” section of Top Yacht Design. Here, day by day, we present the best stories, yachts, and personalities we’ve covered over the past 20 years of Top Yacht Design, from 2006 to today.
Taken from Top Yacht Design no. 44/2025, pp. 50/55
In conversation with Marco Gemperli
From divers to ocean conservation: the CEO of Oris Italia explains how the maison combines creativity, responsibility, and independence in a unique vision.
For Oris, the sea is not just a place of imagination: it is a creative horizon, a technical laboratory, and, increasingly, a heritage to be preserved. From its depths have emerged timepieces that have become icons of the brand, such as the Divers Sixty-Five, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year; and the Aquis Pro 1000M, a professional instrument designed to tackle the great depths without compromise. But for Oris, the marine element is not just inspiration: it is also responsibility. And this is where a concrete commitment comes into play, made up of collaborations, environmental projects, and longterm initiatives. A path that is reflected in the “Change for the Better” philosophy, the program through which the maison gives voice and support to organizations active in the protection of the oceans. It is from this dual spirit – creative and responsible-that Oris’ vision takes shape, as recounted in this interview by Marco Gemperli, CEO of Oris Italia.
2025 marked an important milestone for the company: 60 years since the launch of the first diver’s watch, celebrated with a commemorative edition of the Divers Sixty-Five. What did that moment represent?
Sixty years is more than an anniversary-it’s a reminder of where we come from. When Oris introduced its first diver’s watch in 1965, it was a Swiss manufacturer with a big ambition: to create reliable tools for real people living real adventures. The commemorative Divers Sixty-Five encapsulates that spirit. What has changed is not our purpose but our capabilities. We now bring a level of technical refinement, materials expertise, and design maturity that the pioneers of the ’60s could hardly have imagined. But the emotional core – the idea of making honest, dependable watches —remains exactly the same. With the 60th Anniversary Edition, we wanted to honour that spirit. The watch faithfully revives the charm of the original: from the large luminescent numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 to the anti-shock dial marking and, perhaps most evocatively, the retro Oris logo with “waterproof” beneath it, something we’ve never before reintroduced in our contemporary history.
Since then, has the sea been an inspiration?
Absolutely. Water is part of the brand’s DNA. The sea inspires not just our designs but our mindset. It teaches precision but also respect for our environment. We try to focus on both performance and sustainability – just look at this years’ novelties -the Aquis Pro 1000m stands for results and innovation, while the Aquis New York Harbor LE Il aims at positive change towards the planet. Whether we’re working with divers, oceanographers, or environmental foundations, the sea remains a constant source of purpose and creativity.
One of the latest additions is the new Aquis Pro 1000M. What prompted you to raise the bar even higher?
We’re driven by a simple question: What do professional divers truly need? The Aquis Pro 1000M is our answer today. It pushes depth resistance, ergonomics, and safety to new heights. Features like the innovative Rotation Safety System (RSS), which is our own patent by the way, and the reinforced case architecture came directly from conversations with working divers. In raising the bar, we’re not chasing records; we’re fulfilling a responsibility to create a tool that can be trusted in environments where trust is everything.
The sea, once a laboratory for experimenting, has now become a heritage to be protected. How has Oris taken to the field, or rather the sea, to protect it?
For us, protecting the sea is not a marketing narrative, rather the opposite. It’s always been a commitment. Over the past decade, we have partnered with dozens of organizations working to clean, restore, or study marine ecosystems. We have built genuine, long-term partnerships with them: from coral-restoration initiatives with the Reef Restoration Foundation in Australia, to projects protecting rich bioderversity with the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat in Europe, our efforts are hands-on and collaborative. The latest ones are the two collaborations with Cervo Volante and the Billion Oyster Project in New York, which we couldn’t be prouder of. This is also the philosophy behind our Change for the Better program, that further supports these partners financially.
Broadening the horizon, the issue of sustainability is increasingly central and a priority in Oris’ philosophy. What concrete actions have you taken?
We’ve approached sustainability on several levels. On the product side, we’ve integrated more recycled and low-impact materials, while pushing efficiency in manufacturing. One of our most visible and symbolic efforts is expressed through the Aquis Date Upcycle, a watch that’s a literal transformation: its dial is made from recycled PET plastic. And even the presentation box for the Upcycle is designed to be recyclable. On the organizational side, Oris became climate neutral in 2021 and continues to audit and reduce its carbon footprint every year – this isn’t a simple “box-ticking” exercise; it’s a continuous process involving suppliers, logistics, and our own facilities. And crucially, we maintain independence. It allows us to make decisions based on long-term responsibility rather than short-term returns.
Apart the sea, what other areas does Oris express itself in?
Oris has always lived at the intersection of culture, craft, and purpose: the sea may be a defining pillar of our identity, but it is far from the only one. Aviation, for example, is part of our heritage; so has been motorsport, and many of our projects have been driven by the will to reach one specific goal: make people smile. The PPX Kermit and Miss Piggy editions are proof of this. Also, take our pilot’s-watch heritage: for decades, Oris has built instruments for aviation, rooted in precision, legibility, and utility. That tradition continues and evolves. At Dubai Watch Week 2025, we just unveiled the new Oris ProPilot Date, a 41 mm watch that refines the ProPilot DNA. Its redesigned case features sharper lines and a more dynamic silhouette, while the fluted bezel still evokes jet-engine turbines. According to our philosophy, a pilot’s watch must simply do its job exceptionally well. It has to be robust, legible, and dependable. But our expressions in aviation are not limited to form; they also reflect profound purpose, which is embodied in our long-standing collaboration with Coulson Aviation, the world-leading aerial firefighting organisation. Coulson pilots fly into some of the most dangerous places on earth, battling wildfires, often under extreme conditions. In honour of their work, we created the Oris Coulson Limited Edition, part of our ProPilot family.Innovation also drives and inspires us to do better and more every day: we partnered with the 9T Labs (a spin-off from ETH Zurich) and Bamford Watch Department of London to achieve ultra-light results and create new materials or theeniques that were previously unheard of in Swiss watchmaking. Some of our most meaningful expression is in communities as well, like our Oris Social Clubs across the whole world. They are small, passionate groups of people pursuing excellence in their fields. At the end of the day, wherever you find authenticity and dedication, you will likely find Oris.
Generally speaking What makes an Oris timepiece unique?
An Oris watch is born with a clear intention: to be a companion, not a statement. It must be mechanically robust, beautifully engineered, and free of unnecessary complication. We believe in craftsmanship with integrity. Swiss-made watches with character: real watches for realy people created by people who love what they do. And because we remain independent, every piece carries that sense of human decision-making rather than corporate design by committee. You can feel that when you wear an Oris.
Looking to the future, what can we expect from Oris next year?
We will continue refining what we do best: authentic mechanical watchmaking with purpose. You will see advancements in our in-house movements, evolutions of our core collections, and collaborations that push us to think differently. But perhaps more importantly, you’ll see deeper commitments to sustainability and to the communities that define us. Our mission remains unchanged – to make people’s lives a little better, one watch at a time.
by Matteo Zaccagnino
