Oris Big Crown Pointer Date

• Pilot's watches with a retro flair
• Also wearable as dress watches
• Large selection of different materials and combinations

Oris has a long tradition of making pilot's watches, having released their first Big Crown all the way back in 1938. The manufacturer continues to offer pilot's watches for every taste in their Aviation collection. The large crown and pointer date have characterized this series since its inception and provide the new editions of the Big Crown Pointer Date with their special retro flair.

The finely fluted bezel and tidy dial give these watches an especially classic feel. The dials use alternating Arabic numerals and indices for the hour markers and some even feature a guilloché pattern. With its many design options in terms of materials and colors, the Big Crown Pointer Date isn't just for pilots but also flight and aviation enthusiasts in general. Many versions are so elegant that they can even be worn as dress watches. This sets them apart from the manufacturer's sportier pilot's watches in the Oris BC3 collection. A 29-mm version is available in addition to the versions with 40-mm cases, making these watches perfect for both large and delicate wrists.

If you're looking to purchase an Oris Big Crown Pointer Date, you don't need to break the bank. You can get a new 29-mm stainless steel watch with a black leather band for as little as 900 euros. The time is displayed on an elegant silver-colored dial with gold-plated indices, Arabic numerals, and hands. Plan to spend around 150 euros more for the 40-mm version of the same watch. If you would prefer to have an automatic watch with a stainless steel bracelet, take a look at the monochrome stainless steel and gold-plated bicolor variants. Each costs about 1,250 euros.

Models with indices coated in a layer of SuperLuminova feel a bit sportier. With one of these watches, you can easily tell the time even in a dark cockpit. You can get a Big Crown Pointer Date with a stainless steel case and dark brown leather band starting at 1,100 euros. The SuperLuminova on the indices and hands shines even more intensely against the black dial and lends the watch a retro charm.

The diversity of these pilot's watches can best be seen in the details of their designs. One great example is the date display. The numerals sit either beyond the indices on a ring around the edge of the dial or inside them on an inner disc. The date hand is either long or short according to the style of the display. However, these variations have no influence on the price, and the same movement is at work in all of them.

The main difference between the Big Crown Original Pointer Date and the conventional Pointer Date is found in the hands. While the Pointer Date has lance hands, the Original Pointer Date features cathedral hands. They give this retro model even more character and feel a bit more playful. The Big Crown Original Pointer Date has a somewhat flatter crown relative to the original Pointer Date. Nostalgic fans of pilot's watches will find the version with a black dial in combination with a black leather band particularly interesting. This model costs about 1,100 euros. SuperLuminova on the indices and hands complete its pilot's-watch look, and its simple stainless steel case maintains its authentic look.

If you like the look of the Big Crown Pointer Date but need a day display, the Big Crown Pointer Day is just what you're looking for. The numbers for the date around the outside of the dial or on the inner ring have been replaced by the days of the week, which are then indicated by a central hand. There are also models with an additional date display in the form of a small window at 3 o'clock. In accordance with this watch's proper name, Big Crown Small Second Pointer Day, there is a small seconds dial at 9 o'clock. Each model is 44 mm in diameter and thus designed for a male wrist. You can purchase this Oris watch with a day display for around 1,200 euros.