INTRODUCING: Oris debut new in-house manually wound movement with the Big Crown Calibre 473
Zach Blass- Oris debut new in-house manually wound calibre 473 in the new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473.
- Despite being manually wound, it is 0.5mm THICKER than the previous automatic model due to new power reserve indicator on the movement.
- The release also heralds Oris’ first-ever butterfly clasp with fine adjustment mechanism.
Introducing: The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473
Any honest watch enthusiast will tell you a mechanical timepiece is not necessarily the most practical means of keeping time. While they can be highly accurate for what they are, we all already carry far more accurate pocket watches with the ubiquity of smartphones in our lives. Nonetheless, those smart devices just do not have the same charm and emotion a mechanical watch can offer. The romanticism and ritual of a mechanical timekeeper is part of the nostalgic luxury experience, and many collectors enjoy the exercise of winding up a mechanical watch each morning. Well, with the new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 you can enjoy a modern manually wound experience thanks to the new in-house five-day calibre 473.
Normally, when we review a watch on the site we work from the outside in. But the headline of this new release is the new calibre. Like its in-house automatic siblings, the new calibre 473 offers five days, or 120 hours, of power reserve that is displayed via a new power reserve indicator. It also runs within COSC parameters, pledged with an accuracy of +5/-3 seconds per day. A near-full bridge covers the majority of the components beneath, with the only sizable cut-out revealing the balance cock and wheel. It appears to be industrially well-finished, with a rich satin brush across the bridge and a chamfered perimeter around the balance wheel. Like their other new in-house calibres, it is backed by a full 10-year warranty.
The remainder of the watch will feel quite familiar, the dial layout identical to the automatic Big Crown Calibre 403 with central hours, minutes and red-tipped pointer date hands and a sub-seconds hand at 6′. Whereas the blue found on the Big Crown Calibre 403 is rather dark and deep, the blue found on the Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is a paler sky blue. The mixed-finished, 50 metre water-resistant, stainless-steel case is 38mm in diameter and 45.5mm lug-to-lug across the wrist. But, while a manually wound watch instead of an automatic, it is actually a tad thicker. The automatic Big Crown Calibre 403 is 12.2mm thick, while this new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is 12.7mm thick. With the loss of a winding rotor, you would assume a movement would become thinner. That being said, the new power reserve indicator on the movement is probably the reason for this ever so slightly increased thickness.
The new in-house calibre 473 is not the only debut at play here. The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is outfitted with a sustainable olive brown deer leather strap from Cervo Volante, but for the first time ever it is secured to the wrist with Oris’ new deployant butterfly clasp with fine adjustment sizing. You may have noticed the leather strap has zero punctured holes for a pin to go through. This is because the clasp can be clamped down pretty much anywhere on the leather strap, so there are near-infinite sizing options for you to explore and find the perfect fit. And as you wrist expands and contracts throughout the day, or season, you can quickly make and adjustment to get the fit you are looking for.
Overall, my first impression is that the Big Crown Calibre 473 is a quality entry into Oris’ in-house tier of offerings. I cannot really say whether or not it is better than the automatic 403 that precedes it. It is really a matter of what you prefer and prioritise. If you like the idea and romance of a manually wound watch and a power reserve indicator, the Big Crown Calibre 473 is a rock-solid contender for your collection. With five days of power reserve, you don’t have to ritually wind the movement each morning. If winding the watch every four days or so is too much to ask, and you prefer the convenience of an automatic you have the Big Crown Calibre 403 to dig into – which is notably US$900 less than the Big Crown Calibre 473 (but does not have the new fine-adjustment butterfly clasp).
Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 pricing and availability:
The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is available now for purchase. Price: US$4,400
| Brand | Oris |
| Model | Big Crown Calibre 473 |
| Case Diameter | 38mm (D) x 12.7mm (T) x 45.5mm (L2L) |
| Case Material | Stainless Steel |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Dial | Blue |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal and exhibition caseback |
| Strap | Olive brown Cervo Volante sustainable deer leather strap. Stainless steel butterfly clasp with fine adjustment system. |
| Movement | In-house manually wound Calibre 473 |
| Power Reserve | 120 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, power reserve |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$4,400 |