Oris and the Billion Oyster Project are back with a new New York Harbor limited edition
Zach Blass- Oris is back with a new New York Harbor Limited Edition after the inaugural outing’s success in 2022.
- The Oris Aquis Date New York Harbor Limited Edition II features an aqua green dial with an oyster-shell effect finish.
- The launch once again brings attention to the Billion Oyster Project, which is set on restoring 1 billion oysters to New York Harbor.
I cannot think of another fully established, long-standing Swiss watchmaker that is more synonymous with sustainability than Oris. Many watch brands showcase their concern for the environment and engage in meaningful partnerships to put their money where their proverbial mouths are. This is not unique to Oris. But Oris deserves distinct praise for being particularly hell-bent on lowering its carbon footprint, and for being genuinely transparent about its progress with annual sustainability reports compiled with an independent company, ClimatePartner.
These reports are extensive and accessible to all, and reveal everything from its total corporate climate footprint to new processes and steps introduced to further its sustainability mission. Oris notably earned the label “climate neutral” based on ClimatePartner’s findings in 2021 and continues to make further progress. “In 2021, we became a climate-neutral company with our first independent certification,” Oris explains. “In 2022, we embarked on a mission to reduce our total emissions by 10 per cent a year for three years. We did that, too.”
As an example, the 2024 report reveals details such as the emissions footprint from flights and employee commuting. Comparing 2023 to 2019, Oris’ total emissions due to flights decreased by 31.1% and decreased by 43.7% in regard to employee commuting. “We’ve chosen not to re-mandate a five-day office attendance culture, instead maintaining a three-two structure so that non-production staff only commute to Hölstein three days a week,” Oris noted in its 2024 Sustainability Report in regard to employee commuting. “We’ve also encouraged a top-down culture of running electric cars, reducing our collective commuting emissions.”
I could go on at length due to the wealth of information shared in its report, again, a report the likes of which I have not seen any other watchmaker compile so thoroughly, nor share with the public in such an easy-to-follow manner. But then we would not get to the new debuting watch, which, though superficial in comparison to the mission it is inspired by, I know we all want to dive into.
The new Oris Aquis Date New York Harbor Limited Edition II returns the spotlight to one of Oris’ partners through its “Change for the Better” initiative. The first limited edition born to bring awareness and support to the Billion Oyster Project was launched back in 2022, and this sequel, three years later, brings a few twists to the established format.
Oris has opted for the 43.5mm Aquis Date (13.1mm thick and 51mm lug-to-lug) as the framework instead of the 41.5mm size utilised the first time around, and the colour scheme has pivoted to an “aqua green” rather than the more unmistakable green seen previously. Another notable change-up is the dial, which, aside from a pivot from green to aqua green, has the mother-of-pearl decorated with a new “oyster-shell effect finish”.
The remainder of the offering remains the same, in that it’s a 300-metre water-resistant stainless steel dive watch with a steel bezel that has a timing scale in relief and driven by the cost-effective, 41-hour Oris 733 automatic movement that is based upon a Sellita calibre. It is also once again bundled with a case-matching bracelet and an integrated rubber strap, and once again offered as a 2,000-piece limited edition. It is priced US$300 more than the first outing at US$3,000, which, considering inflation, tariffs, and other factors considered, seems completely reasonable by comparison.
Now let’s turn our attention to the true purpose of this limited edition. When it comes to these sorts of releases, Oris has always expressed a desire for journalists like me to shed more attention on the mission of its collaborator than the product itself. This is not to say Oris gets to dictate how I cover its watches; rather, it is a genuine plea I am happy to oblige.
I’ll never forget attending a New York Yankees baseball game with Oris in a private box, a benefit of its expensive partnership with the world’s most famous Major League Baseball team, and instead of taking all the limelight throwing the first honorary pitch would afford, give this moment entirely to Pete Malinowski, executive director and co-founder of the Billion Oyster Project. All of Oris’ staff, including CEO Rolf Studer, remained in the box with us. The only Oris cameo in the moment was the fact that Pete threw the first pitch while wearing his New York Harbor Limited Edition.
As the Billion Oyster Project and Oris would say, “Oysters are to the ocean what trees are to the forest.” New York Harbor was once home to 220,000 acres of oyster reefs centuries ago, but between pollution, an appetite for oysters at dining establishments, and other man-made factors, the reefs were decimated.
Oysters may not seem all that vital until you are familiar with the role they play in ecosystems. An adult oyster is said to be capable of filtering fifty gallons of water a day. Fifty gallons is just a drop when compared to the vast New York Harbor, but a billion oysters at work naturally filtering the ecosystem and providing other ecological benefits to marine life… Now we’re talkin’. The goal: 1 billion oysters restored to New York Harbor by 2035.
A billion may seem like an unfathomable, laughably lofty goal, but through working with more than 15,000 volunteers and 30,000 students, the Billion Oyster Project has now restored more than 150 million oysters to New York Harbor since its inception in 2014. And while the destination is important, the journey has a lot of importance as well. There is no point in restoring the harbour if we are just going to repeat our mistakes.
“It’s not just about the oysters,” Pete Malinowski explains. “It’s about fostering environmental stewardship through education, public engagement and community science. We work with over 100 schools and thousands of students and volunteers to create a future where New Yorkers are deeply connected to and responsible for their marine environment.”
Putting the cause behind for a second, US$3,000 for a Sellita-based dive watch is going to feel too steep for some. I totally get that. But this is not your regular, business-as-usual 733-driven Aquis Date. Knowing that a portion of sales will be donated to Billion Oyster Project should assuage the price hesitation a tad. It is worth noting that the expense can also be attributed to Oris’ build quality, with the steel case, steel bracelet, and rubber strap made very well. It’s also presented in a fun, distinct colour that many will enjoy.
Oris is humble and sane enough to know that having small recycled or upcycled dials, as an example, will not put a significant dent in the climate challenges we face today. So I truly appreciate its emphasis on offering the spotlight to worthy organisations and causes, along with reconfiguring how it operates, packages, and sells its watches in order to actually tackle the problem. And this New York Harbor Limited Edition II is just one of many examples.
Oris Aquis Date New York Harbor Limited Edition II pricing and availability
The Oris Aquis Date New York Harbor Limited Edition II is available now as a limited edition of 2,000 pieces. Price: US$3,000
| Brand | Oris x Billion Oyster Project |
| Model | Aquis Date New York Harbor Limited Edition II |
| Case Dimensions | 43.5mm (D) x 13.1mm (T) x 51mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Aqua green mother-of-pearl, oyster-shell effect finish |
| Strap | Integrated stainless steel bracelet, folding clasp Aqua green rubber strap, folding clasp |
| Movement | Oris 733, Sellita-based, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 41 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, unidirectional diving bezel |
| Availability | Limited edition of 2,000 pieces |
| Price | US$3,000 |