Why these restoration videos from Oris are the most satisfying things you’ll watch all day

Ricardo Sime

Every watch brand thinks about the message they are presenting to the world. Whether it be an ad campaign on social media or a picture in print, brands know these interactions prove the adage that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Especially in this day and age, where a simple foible can ruin a brand’s image. That’s why, while watching Oris restoration videos on YouTube, I marvel at how they continue to get things right.

It all started in March 2021, when Oris had a contest whereby the winner would have their vintage piece restored by the brand. In October, Oris restored the winner’s Small Second Pointer Date. This process was summarised in a short video and posted to the brand’s Youtube channel. That video had multiple comments praising this type of content, with hopes that Oris would post more videos like it.

It wasn’t until recently that I became aware of this video and the additional restoration videos Oris created since then. With my interest fully peaked, I decided to spend an afternoon binge-watching them. And when it was all said and done, I couldn’t stop thinking about how beneficial content such as this is for a brand. Because in an hour, Oris manages to communicate three things many brands still can’t. Namely, the romanticism of a mechanical watch, the lasting appeal of those timepieces and the sheer range of their offerings.

The romanticism comes in the form of taking what is old and making it new again. This isn’t something that you throw out when it stops working. You send it in and get it restored because the memories and experiences attached to the watch are priceless.

The lasting appeal comes from the aesthetics used by Oris. Yes they have a design language but that language is translatable over time. The sportiness of their older BC3 models still work. Older versions of the recently reintroduced Rectangular don’t look out of place today.

And finally, these videos reinforce just how vast the range of offerings Oris has and does provide. From pilot watches to divers, with some dress watches sprinkled in between. Anyone watching these videos who are unfamiliar with the brand immediately understand this and can say to themselves “there might be an Oris out there for me”.

Overall, these Oris restoration videos create a story for the brand, communicating how personal a watch can be. The fact that these are all Oris watches also adds to their horological weight. It’s hard not to take them seriously after watching the efforts taken to preserve their timepieces.

And the best part about all these videos’, and why I consider them such good content, is that they don’t come off as commercials. They come off naturally, lacking that palpable “hard sell” undertone seen in a ton of brand-created content. That natural appeal is why many people, whether they own one or not, appreciate what Oris does as a brand.