Back into the deep with 2nd generation of ‘the watch with a hole’, Oris Aquis Depth Gauge, steel case (45.80 mm), unidirectional rotating bezel with ceramic insert, screwed case-back and crown, water-resistant to 500 m, black dial, luminous hands and indices, automatic calibre Oris 733, steel metal bracelet or black rubber strap, with Oris-patented Quick Strap Change system.
Oris announces the second generation Aquis Depth Gauge one of the world’s most innovative and most distinctive high performance diver’s watches. Known affectionately as ‘the watch with a hole’, the Aquis Depth Gauge uses the scientific principles of the Boyle-Mariotte Law to create a gauge that clearly measures depth during a dive. The patented system works by allowing water through a hole cut int o the sapphire crystal at 12 o’clock and into a channel milled around the outer edge of the crystal. This creates a watermark that corresponds to a gauge clearly indicated in yellow on the dial. The new model captures and refines the spirit and functionality of the original, delivering even higher performance when it really matters deep below the ocean surface.
The new Aquis Depth Gauge has three key improvements:
Depth gauge system. In the new watch, the process used to mill the channel into the out er edge of the crystal has been refined so the accuracy and legibility of the gauge are increased.
Meters to feet conversion chart. The case back has been re-engineered so the meters to feet conversion chart is always set at 90 degrees to the 12 o’clock position. For divers relying on the chart on a regular basis, this will greatly enhance their experience of the watch.
Oris’s new patented Quick Strap Change system. Owners can now switch the stainless-steel metal bracelet and rubber strap quickly, safely and securely without needing a tool or a visit to a jeweler.
How it works
The Aquis Depth Gauge uses a complex scientific principle to create an easy-to-use depth gauge function that’s also safe and accurate. Here’s how it – and the new Quick Strap Change system – works. Behind the Aquis Depth Gauge’s inventive solution for measuring depth underwater is the Boyle-Mariotte Law, which states for gases that ‘pressure x volume = constant’. Oris’s engineers calculated that the volume of air in a channel milled into the sapphire crystal would reduce during a dive, compressed under pressure. So during a dive, the volume of air compresses, allowing water to enter the channel. The air then decompresses during an ascent, forcing the water out of the hole. Oris has patented this development.
The hole, the channel and the gauge
The hole leading to the channel milled into the outer edge of the sapphire crystal is at 12 o’clock. On dry land, it’s filled with air. On entering the water, that air is compressed by water pressure. Water then enters the hole and begins to fill the space created in the channel. This in turn creates a watermark visible through the crystal. The watermark corresponds to a yellow gauge running around the outside of the dial, and the two combine to indicate depth. The second-generation watch has a more finely grained channel than before, making the indication even clearer. It’s an inventive solution that demonstrates Oris’s engineering philosophy to find clever, practical solutions to complex problems.
The seal
The Aquis Depth Gauge allows water into the crystal, but it doesn’t allow water into the watch itself – this would damage the watch’s automatic mechanical movement. Oris engineered the watch so that water can only enter the channel through the hole in the crystal. A gasket around the crystal seals the watch, and is so reliable that Oris has certified the watch as water-resistant to 50 bar (500 metres).
The Quick Strap Change system
The second generation of the Aquis Depth Gauge is equipped with the independent Swiss watch company’s patented strap change system. A mechanism built into the stainless-steel metal bracelet and the black rubber strap means that the wearer can quickly and simply switch from one to the other and back again, without the need for a tool or a visit to a jeweller.
Presented in a waterproof Pelicase diving box, new Aquis Depth Gauge
Price: CHF 3,700
Discover more about this innovative diver’s watch ↘
