Last year, Oris released a special edition Chronoris to celebrate the Williams F1 racing team, with whom the’ve been a sponsor partner since 2003. The resulting watch is what you see here, the Chronoris Williams 40th Anniversary LE. The watch begins as the standard issue Chronoris that we’ve come to know and love, and adds some traditional racing flair as a nod the Williams F1 team, which celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2017.
The original Chronoris dates to 1970, and that’s clear from a glance thanks to the cushion shaped case and funky dial colors. It also stood out for being a single pusher chronograph had no subdials, and only a timing seconds hand. When Oris recreated the watch in 2017, the kept the case shape, but added hour and minute totalizers to the chronograph for some added practicality.
This is the layout we find the Williams LE Chronoris, with the minute totalizer at 12 o’clock, and the hour totalizer at 6 o’clock. In a nod to the racing team’s colors, the chapter ring at the perimeter is blue, as is the timing seconds hand (which was bright orange on the original). The dial as a whole has a distinct ‘70s personality to it, and is easily set apart from the standard Chronoris.
Inside the Williams Chronoris beats a Valjoux 7750 based caliber, which is a well understood work horse. It’s also not a petite movement, and as such Oris has done a great job at keeping the heft down here. The watch wears surprisingly well on the wrist thanks to its 40mm case diameter and slightly domed case.
Just 1,000 examples of the Williams Chronoris were built, and with the current low Ask at $2,350 we think it’s a great buy. Get your Bid in right here. Shop the entire Oris collection right here.
