Hot Take: New Oris Aquis Lake Baikal Watch

We may be entering a new decade, but Oris’s commitment to the world’s waters refuses to relent. Their modern Aquis diving watch is the poster child for environmental conservation. Continuing its hot-streak, Oris has announced the Lake Baikal, which is limited to 1,999 pieces.

Last year, the Oris Trilogy boxset brought awareness to the plastic contamination and rising sea temperatures damaging our oceans. This new Oris Aquis focuses on the impending dangers to our freshwater sources, continuing Oris’s long-standing contribution to this field. Specifically Lake Baikal on the Siberian border with Mongolia. Baikal is one of the World’s deepest, oldest, and once clearest freshwater lakes. Increased industrial activity (and the exploitative practices associated with mass-industry), as well as unregulated tourism, have negatively effected Lake Baikal’s clarity. The pollution has resulted in algae prospering in the environment, which reduces the sunlight available to the lake bed and is toxic to aquatic life.

Oris Aquis Lake Baikal

The Aquis Lake Baikal has a piercing blue to grey gradient dial resembling the lake’s renowned crispness. The standard 43.5mm stainless steel case has a medallion inspired by Lake Baikal when frozen during the harsh winters on the case back. Near coastal areas, the purity of the lake can freeze with such ferocity that it appears crystal clear, as you can see here. At its deepest point, Lake Baikal is more than 1,600 meters deep. Unfortunately, you can’t take this Aquis down to those depths as the watch has a 300-meter rating. That’s plenty deep enough for the majority of diving, but highlights just how deep and unique this freshwater lake really is.

The Sellita-derived movement is robust and reliable and provides the simple yet unobtrusive date window at the 6 o’clock position. The integrated bracelet is solid and well machined but can be easily removed with a tri-wing screwdriver. This gives the opportunity to switch to the proprietary leather or rubber straps available via Oris to match all occasions.

Available in February for 2,150 Euros, the Oris Aquis Lake Baikal is delivered in a recycled cardboard box. Surprisingly, the algae box provided with the Great Barrier Reef III model is not used here. With the algae threat to the lake, it’s interesting the material was not utilized again. But it does display Oris’s willingness to experiment with renewable packaging materials.

Scientific research operation, Point No. 1 has been monitoring the health of the lake for 75 years. Proceeds from sales of the 1,999 pieces, which marks the year Russia adopted the Baikal Law, will be contributed by Oris to the Lake Baikal Foundation.

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