Introducing: The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date With An Oxblood-Red Dial

A winter-warming color for this Oris staple

November 03, 2026

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Oris unveils a new color for the refreshed Big Crown Pointer Date. Housed in a 40mm stainless steel case, the oxblood-red dial runs deep and rich. It stands apart from the pastel shades elsewhere in the collection. The darker tone feels particularly fitting as winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere. Paired with a stainless steel H-link bracelet, the watch makes an impact while retaining the Pointer Date’s signature legibility. Twelve luminous Arabic numerals further improve clarity.

It’s hard to believe this modern Big Crown Pointer Date design is now five years old. It debuted as Oris’s 2021 Hölstein Edition and quickly established a new direction for the collection. With roots stretching back to 1938, the Big Crown Pointer Date enjoyed decades of largely unchanged styling. Oris eventually decided it was the right time for a fresh interpretation.

Designed by Oris Head of Design Lukas Bühlmann, the Hölstein Edition inspired an entire collection that now sits alongside the classic Big Crown Pointer Date. Not every limited-edition experiment receives that treatment. The Oris Full Steel Worldtimer Hölstein Edition from 2022, for example, never progressed beyond its original release. Interestingly, that watch has since developed a cult following among Oris collectors after an initially mixed reception.

Oris Big Crown Pointer Date with an oxblood-red dial

The modern Big Crown Pointer Date drops several elements associated with the classic design. A smooth, polished bezel replaces the coin-edge one. Cathedral hands make way for a cleaner pencil handset. The pointer-date hand also changes character. Instead of the traditional crescent-moon tip, the new version adopts an arrow-shaped design.

The result feels considerably more contemporary. That said, I still prefer the classic crescent-moon pointer. The new date hand resembles a GMT hand and can occasionally overlap the minute track when setting the time. The older design feels slightly less intrusive.

However, I do appreciate the upgrade to 12 lume-filled applied Arabic numerals. Thanks to these, low-light legibility is noticeably stronger. The minute hand also reaches precisely to the railroad minute track, helping preserve the watch’s clarity and balance.

Power comes from the Sellita-based Oris 754. This caliber provides a 41-hour power reserve and remains visible through the display case back. It also carries the brand’s signature red rotor. It may not be the flagship caliber 403 with its 120-hour power reserve, but that movement almost doubles the price. The Oris 754 remains a proven, dependable choice and helps keep this Big Crown Pointer Date attainable.

The bracelet is another highlight. Its brushed surfaces and polished connecting links suit the watch nicely. A push-button butterfly clasp completes the package.

As practical as the bracelet is, I’d still be tempted by one of Oris’s Cervo Volante deer-hide straps. Textured leather and an oxblood dial feel like a perfect combination for winter. Besides, “Oxblood & Deer Hide” sounds like a great name for a rock band.

Final thoughts, pricing, and availability

The classic Big Crown Pointer Date remains alive and well. We saw fresh evidence of that recently with the Cervo Volante collaboration. As a result, both design languages now coexist within the broader collection.

The newer style also accommodates Oris’s proprietary 400-series calibers. Even so, I’m glad this oxblood-red version sticks with the Sellita-based movement. It keeps pricing approachable while retaining the charm that has made the Big Crown Pointer Date such a long-standing success.