Is It Great Enough For The Great Gonzo? Introducing The Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition
A character who, in his first television appearance, attempted to eat a rubber tire to the frantic tempo and tune of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” deserves a watch. On the night of April 25th, 1977, The Great Gonzo set the tone for future death-defying and bizarre stunts in The Muppet Show and continued to do so for many years. You simply can’t unsee or forget his impossible-to-understand yet mesmerizing performance art. Gonzo is simply a force of nature and larger than life. This Muppet of ambiguous origins, often described simply as a “whatever” (although there are wild theories of Gonzo being either a Frackle, an unknown bird-like creature, or simply an alien), is a figure we all aspire to be. And now, the historical phenomenon The Great Gonzo finally has its tribute watch. The question is: is it great enough for him?
What took Oris so long? Sure, Kermit and Miss Piggy are stars in their own right, but if anyone or anything deserves a tribute watch, it’s The Great Gonzo, who did what nobody dared or imagined. As he (I can’t call The Great Gonzo “it” out of respect and awe) pushed boundaries without fear, he could’ve done so with a robust tool watch. And during his most recent appearance, during the Muppets’ performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show, he didn’t wear a watch. It would have been a great moment to tease the ProPilot X Gonzo Edition, but instead, Oris decided to wait until Geneva Watch Days 2026. Oh well. It’s better late than never.
Introducing the Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition: Is it great enough for The Great Gonzo?
The Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition (CHF 8,500) originates from a 2019 watch. That’s the year the first version of this skeletonized, hand-wound, titanium ProPilot X debuted. And last year, a more colorful version, the ProPilot X Calibre 115 Year Of The Snake, appeared. The third time Oris uses its caliber 115, it does so in its most extravagant manner yet. The new watch, which will be available for a limited period, has a 44mm-wide, 12.5mm-thick, and 50mm-long Grade 2 titanium case.
The bracelet is also made of this alloy, while the engine-turned bezel is made of slightly harder Grade 5 titanium. Guards on the right side of the case protect the screw-down crown, and the entire construction is water resistant to 100 meters. But the most striking feature is, without a doubt, the colorful skeletonized dial.
There aren’t enough colors in the universe to capture Gonzo’s character perfectly, but Oris gave it a go and came close with this dial in gradient blue, red, and yellow. Two other details set this watch apart. First, there’s the red chili-shaped power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. “Why a chili?” you ask. Ever the spicy dresser, Gonzo rocks a yellow button-up shirt covered in a red-chili-pepper pattern; that’s why. And second, there’s the laser-engraved Gonzo face on the mainspring. And while not a Gonzo-themed element, the sub-seconds register sitting between 7 and 8 o’clock is still worth a mention.
The business side of Gonzo
I don’t know how you will be able to turn your gaze from this kaleidoscopic spectacle, but if you manage to turn the watch upside down, you can get a better look at the Oris caliber 115. Through a screw-in titanium-and-sapphire case back, the business side of this watch reveals its hand-wound movement with an impressive 10-day power reserve. A 1.2m-long mainspring provides a 240-hour power reserve. In reality, it’s even closer to 12 days, but Oris stays on the safe side by officially stating 10. The movement runs at a steady frequency of 21,600 vph and features 38 jewels.
Is the new watch great enough for The Great Gonzo?
In terms of boldness, the Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition beats the two previous green- and pink-dial Muppets watches, hands down. But is this skeletonized, gradient rainbow creation worthy of The Great Gonzo? I think it is. It’s robust and water resistant to 100 meters, but it’s also reasonably lightweight, meaning it serves as a proper tool watch for someone who doesn’t shy away from breakneck stunts. And you will be surprised how legible the watch is thanks to the openworked white hands.
Is a 44mm case a deal-breaker? Not for someone larger than life, it isn’t. This diameter is the minimum for a giant like Gonzo. And the skeletonized dial, in a gradient of blue, red, and yellow, matches his outspoken attire. The question, therefore, is not if this watch is worthy of The Great Gonzo; it most certainly is. Rather, the question is: are you worthy to wear it?
Think about that, and let me know your answer in the comments section below. And just so you know, Oris will only produce the ProPilot X Gonzo Edition for a limited time. If you’re interested, you’ll have to act swiftly and without fear, just like Gonzo does.
FYI: Rumor has it that today, September 2nd, at 8:00 PM CEST, The Great Gonzo will perform a never-before-seen watch-juggling act on top of Geneva Lake’s famous 140m-tall fountain. Just so you know, the Jet d’Eau jets out 500 liters of water per second at 200 km/h (124 mph). Indeed, what Gonzo will attempt to do is not for everyone; it’s only for The Great Gonzo.
