Oris Watch Night in Munich

Since 2017, Oris actively supports the Movember foundation. To raise awareness about men’s health and the need to improve it (and to raise donations), Movember supporters reveal themselves by growing a mustache in November. So, November is the perfect time for an event to accentuate Oris’ dedication.

Having started in 2017, Oris each year presents a special Movember edition of one of their watch models and donate part of the revenue. This commitment was the peg for a grand event that Oris hosted last week in Munich.

Oris Watch Night in the Munich Hearthouse

Oris, of course, also presented their other novelties as well as some models representing their different collections. But they had also invited some celebrities who shared a very personal view on the meaning that Oris’ motto “go your own way” has to their life. Acknowledged Swiss singer-songwriter James Gruntz played some of his songs, and Oris even brought one of their watchmakers.

The Hearthouse, a private club which otherwise is open only to members, served as the venue. This extraordinary location created the atmosphere of an exclusive night club.

Guests and hosts

The Oris Watch Night was a huge event. According to Oris, 300 guests came. Hence this event was different from a usual gathering of watch enthusiasts. I noticed that the guest list included a who’s who of media representatives. This, I find remarkable. Not that Oris wouldn’t be worth this extent of attention. Already a while ago, Oris stopped being the small alternative brand from the Basel region, producing fine mechanical watches, which are only familiar to some insiders. But such a list of attendees and such a selection of celebrities I would somewhat have connected to an event hosted by one of the great, famous, and, most of all, exclusive watch brands. Oris have coined the term “inclusive luxury” instead of “exclusive”, which, from my perception, is not just a marketing slogan but a company codex. In this regard, this event was almost revolutionary.

Fortunately, the majority of attendees were collectors and fans and friends of the brand who were invited via Oris’ online community MyOris and local Oris retailers. Fratello also invited 20 readers from Germany to the Oris Watch Night event, via a dedicated newsletter to our Germany readers.

Several members of Oris’ team were present and happy to be addressed by anyone to answer every question you ever had about this brand. Among these brand representatives was CEO Rolf Studer, who did not withdraw, but was actively seeking conversations with all guests. Try this with any other brand at Oris level!

I don’t know how this came about, but the German edition of Playboy magazine also participated and added two of this years’ playmates to the range of celebrities. They were easily identifiable as they were dressed in those typical bunny costumes, matching the atmosphere of the Hearthouse. They were wearing Oris watches, so I certainly had to ask them for some photos. 😉

Special alcoholic drinks had to be paid, and the proceeds were donated to Movember. But for every drink you bought, you received a lot with a number. At the end of the event, from all lots, a winner was drawn who received a Movember Edition watch.

The Oris watches

Separate from the room where speeches were held, where live music was featured and where people met people, there was a room which was dedicated to the watches of Oris. In this room, people met with the Oris watches.

Across a big table, typical (and rather beautiful) examples from the different families of Oris’ watches were ready to be viewed, to be touched and to be tried on. Of course, recent novelties like the Big Crown ProPilot X, the latest Movember Edition and the Art Blakey Limited Edition were available as well. We will provide detailed reviews of the remaining novelties soon.

Members of the Oris team were ready to show and explain every detail of each watch. But everyone was free to pick up a watch to examine it in detail.

Part of this room was reserved for a watchmaker. It impressed me how this fellow did not at all get tired by answering endless questions about the functionality of a watch movement, peculiarities of Oris’ movements, what it feels like to work for Oris and the career path that took him there.

This is the base model of Oris’ 110 family of in-house movements. The barrel is opened, and the mainspring, which provides the 10-day power reserve, is dismantled.

Not only Oris watches were worn during the Oris Watch Night. Regarding the brands, guests had dressed adequately.

Our marvelous community

Oris had allowed us to invite 20 of our readers to the Oris Watch Night. They came. They found each other. And they found me. And we all got together in the room that was dedicated to the watches. Their enthusiasm touched me. I was impressed by their expertise, and I much enjoyed this gentle and appreciative company. It felt like in the good old times when a post in an online forum was rewarded by respect and not by a shitstorm because you dared to express your affection for the wrong brand. This encounter was about sharing the passion.

What a beautiful community we have! Thank you, folks, for being with us.

Thanks to Oris for the invitation to Oris Watch Night in Munich.

To learn more about Oris, explore their website.