One of our favorite watches from this year’s Baselworld was the Oris ChronOris Date, one of the most recent entries into the brand’s catalog of retro-inspired timepieces that have have been overwhelmingly well-received. As the name suggests, the watch pulls inspiration from a racing chronograph Oris released back in 1970. Despite its name and inspiration, the ChronOris Date is actually not a chronograph, but rather a quirky three-hander inside a dual-crown case featuring an internal ratcheting diver’s bezel for tracking elapsed time. Awkward nomenclature aside, the ChronOris Date stands on its own. It measures 39mm wide with a lug-to-lug length of 43mm, so it boasts a delightfully tempered size for a contemporary watch. The finishing is exceptional, with razor-sharp transitions between different surfaces and pronounced sunburst brushing along the top of the case. The crown at two operates the time, and the screw down crown at four controls the internal bezel mechanism, which has a really nice in-hand feel.

The dial continues this superlative execution with a wonderful vintage-inspired aesthetic, mixing grey, orange, white and black to great effect. In the hands of a less apt design team, the dial of the ChronOris Date could have been overly cluttered. Not so here.

For our full thoughts on the Oris ChronoOris Date, check out the video review below.