Review •Calling For A Sea Change: The

Oris Whale Shark Limited Edition Is

Here To Make Waves
The Swiss watchmaker’s association with projects
aiming to protect water bodies and aquatic beings
is well-known, and their atest limited edition
timepiece takes the ‘change for the better’ story
forward by highlighting the threat to the argest
fish in the ocean

Oris, as a brand, doesn’t need to fish for

compliments. If the sophisticated appeal of their
timepieces don’t win your admiration, the
thoughtful themes behind them are bound to leave
you in awe. Their atest creation is an addition to
their ongoing mission to clean, restore and protect
the world’s water and direct everyone’s attention
towards the a arming ecological imba ance. Say
hello to the Whale Shark Limited Edition—the
timepiece that is putting a spotlight on the majestic
sea-dweller and how human activity is pushing it to
the brink of extinction.

Based on the Oris Aquis GMT diver’s watch, the Oris Whale Shark
special edition is limited to 2,016 pieces

₹ 2,54,500
For more information, please call

Based on the Oris Aquis GMT diver’s watch, the Oris

Whale Shark special edition is limited to 2,016
pieces. The number marks the year the
International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) made the andmark announcement of
adding it to the endangered list. The most evident
reminder is the stainless steel caseback with an
engraving of a whale shark. A closer look will show
you the blue dial sporting a special engraved
pattern that is inspired by the whale shark’s skin.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the cause that inspired
Oris to create this new stunner, as we take a closer
look at the timepiece’s features.

The watch's most distinguishing factor is the dial with its

engraved pattern inspired by the whale shark’s skin

₹ 2,54,500
For more information, please call

Whale Shark Tale

Whether the creature taking centre stage here is a
whale or a shark is an interesting question, but what
is happening to it is of far greater importance. Well,
to address the first point, it’s not a mammal like a
whale. It’s a fish and that too the argest one in the
sea, and it can grow more than 40ft in length. To put
that figure into perspective—imagine a yellow
school bus swimming! However, don’t conjure up
any images from the Jaws films as these sharks are
not at all aggressive, and they even let swimmers
grab onto them for a ride. Despite their massive size,
these members of the prehistoric Rhincodontidae
family just love devouring p ankton and scooping
up tiny fish with their colossal gaping mouths.

Now, coming to the key issue… A whale shark can

live for up to 70 years, but according to the IUCN,
their popu ation is decreasing and the species is
heading towards extinction. Going by IUCN’s 2016
data, their global popu ation had halved over the
previous 75 years. The slow-moving gentle giants are
becoming prey to legal and illegal fishing and even
to collisions with boats.

In Search Of Solutions
Not everyone is ignorant about or indifferent
towards the dwindling number of whale sharks.
Explorer and photographer Gerardo del Vil ar, for
instance, is particu arly concerned about the
creatures’ plight. “They help to eliminate the weak
and sick and to maintain ba ance with competitors,
thus guaranteeing species diversity. Without whale
sharks, ecosystems will col apse in the future,”
exp ains the Oris ambassador, who has spent 15
years documenting the whale shark. “As top
predators, they p ay an important role in the
ecosystem by keeping species below them in the
food chain, and as indicators of ocean health.”

“Without whale sharks, ecosystems will collapse in the future,”

says Gerardo del Villar, Oris ambassador, who has spent 15 years
documenting the whale shark

Del Vil ar lists the creation of marine protected

areas, spreading more awareness about whale
sharks, and curbing sea pollution as a few possible
measures to protect the species. However, it’s not a
one-man job. A mission of this magnitude will
always require a collective effort. No points for
guessing who joined the crusade! Going by their
track record, Oris have always been eager to p ay
their part in conserving the environment, especially
the marine ecosystems. “We’re not going to stop
drawing attention to the issues facing the world’s
water. We’re proud to work with Gerardo and
support his work, but this is a drop in the ocean. To
bring change for the better, everyone needs to p ay
their part,” states Rolf Studer, Oris’ co-CEO. Oris
continue to p ay their part, helping Gerardo spread
the word via documentaries and exhibitions.
 ₹ 2,54,500
For more information, please call

Charisma Beyond The Cause

Apart from the noble cause it represents, the watch
looks stunningly beautiful as well. Sized at 43.5mm,
the polished, multi-piece, high-grade stainless steel
case lends a sleek appearance despite being robust
and water-resistant to 300m. The bidirectional-
rotating GMT bezel has a ceramic insert in blue and
b ack, to represent day and night. The GMT
complication itself is a feature that many will
appreciate, since it’s arguably one of the most
useful timekeeping functions. The secondary time
zone is indicated via a central 24-hour hand and a
24-hour scale, while you can simply rotate the bezel
to have the hand indicate yet another reference
time. Additionally, a date disp ay sits pretty at three
o’clock.

The most distinguishing factor, though, is the dial

itself, with its engraved pattern inspired by the
whale shark’s skin. Ensuring a crystal-clear view of
the textured disp ay is the domed sapphire crystal
g ass, with its antireflective coating on the inside.
With the hands and indices adequately filled with
Super-LumiNova, the dial is legible even at diving
depths. Powering the timepiece is an Oris 798
automatic movement that offers a 42-hour power
reserve.

Presenting durability, fine craftsmanship, and

attention to detail, the Whale Shark Limited Edition
is not only a handsome timepiece to wear, it is also
bound to be quite the conversation-starter.
Encouraging conversation ranging from horology to
ecology, wearers can also do their bit in spreading
the word about the endangered whale shark.

₹ 2,54,500
For more information, please call

Here For The Long Haul

It’s not uncommon for luxury brands to raise
awareness about environmental degradation by
creating accessible and appealing products, but Oris
especially commands respect because they have
been doing this for quite some time now. Over the
past few years, through col aborations with marine-
conservation organisations, the luxury watchmaker
has batted for a variety of different causes ranging
from coral reef protection to combating p astic
pollution. The Oris Aquis Lake Baikal dive watch, the
Carysfort Reef Limited Edition, the Aquis Staghorn
Restoration Limited Edition, the Ocean Trilogy
(Great Barrier Reef III, Blue Whale, and Clean
Ocean), the Source of Life Limited Edition and now
the Whale Shark one, all speak volumes about Oris’
sustained endeavours.

At the risk of sounding cliché, this watch is a

constant reminder that time is ticking. The future of
this fascinating creature looks bleak unless the right
measures are taken now. A watch may not change
the world, but it can do its bit, as can you. And every
drop makes the ocean.

In this short documentary, watch Oris ambassador

Gerardo del Vil ar swim with the whale sharks, as
he expresses his concerns for the gentle giants and
the issues that threaten their very existence