Introducing The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473

Swiss watchmaker Oris has been in the business for well over a century – since 1904, to be precise. Based in the town of Holstein, Oris was long known as one of the premier manufacturers of movements in the world. Altogether, they manufactured 270 different calibres. But during the 1970s quartz crisis, the company ran into hard times. Like most mechanical watchmakers, they were barely able to stay in business, much less build the kind of innovative movements they’d become famous for. Rather than lower their standards, Oris stopped making movements altogether.

But recently, the venerable watchmaker has started dipping their toes back into the world of movements. Given Oris’ passion for quality, things have moved slowly at first. In 2014, the company debuted their first new movement: the Calibre 110. This was the first of the Calibre 100 series, a collection of hand-sound movements with a beautiful aesthetic. They also boasted an impressive 10-day power reserve, with a non-linear indicator and various additional functions like additional time zones or business calendars.

In 2020, Oris released the Calibre 400 series including the small seconds variant Calibre 401 which I reviewed here on the WatchReviewBlog. This was an automatic series, with a five-day power reserve, 10-year warranty, and advanced anti-magnetism technology. In total, Oris has released nine new movements since 2014.

Make that 10. They’ve just announced the release of the Calibre 473, a new hand-wound movement. Like Oris’ other movements, it was designed in-house by experienced Swiss watchmakers. It’s not a clone of some existing popular calibre.

Oris Big Crown Calibre 473

The Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is an upgraded version of one of Oris’ most popular watches, the Big Crown Pointer Date. This design has been around since 1938, but for decades, the only variants have been fully automatic. For the first time in a long time, you can get a Big Crown watch with a hand-wound movement.

The 473 is an upgraded version of the existing Oris Calibre 403, which is an automatic movement. This new hand-wound version is incredibly accurate, at an impressive -3/+5 seconds a day, with a five-day power reserve. The Big Crown Calibre 473 puts the movement front and center, with an attractive display case. The power meter is also located on the back, a feature we appreciated about this movement. This is possible in part because there’s no rotor to block any indicator.

Like the 400 series of movements, the 473 is designed with anti-magnetic technology. It’s also backed by a 10-year warranty, with a 10-year recommended service interval.

The Big Crown has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 38mm, lending it a medium-small wrist presence. The crystal is a double-domed scratch-resistant sapphire, with an anti-reflective coating on the inside. Underneath is am aquatic blue dial with Arabic numerals everywhere but 6 o’clock. There, you’ll see a miniature seconds subdial. The hands are broad and long, with pointed tips and lume stripes down the center.

The watch comes with a brown deer leather strap. It sports a stainless steel folding clasp with a built-in adjustment system. This makes it easy to change the size without going to a jeweler.