Earlier this year Oris proudly introduced their newest take on the ever popular retro designed Divers Sixty-Five. A limited edition bronze version with a blue dial and rose dot indexes, created in honour of the extraordinary life of the U.S Navy’s Master Diver, Carl Brashear.

Brashear had an extensive career joining the Navy in 1948 at the age of 17. In 1966 Brashear lost the bottom half of his leg during an exercise recovering a hydrogen bomb. Despite the injury Brashear determined to continue his diving career then became the Navy’s first amputee diver. In 1970 he received the honour of becoming a Master Diver.

This watch was created to pay tribute to Brashear and resembles the determination and resilience of a man who conquered not only a disability, but also the challenge of race, becoming the first African American Master Diver in the U.S Navy. Brashear sadly passed away in 2006 and his story was the inspiration behind the film ‘Men of Honor’.

The watch case has been created in bronze, drawing from diving history where vintage helmets were often created from the metal. Typically valued due to its copper content, bronze forms a patina protecting the underlying metal from corrosion. Each patina is unique and will naturally form on the case of the watch. Initially the colour will be bright and over time as the copper reacts with moisture and carbon dioxide it will darken. This ensures each watch will look unique as the patina forms.

The Divers Sixty-Five Carl Brashear has a 42mm case, slightly larger than the original and is Limited to 2000 pieces It has a Oris Caliber 733 and is water resistant to 100m.

This extraordinary watch is Oris’s first bronze timepiece and offers the wearer the opportunity to own a watch which draws from an incredible man’s story and the history of diving itself.