ReviewSave Our Source: Oris’ All-New Aquis Lake Baikal Edition

Oris’ immovable commitment towards protecting and conserving water bodies around the world is only strengthening with the turn of the new decade. As a luxury watchmaker, it’s important to understand that the brand doesn’t necessarily have to undertake and raise awareness for these massive environmental projects. However, the fact that Oris does that, alongside creating accessible and distinctive watches that support the cause, is what sets the brand apart. And more importantly, this also affirms that Oris isn’t here for the short run. Because, at the end of the day, all we have is this one planet. There is no plan B; there’s no second solution. With this in mind, Oris has yet again delivered a timepiece that serves as a reminder of this very fact. Presenting the Oris Aquis Lake Baikal dive watch.

The Man-Made Problem

The Ocean Trilogy, which was launched last year, aimed at raising awareness and support towards combating plastic pollution and rising sea temperatures that are destroying the oceans, choking sea life and bleaching coral reefs, in addition to the threats faced by the blue whale. Oris also released the Source Of Life limited edition in 2018, which was inspired by the River Rhine that flows through Switzerland, and even close to the village of Hölstein, which is the hometown of Oris. This year, the watchmaker has focussed its attention on Siberia, the vast Russian province that encompasses most of northern Asia, which is also home to Lake Baikal. In case you’re unfamiliar with this lake and its significance, let me throw some facts your way. Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest lake at 1,642m, which allows it to hold an astonishing 20 percent of the world’s unfrozen fresh surface water reserves. It is also the world’s oldest (at 25 million years old) and clearest lake, and the seventh-largest in the world by surface area.

The Pelagic Station No 1, also known as Point No1 is located in Southern Baikal. Point No1 is also the name for the long-term ecological monitoring project at Lake Baikal

Anastasia Tsvetkova, CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation, says that Oris' contribution will help raise awareness of the project and draw attention to the importance of Lake Baikal globally

The monitoring program was launched in 1945 by researcher Professor Mikhail Kozhov, to observe the unique ecosystem of the lake. Seen here: scientists collecting water samples

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More importantly, it is home to an extraordinary array of endemic wildlife because of the way the lake is landlocked between Russia and Mongolia. And as is (in)humanity’s way, unfortunately, the damage has already been done—through extensive unregulated tourism and waste created by careless industries. “Nutrient inputs from tributaries; inputs from the atmosphere; and anthropogenic impact from tourism, sewage and local pollution,” informs Anastasia Tsvetkova, CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation. “Overcoming these starts with education, but we also have to regulate nature usage and take practical steps locally.”

The Crystal-Clear Solution

To battle these problems, Oris has partnered up with the Lake Baikal Foundation. Sales of the watch will help raise funds in support of ‘Point No1’, a conservation project run by the Scientific Research Institute of Biology at Irkutsk State University, Siberia, which is also the longest-running and most detailed environmental water monitoring project in scientific history. “This partnership will help raise awareness of the project and draw attention to important scientific data.” Tsvetkova states. “It will also raise the profile of the global ecosystem and how it’s affected by Lake Baikal. But the big thing for us is that the support generated by sales of the Oris Lake Baikal Limited Edition means we can guarantee the project’s 2020 funding.”

The Lake Baikal Foundation has informed that the temperature of the lake has risen by one degree Celsius, which is a sizeable jump according to experts

Oris Aquis Lake Baikal Limited Edition

Abiding by the aquatic theme, the result of this partnership is a new edition of the classic Aquis Date dive watch, featuring a 43.5mm brushed and polished stainless steel case. Unique to this watch is the colourway of the dial and bezel. Meant to resemble a frozen Lake Baikal, the dial has a piercing blue-to-grey gradient. It features metallic hands and applied markers, all filled with Super-LumiNova. The ceramic insert of the unidirectional-rotating bezel is in a surreal blue tone and has an engraved 60-minute diving scale. At 300m, the watch’s water resistance rating doesn’t come close to the depth of the lake it honours. However, it is more than sufficient for those who prefer life beneath the waves rather than on terra firma.

Unique to this watch is the colourway of the dial and bezel. Meant to resemble a frozen Lake Baikal, the dial has a piercing blue-to-grey gradient, while the bezel has a surreal blue tone

Powering the timepiece is the tried-and-tested calibre 733, a Sellita-derived movement that runs at 4Hz and gives the watch a 38-hour power reserve. The other feature unique to this watch can be observed as you flip it over, revealing a medallion that depicts crevasses on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal. Only 1,999 pieces will be made, marking the year Russia passed the Baikal Law, which serves to protect this unique and ecologically important lake.

Flipping the watch over reveals a medallion that depicts crevasses on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal

And Oris has truly taken this to heart. Because protecting Mother Nature means protecting humankind as a whole and ensure the survival of generations to come. So Oris, as a watchmaker and a conservationist, is a hero in the broader sense of the word, and for this, it has earned our collective respect.