ReviewA Five-Day Powerhouse—Introducing The New Oris Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition
Oris introduces the third limited-edition watch created in partnership with the Carl Brashear Foundation, which honours the memory of the US military hero. This is also the first watch powered by the brand’s in-house automatic calibre 401 with a five-day power reserve
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These words best describe the indomitable spirit of a man who lived life on his own terms; where fear and self-doubt had no place. Carl Maxie Brashear (1931-2006), is one of those legends, who have endured and battled all odds to emerge victorious. He was the first amputee and African-American master diver of the United States Navy and is a fine example of human resilience in the face of adversity. And to honour his legacy, in 2015, Oris partnered with the Carl Brashear Foundation—set up in his memory and manged by his son Phillip Brashear—to introduce limited edition models, to help raise funds for the organisation. It started with the launch of Oris’s first bronze diver’s watch in 2017, followed by a chronograph, a year later. The brand have now completed the ‘trinity’ with the Oris Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition—the first watch powered by their new in-house Calibre 401, a high-performance automatic movement. Limited to 2,000 pieces, the new watch, just like its predecessors, is also housed in a 40mm bronze case—a material used in the hard-hat diving helmets worn by Brashear during his military career, and the caseback, too, depicts that with its inscription.
‘Man of Honour’: A Real-Life Hero
Carl Brashear endured five great hurdles during his life. “He overcame racism, poverty, illiteracy, physical disability, and before he retired, he committed himself to the Navy’s alcohol abuse course for help with alcoholism,” says Phillip Brashear, as he fondly remembers his father. “My dad was born into a share cropper’s family in rural Kentucky. He always wanted to make a different life for himself, but he was poor and faced widespread racism. In 1948, with very limited formal education, he joined the US Navy where he set his heart on becoming a diver. Despite his shortcomings and racial prejudice from the navy, in 1954 he became the first African-American navy diver,” he elaborates.
Brashear never allowed hate to get in the way of achieving his goals. When he started out, he was entrusted with retrieving around 16,000 rounds of ammunition that fell off a freight boat, which had split in half and sunk to the bottom. He even had to witness gory sights while recovering mangled bodies from plane crash sites, while also salvaging aircraft parts from the depths of murky waters. But he soldiered on to accomplish greater challenges.
However, in 1966, in a tragic accident while retrieving a hydrogen bomb, Brashear lost the lower portion of his left leg during a critical mission off the coast of Spain. “The Navy wanted to retire him because of his disability but he fought to remain on active duty, and became the first amputee to be recertified as a diver, and continue service—an unprecedented feat at the time. He retired in 1979,” says Phillip. For his gallantry, Brashear was later bestowed with the Navy and Marine Corps Medal—the highest navy award for non-combat heroism during service.
The Carl Brashear Foundation
Today Carl Maxie Brashear is one of the most celebrated American military heroes who was highly motivated and led by example. “I ain’t going to let nobody steal my dream,” he was known to say. So strong was his faith in his abilities that it moved mountains. The Carl Brashear Foundation was established after his death in 2006, to keep his memory alive, and to help people face challenges. Phillip, who is the president of the group explains, “The Carl Brashear Foundation is a US-based non-profit organisation set up to spread the incredible story of Carl Brashear, and to continue his extraordinary legacy for future generations. We’ve donated thousands of dollars to veterans’ hospitals in the hope of rehabilitating the lives of wounded service members across the country. Through the foundation, we’ve been able to share my dad’s example to never give up. His impact on our society has forced many establishments to abandon their ways of the past when it comes to racism and other social barriers. More minorities have excelled in all kinds of careers because of him.”
Carl’s story was even adapted for the silver screen, starring Academy Award-winning actors Cuba Gooding Jr and Robert De Niro in the 2000 American drama, Men of Honor.
However, it’s impossible to carry out the good work with monetary struggles. “There are so many people out there that have been affected by wars and armed conflicts. So many people suffer at the hands of others. It is almost impossible to reach out to everyone, but we will continue to push my dad’s message of hope,” says Phillip. Funds raised by sales of Oris Carl Brashear watches have supported countless veterans and vulnerable people, giving them hope and helping them achieve their goals. “Carl’s is an extraordinary legacy, and we’re incredibly proud to share in it and support the foundation. Together with the Carl Brashear Foundation, we hope that every time someone wearing this new watch looks at it, they will be reminded to never give up, and to press on, no matter how insurmountable the challenges ahead appear,” says Rolf Studer, Oris’s co-CEO.
Better With Bronze
The new Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition is the first watch, fitted with the Oris Calibre 401, which is the second movement from the brand’s in-house automatics. The watch makes quite an impact with its vintage-inspired look. The navy-blue convex dial with its Super-LumiNova applied hands and indexes is further enhanced by the 40mm bronze case, which is water resistant to 100m. It is topped by a unidirectional rotating bronze bezel with a diving scale in relief. The watchmakers at Oris opted for bronze since it pays homage to the helmets worn by navy divers back then. The material also becomes better as it ages, since it reacts with oxygen and moisture to change colour. Over time, it develops a unique patina, and helps the wearer to also form a personal association with the timepiece’s ageing process. The screwed-down caseback, too, is inscribed with Carl Brasher’s quote: “It’s not a sin to get knocked down. It’s a sin to stay down.” Along with that, it also carries a motif of a US Marine diver.
In-House Mechanics: The New Oris Calibre 401
The watch is brought to life by the new in-house automatic Oris calibre 401. Based on last year’s calibre 400, it is designed from the ground up by the brand’s watchmakers. The difference between the two is that the 401 displays a small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock—a more traditional and nuanced approach towards timekeeping; while the 400 showcased the date aperture at the same position. Though the common factor is that these Carl Brashear limited edition pieces are based on the brand’s signature Divers Sixty-Five collection. It was inspired by their celebrated early diver’s watch from 1965 that offered a water resistance of 100m along with large luminescent numerals and a unidirectional rotating bezel.
Besides being more accurate than a chronometer, with a maximum timekeeping deviation of -3 to +5 seconds a day, the new calibre 401 contains more than 30 anti-magnetic components, and exceeds the norms set by the ISO 764 enhanced anti-magnetic standard, which specifies the minimum requirements and tests for magnetic resistance in watches. The 120 hours of uninterrupted power supply will also ensure that the wearer is more comfortable donning the watch, without the hassle of having to wind it regularly. It also comes with a 10-year warranty and the wearer simply needs to register on MyOris to avail of this service.
As Phillip puts it, “This watch will showcase my father’s message of hope and resilience in a world that seems so angry, and his legacy will again be in the spotlight. I hope that people may learn from him. Hopefully, many will see that despite our various backgrounds we are all part of the human race, and we must find ways to live together with respect and dignity.”
The timepiece comes in a special presentation box and is displayed on a custom-designed, handcrafted, moisture-wicking woven elastic nylon strap produced specially for this watch. It complements the blue dial perfectly that displays luminous hour markers. It’s a watch designed for go-getters and people with a ‘never say die’ attitude!
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Beautiful watch