Mechanical watches are often regarded as an antiquated charm. We have clocks on every appliance, one in the car, and a smartphone that can display accurate time down to the second. Some would say the need for a mechanical wristwatch is dead. On the other hand, we live during a time (see what I did there?) where we are hyper-connected to our digital devices. After an innocuous check of the time on your smartphone, you’re liable to be distracted by a pile of notifications waiting to tempt you. A two-second time check is apt to turn into a thirty-minute scroll session.

Oris, a watch manufacturer from Hölstein, Switzerland, believes the need for a mechanical watch is still very much alive. Since their establishment in 1904, they have navigated the gap between being true to their watchmaking heritage and the demands of a modern world. We would suppose that if someone asked Oris ‘is the wristwatch is still relevant?’, their retort would be clear: ‘of course it is’.

Perhaps nowhere is the vintage charm of Oris more apparent than in one of their most well-known watches: the Divers Sixty-Five.

The recent trend of dive watches adopting large, bulky cases has attracted both admiration and complaint— and Oris took notice. They introduced their best-selling line, Divers Sixty-Five, as a sweet-spot diver for those wanting a bit more of a classic look with the benefits of a reliable and modern movement. With case sizes ranging from 38-42mm each Divers Sixty-Five features a rotating countdown bezel, luminous hands and markers, and a screw-down crown. Add in 100m of water pressure resistance, and you’ve got the trappings of a perfect dive watch.

To add to the throwback vibe, Oris chose to include some Divers’ models with bronze bezels, cases, and steel/bronze two-tone bracelets. When exposed to oxygen, bronze slowly takes on a patina that ranges from light brown to intense green. Oris intended this watch to be used— and to tell a story of its own.

Oris still believes in the idea of a mechanical watch— one completely void of batteries or semiconductors. So much so that’s all they make; the brand hasn’t put a quartz (or battery powered) movement in a watch for years. Instead, each of their watches is powered by a mechanical movement: some hand wound, others automatic.

The simple magic of a mechanical watch may seem foreign to those in a device dependent world. But if you’re looking to truly unplug, leave the smart watch off your wrist. Check out Oris at Gunderson’s to experience quintessential Swiss watchmaking: clean, classic, and always in style.