The independent Swiss watchmaker has teamed with the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) to fund and advance research on the underwater volcano off the island of El Hierro - the smallest of the Canary Islands - which erupted between October 2011 and March 2012. As a result, Oris has created a wristwatch inspired by the colors of the volcano, with proceeds of its sale funding travel bursaries for researchers.

The simply named "Oris El Hierro Limited Edition" watch is effectively a reinterpretation of the "Oris Aquis." It stands out, however, with its distinctive colorus, matching a black stainless steel case with touches of gray and red. The dark shades evidently evoke volcanic rock, while the red highlights - on the dial's minutes scale, the bezel rim and the seconds hand - bring to mind red-hot lava.

In another nod to the volcanic island, the black DLC-plated caseback features an engraving of the El Hierro underwater volcano as well as its coordinates.

Ads

The watch uses a self-winding movement and inherits the main features of models in the "Aquis" collection, such as a unidirectional rotating bezel, a crown protection device, hours, minutes and seconds functions, and a date window at six o' clock.

This diver's watch is waterproof to 300 meters and comes with a rubber strap with a folding clasp and an extension system. This makes it quicker to adjust than a classic system.

The "Oris El Hierro" is a limited-edition watch with just 2,000 pieces available. It comes priced at €1,850 (approx. $2,089).