Review: Oris x Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition

I won’t bury the lede here: The Oris x Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition (whew) I am reviewing today is a solid gold, limited edition pilot watch with a retail price of $17,000 USD. When I received the watch for review, I excitedly shared photos of it with a number of watch friends. One of them commented something to the effect of hoping anyone who spent $17,000 on an Oris knew what else they could get with that money.

My friend was right- $17,000 will buy you a lot of watch from just about anywhere. At the price of a very good used car, it should. Certainly when I think watches in that price bracket, Oris isn’t a brand that comes to mind. But then, the point of this watch isn’t exactly to give you haute horology, or even a status-symbol luxury product.

I feel it’s safe to say Oris is a brand known for its special editions and collaborations. It’s worked with numerous organizations to produce watches with a special design element and a message advocating for the focus of the group or business. From Momotaro Jeans to the Coral Restoration Foundation to the Movember Men’s Health organization, the variety of their partnerships is impressive- as are most (in my opinion) of the watches.

Wings of Hope is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that uses aviation to bring relief and aid to people all over the world. Since their foundation in 1962 they have operated in multiple needy foreign countries as well as the United States to bring medical aid, food and even education to vulnerable or impoverished communities. A portion of the money from each Wings of Hope watch sale goes directly to the organization itself.

For their project with the Wings of Hope Foundation, Oris chose to build upon their new edition of the Big Crown pilot’s watch. The style we all recognize as the Oris Big Crown has not changed much since its genesis in 1938. It’s characterized by a simple dial layout with Arabic numerals, a pointer date function, clean case lines and, you guessed it, a big crown. The new design of the Big Crown released in 2021 features a smooth bezel instead of coin edged, a simple pencil-style handset, and (in the case of the Wings of Hope watches) a lack of date complication altogether.

The Wings of Hope Big Crown Limited Edition watches are available in a 40mm steel case for $3,700, limited to 1,000 pieces, and a 38mm 18k gold case for $17,000, limited to 100 pieces. I received the gold version for a review, and I’m glad I did, as in my opinion it presents an interesting crossroads of luxury and practicality. Let’s dive in below.

The Case

“It gleamed like … it’s impossible to say what it gleamed like because nothing in the Universe gleams in quite the same way that a planet made of solid gold does.” -Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

While admittedly non-planetary, nothing quite describes the gleam of a watch made of solid gold like Adams’ inability to describe the gleam of a planet made of solid gold. Not everyone likes yellow gold, but even the most dour of steel lovers would have to admit there’s something special about a sports watch case made of the stuff. The case of the Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition is no exception- it’s thick and billet-like, and there are no corners cut or trimmings done here or there to reduce the cost of the metal. It’s imposing and unapologetically auric. 

As a long time enthusiast of gold watches I was eager to compare the hue of Oris’s alloy to the various solid gold dress watches I’ve had over the years. There’s rich variety in the coloring of gold alloys- from the common rose gold and white gold, to exotic types like green gold and gray gold. There’s even variation within each ally in hue and brightness. The 18k yellow gold used by Oris is a deeply saturated yellow, with traces of surprisingly dark, almost bronze tones depending how the light hits it. It most resembles the alloy used in American Gold Eagle coins.

Once you’re able to focus on something other than the solid gold-ness of the case, you’ll appreciate the simple, clean lines of the classic Big Crown case. In a case of this size, the straight sides and tall lugs work well and don’t feel or appear clumsy. The case finishing is consistent, I would say, with Oris’ other offerings- crisply even, and very well done, but simple and workmanlike. There’s no extra ornamentation, beveling, or fancy-work here- a choice that suits the businesslike pilot watch case well. The mix of brushed and polished surfaces is a classic look in any metal, but it really comes to life in gold- the polished areas take on some of the darker hues mentioned before, while the brushing presents a bright, straw-like tone. It goes to show the important part different types of finishing play in the overall look and feel of the watch.

The crown is solid 18k like the case- it’s signed and screws down for extra security. The watch public would have a right to be disappointed if it was anything but Big, and thankfully it is just that, and therefore easy to operate. The crystal doesn’t need much said about it; it’s a pleasant low dome with a decent amount of anti-reflective coating.

The Dial

The dial of the Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition is just lovely. The fonts, layout and colors compliment the case beautifully and give the watch a cohesion that could be dicey to achieve in a solid gold pilot watch. It’s matte white, little to no texture visible, with simple black printing. The 1-12 numerals are infilled with gold paint, not lume- we all love lume, of course, but the aesthetic effect achieved by the paint makes me ok with the lack of glow-in-the-dark-ness.

The gold handset is simple, well lumed and well-finished. I had no trouble reading the time in the dark despite the lack of lume on the dial. The choice of a red sub-seconds hand is perfect- it stands out and prevents the watch from being too tone-on-tone. I’m a big fan of the cathedral handset found on Oris’ other Big Crown Pointer Dates, and I think it would suit the vibe of this watch very well- a sort of old school, aristocratic explorer’s watch- but the pencil hands are a fine choice as well.. No complaints about the dial for me; it’s the type of well designed, warmly vintage look that I love.

The Rest

The movement is a pretty standard affair for most of the watches I cover. It’s usually a decent-to-very good Swiss or Japanese caliber that is excellent and boring (and the two are often closely linked). Not so with the Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition- under the hood is Oris’ own home-brewed automatic movement, the caliber 401.

This movement is interesting for a few reasons- one, many of the parts are made of nonferrous materials. Magnetism has a chaotic effect on watch movements, particularly on the balance wheel and hairspring, and these as well as the pallet fork are made of amagnetic silicon on the caliber 401. It boasts an outrageous 120 hour power reserve, achieved through the use of twin mainspring barrels. At 13-1/4 lignes it’s not the smallest movement, nor is it the thinnest, but that’s hardly to be expected in exchange for the automatic winding capability and high power reserve. Oris provides a 10 year warranty on all its in-house caliber 400 movements, a guarantee that puts the mind well at rest when considering its novelty.

If you’re going to have a novel, in house movement in a watch you may as well be able to see it, and the sapphire display caseback on the Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition lets you do just that. The caliber 401 has bead-blasted bridges, an uncommon and beautiful finishing method. Blasting gives a soft, matte look to metal, and I wish more brands would finish with it. I love the way it contrasts with the brushing on the rotor. The rest of the movement is fairly straightforward with simple and attractive finishing.

The strap included with the Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition is part of another Oris collaboration with Swiss leatherworker and conservation group Cervo Volante. Cervo Volante makes it their mission to use only environmentally friendly tanning methods, and leather from cull animals that would otherwise be wasted. Their primary material source are the 15,000 or so wild Red Deer that are culled each year in Switzerland to prevent overpopulation.

Deerskin is known for being soft and pliable, and this strap is no different- very flexible, comfortable and attractive. I would buy this strap on its own, if it was available.

To me, the Oris x Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition is a homerun. The design is beautiful and well thought out, the execution virtually flawless, and the various associations and collaboration partners are meaningful and important. It was an absolute treat to spend time with this piece.

Returning to the opening of the article, is it worth $17,000? The question becomes meaningless when we think of watches as objects in themselves. Value is an odd thing to look for in an overtly luxury item. I would rather say if you are a person thinking of spending $17,000 on a solid gold watch, you would not be disappointed with the quality or fit and finish of the Wings of Hope Gold Limited Edition. The rest of it- the heritage, prestige, status factor when compared to other brands- you decide the value of that for yourself. If you like the design of the watch, as I very much do, you will be more than satisfied with the rest of it.

You can learn more and buy directly from the Oris website.