Limited Edition of 151 Pieces
To commemorate the historic Hirondelle steam ship, the first to be built entirely in Switzerland and which infamously sank into the waters of Lake Geneva in 1862, Oris is proud to announce the launch of Hirondelle Limited Edition.
The Hirondelle paddle steamer was launched in Ouchy, Lake Geneva in 1855. It was the first steam boat entirely built in Switzerland and also the largest in the country at the time. On June 10th, 1862 the Hirondelle hit an underwater rock at the edge of the fairway of Becque-de-Peilz in Lake Geneva. Fortunately all 350 passengers survived, but the ship sank fully following a strong storm on July 30, 1862. One hundred and four years later, in 1966, a highly skilled team of enthusiastic divers found the Hirondelle wreckage.
A ship of great importance to Swiss culture, Oris has produced the Hirondelle diver, limited to 151 pieces in remembrance of every year that has passed since its historic sinking.
The case, in titanium, with a gunmetal-grey finish, measures 49mm. The top ring has a tungsten inlay and it features Oris' patented "rotation safety system" for the timer top ring. It also has an AR-coated sapphire crystal and it is water resistant to 1,000 meters (it has a helium-release valve). The caseback shows the Hirondelle near Montreux with the Dents du Midi Mountains in the background.
Movement is the Swiss automatic Oris caliber 667 (base ETA 2897) with 21 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 42 hours. Inspired by the Hirondelle's throttle gauge, a power reserve indication disc, including replica throttle markings "FULL" - "HALF" - "DEAD", adorns the dial of the watch.
The strap is rubber with an adjustable extendable safety clasp. It is delivered in a dark brown wooden gift box and the MSRP is 4,100 Swiss Francs.
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