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Add Texture to GoogleDive watches typically feature bold, distinctive design elements: a black or blue dial, immediate readability, and uncompromising stainless steel. With the Aquis Date Kelp Forest Limited Edition, Oris takes a different approach. Its dial appears to capture a green glow beneath the surface, with lighter areas that suggest the movement of a kelp forest. This isn’t just a decorative overlay on a functional watch—it’s the starting point for a timepiece designed to draw the eye to a marine environment whose fragility often goes unnoticed.
A seascape on your wrist
Kelp forests—those vast communities of seaweed found in the world’s oceans and seas—have inspired this limited-edition Aquis Date series. The impetus came from Francis Pérez, an award-winning underwater photographer and longtime ambassador for the Swiss watchmaker. Discussions about the decline of these underwater forests gave rise to a watch whose ambition is less to recount a diver’s adventure than to make this issue perceptible, almost tangible.
Oris chose to focus this concept on the dial. The ocean-green background is crisscrossed by a light-green pattern, in a color palette that evokes the green and golden hues found in kelp fields. The effect is not achieved through a simple surface print. The dial is created using 3D printing, a technique that allows variations in pigment and texture to be integrated directly into the material itself.
From a distance, the composition appears as a fluid gradient. Up close, it reveals a fine texture formed by successive layers of printed material. This texture gives the dial a textile-like quality, reminiscent in places of so-called “linen” dials, without seeking to literally imitate a traditional design. The watch thus gains visual depth without losing the functional character expected of an Aquis.
The peripheral details extend this chromatic design. The applied hands and hour markers, filled with Super-LumiNova, are accented with gold. Their warm hue echoes the subtle yellow accents in the dial. A light green minute track and a green ceramic bezel complete the look. The result avoids the pitfall of an overly ostentatious “environmental” dial: the theme is present, but it remains firmly rooted in the collection’s sporty aesthetic.
Diving Before the Manifesto
The case serves as a reminder that this edition was not designed to be a piece for contemplation. It is based on the 41.5-mm Aquis Date, which emerged from the collection’s evolution in 2024. Its proportions have been revised, notably through adjustments to the ergonomics of the lugs. Measuring 12.9 mm thick and 49 mm from lug to lug, the multi-piece stainless steel case retains a bold profile while providing a more secure fit on the wrist.
The screw-down crown and water resistance to 300 meters (30 bar) clearly position the Aquis Kelp Forest as a professional diving watch. The engraved case back adds a discreet signature to the edition: a relief depicting a kelp forest. This detail is reserved for the wearer alone, making it more compelling than an overly prominent ecological message on the dial.
The three-row steel bracelet continues this functional design philosophy. It tapers toward the clasp, alternates between brushed and polished surfaces, and closes with a folding clasp featuring a quick-adjustment mechanism. This extension allows the watch to be worn over a wetsuit. Oris has also retained its quick-change system: the clasp wraps around the screw-down spring bar, making it easy to swap the bracelet for a compatible rubber strap.
This solution comes with a trade-off. It limits the user to an ecosystem of Oris straps or those from specialized manufacturers capable of offering compatible models. Collectors who have amassed NATO straps, Bund straps, or more conventional straps will not be able to install them freely. This limitation is very real, even if it stems from a desire to make strap changes simpler and safer.
A Movement Chosen for Affordability
Rather than equipping this Aquis with a in-house movement from the Caliber 400 family, Oris opted for its Caliber 733. This automatic movement is based on the Sellita SW200-1 and offers a 41-hour power reserve. It displays hours, minutes, seconds, and the date, without any additional complications or superfluous mechanical displays.
This choice provides a fairly clear indication of this watch’s place in the lineup. The Kelp Forest is not intended as a limited-production technical showcase, but rather as an awareness-raising edition whose price must remain competitive compared to models powered by in-house calibers. This strategy aligns with other Aquis models dedicated to conservation causes, notably the Yangtze Jiangtun and New York Harbor editions.
In this context, the Caliber 733 does not need to be a prestige feature. It fulfills the expected role of a proven automatic movement for a watch designed for water, everyday use, and a production run of 1,000 pieces. The watch’s overall coherence stems precisely from this balance: meticulous craftsmanship, serious diver’s specifications, and a price that doesn’t put the watch beyond the reach of its intended audience.
Color as Conversation
Priced at 2,250 pounds sterling, the Aquis Date Kelp Forest Limited Edition stands out first and foremost for a decision that is rarely trivial in watchmaking: making the dial the central focus of the narrative. Color serves a narrative function here, but without compromising readability. The applied hour markers, the luminescent material, and the minute track remain present; they organize a graphic landscape that might otherwise become too abstract.
This tension between image and instrument is the highlight of this edition. Oris does not transform the kelp forest into a logo or an easily recognizable illustrative motif. Instead, it offers a material interpretation, one defined by depth, texture, and pigments. The watch does not claim to solve the decline of these ecosystems. It does, however, give an underwater subject—and thus one removed from everyday view—a visible presence every time the time is checked.
For collectors, the limited run of 1,000 pieces obviously adds a dimension of exclusivity. For divers or sports watch enthusiasts, the 300-meter water resistance, screw-down crown, and quick-adjust strap give this Aquis genuine practicality. As for those looking for a watch that’s less predictable than a classic blue or black diver’s watch, the 3D-printed dial is its most distinctive feature. Complete information on this model, reference 01 733 7787 4187-Set, is available on the Oris website.
