There are some watches that are art, and some that are technical marvels but we are talking about neither of those today. Today we are talking about a high quality and comfortable every day watch that should be in every “normal” watch guys collection. The Oris F1 Day Date is a marvelous watch that is impossible not to love. The watch is available on both a nice metal bracelet or an exceptional rubber strap, and in my opinion one of the nicest rubber bands you will find at this or any price level. The rubber band is soft yet never losses it’s shape and unlike less refined bands, is slightly scented with vanilla so the foul smell of wet rubber will never be on your watch or arm.
The case and face have multiple color combinations anywhere from blue on sliver to completely blacked out with a black face and black PVD case, some orange and red are thrown in for good measure. As a casual watch collector, you’ll have no problem finding a color combination you’ll want to wear every day. The case has a nice overall finish, combining both brushed and polished surfaces that seem to enhance the overall quality of the Oris product. The case features a stainless steel crown which measures 42mm, which is a rather standard size these days for most watches in this price range. It looks great on both thin and wide wrists, and as I’ve mentioned previously is amazingly comfortable, mostly due to the freedom movement and angle the strap sits at the side of the case. I really can’t say enough about the comfort level of this watch. It just feels like it belongs on your wrist every day.
Mechanically the watch uses the time tested and completely solid 25 jewel Oris 635 automatic movement which includes automatic and manual winding with a 38 hour power reserve. There is a clear case back on the F1 Day Date, showing off this fine precise movement and you’ll spend just as much time admiring the technical precision of the movement as you will the great looks of the case.
The top glass on this timepiece is a flat Sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. Each face has a unique carbon fiber look to it, enhancing the “sport” look of this watch. The hour, minute and indices are all treated with “Superluminova,” and have a slight glow to them when fully charged. If there is one thing about this watch I would improve upon is the lume visibility, maybe slightly larger hands and lume on the second hand would make a nice improvement.
For just under 1000 dollars retail, you can’t find a more complete, comfortable, attractive watch than an Oris F1 Day Date. I am a particular fan of the black on black with red highlights; there is just something about a stealth looking watch that I enjoy, but each of the models has a distinctive look that sets it apart from its brethren.
By Josh Fenton for aBlogtoRead.com.