Oris has chosen to commemorate Brashear, who passed away in 2006, by creating a watch using bronze – a metal associated with vintage diving helmets. Bronze is traditionally valued for marine applications because the copper in bronze readily forms a patina that protects the underlying metal from corrosion; a patina will naturally form on the case of a bronze watch, with each patina having a unique appearance. (Such patinas can, however, stain or discolor skin if in direct contact with the body, which is why bronze watches generally have a stainless steel or titanium case back.) The watch is 42 mm in diameter (as opposed to the 40 mm case of the standard Divers Sixty-Five) and is made in a limited run of 2,000 pieces. The automatic movement is an Oris Caliber 733 based on Sellita SW200, with date.
The Oris Carl Brashear Limited Edition retails for CHF 2,600. For more information on Oris, visit their website here.
The Oris Carl Brashear Limited Edition, 2000 pieces worldwide. Bronze unidirectional 60-minute bezel and case; stainless-steel back; screwed-down bronze crown. Dark blue dial with applied rose-gold indices. Water resistance 10 bar/100 meters. Movement, Oris caliber 733 based on the Sellita SW200.