Hublot loves football and, if they had their way, would be the first and last name in the sport. Sure, the pond might be big, but so, very literally is a Big Bang. No matter what they try however, they haven’t stopped other watchmakers encroaching on their territory, especially outside of the Premier League and World Cup. Case in point, Oris, who after cracking cricket have partnered with the Ligue de Football Professionnel (I shouldn’t need to tell you that is France’s professional football league) to create the Oris Divers Sixty-Five LFP Limited Edition.
If you were expecting a relatively standard palette-swapped Divers Sixty-Five using the LFP’s navy blue livery then you’d be… mostly right. Let’s not beat too much around the bush, that’s precisely what Oris has done here. And sure, it’s a handsome enough dial – I’d actually really like it on a standard, non-limited Divers Sixty-Five, but this is a limited edition. If all they’d changed was the dial colour I probably wouldn’t bother talking about it.
But, you see, this isn’t just a sports partnership; it’s also a charity one. The LFP has their own charity partner, the National Convention of Child Protection Associations, or CNAPE using the French acronym. Again, I don’t think I really need to explain what they are or what they do, but suffice it to say that it’s supremely valuable work. And it’s from them that we get the elements that really set this funky little Oris apart.
First, look at that logo. If the opening chords of ‘I’ll Be There for You’ didn’t start ringing through your head, you’re a better person than I. It’s meant to, in the words of Oris, ‘capture the innocence of a child’s handwriting’, but with the rainbow lettering underneath it’s just too ‘Friends’ to ignore. Plus, I know the filth that I was writing when I was younger was anything but innocent.
Still, if you can look past the Central Perk-ness of it all, it’s actually a fun little twist on Oris branding that I genuinely do like. The typography and colour combined turn what is otherwise a very standard Divers 65 dial – hell, more pared-back than some – into a fun, funky face. And who knows? Perhaps I’m the only one seeing the Friends connection. I doubt it, but maybe. Oh and the same script is used on all lettering on the dial, it’s just much harder to tell at the smaller scale on the lower half of the dial.
The thematic dial of course means an equally thematic caseback. In this case (back), that takes the form of script saying ‘Les Defenseurs de l’Enfance’, or Children’s Advocates in proper language. It’s a not-so-subtle allusion to what CNAPE do – act on behalf of and in defence of children.
In short, this watch combines two often very different types of partnerships into one watch and I’m here for it. It feels like much more of a CNAPE watch than an LFP edition, and as I care more about charity than sport, that’s fine by me.
As for the watch itself, if you’ve ever tried on a Divers Sixty-Five – and by now you most certainly should have – you’ll know what to expect. The smaller-than-usual 38mm sizing is perfectly retro, something that Oris were into before it was cool, and the tone-on-tone bezel is lovely, taken straight from the recent calibre 400 Divers Sixty-Five models. Here they’ve kept that bezel as streamlined as possible in the same steel as the case and bracelet, with the diving scale in relief. It’s not as practically readable as other, more serious diving bezels, but on a watch with 100m water resistance – i.e. one more akin to a desk diver than a professional instrument – that’s to be expected.
On the wrist it’s, for me, perfect. The bracelet’s pretty basic but well-made and the 38mm sizing sits comfortably on my wrists. The bezel is satisfying to use and the crown’s simple enough to wind and set with. Like I said, it’s a Divers Sixty-Five; it’s ground that’s been covered before, all to the positive.
The movement’s pretty old hat too. Despite sharing a bezel with the Calibre 400 models, the LFP edition instead houses the calibre 733 with a 41-hour power reserve. I really wish Oris would put their superb calibre 400 into everything they can, but as numbers for that movement are still relatively limited, sometimes we just need to make do with what we can. It’s a shame, but it does mean that the 1,000-piece limited edition is more accessible than it would be with the newer movement inside.
That price, as we’re on it, is £2,150, which is around £50 more than other steel Divers Sixty-Five models on a bracelet. I’d most definitely pay that extra for this kind of fun dial. It’s unclear whether proceeds from the watch sales itself will actually go to CNAPE – which with 1,000 of them is quite a lot of potential cash – but they are at least raffling off 10 of them to raise money, so keep an eye out for those if you fancy trying to get your hands on an (almost) free watch. Either way, great limited edition for an even better cause.
Price and Specs:
More details at Oris.
