Over the years Oris has worked with a range of different organisations and foundations centred around conservation and preservation of the environment. The brand understands the importance of highlighting important global issues. Working towards a better tomorrow has been a cornerstone of it’s values. In line with these values, Oris’ Roberto Clemente limited edition watch was released, yesterday, on the 9th of September. Bringing attention to humanitarian issues is just as important and with this new partnership Oris is looking to celebrate, honour and continue supporting the work of one of baseball’s greatest stars Roberto Clemente.
The Life and Legacy of Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente was one of the 20th century’s greatest baseball players. An exceptional ballplayer, a record holder and a humanitarian, a big part of his life was dedicated to fight for and help others. He was born in 1934 in Puerto Rico and was the youngest of 7 children. At 17, he joined the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball league and a year later he went to play for the LA Dodgers. In 1955, 2 years after that, he made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates and stayed with them for 18 seasons. He was a 12 time winner of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award and the first Latin American player to reach the 3000 hit mark. During his career Clemente won 2 world series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Roberto Clemente was an outstanding athlete and a devoted activist. He spent a large amount of his free time involved in charity work. In 1972 an earthquake with magnitude 6.3 hit Managua Nicaragua. Having visited a few weeks earlier, Clemente wasted no time to provide aid to the capital, however, when the first shipment was lost he decided to travel with the second in order to guarantee it reaches Nicaragua. Roberto Clemente met his untimely death when on the 31st of December his plane crashed into the ocean. In 1973 he was posthumously inaugurated into the Baseball Hall of Fame and his number, 21, was retired from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Fittingly the Commissioner’s Award was renamed the Roberto Clemente Award as it’s awarded to baseball players who have involved themselves with their communities and worked towards their betterment.
The Roberto Clemente Foundation was established by his wife, Vera Clemente, and has since been headed by his son Luis Roberto Clemente Zabala. The foundation encourages and guides young kids and teenagers into becoming leaders and engaging with their communities through sport. Dedicated to “Building Nations of Good.”, the foundation has partnered with Oris to create this stunning limited edition timepiece.
The Watch
The watch is limited to 3000 pieces to commemorate Roberto’s 3000 hits. It’s based on the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date. Lending it’s iconic retro-chic silhouette, the model is the ideal choice for the base. Classic and elegant with a sporty touch, this limited edition model reflects Roberto Clemente’s personality. The case measures at 40 mm and is made of stainless steel. Its ridged bezel adds to the vintage look. A white dial with black and gold detailing is protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal. Luminescent hour markers and hands guarantee ease of readability. The number 21 for the date is coloured gold in honour of Clemente’s player number. Its case back features a special engraving of Roberto and the colour-palette is inspired by his uniform. The watch has an automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. Functions include hours, minutes, seconds and a date indicator. Its leather brown top-stitched strap grounds the model and gives it a more casual tone. The watch comes with an additional NATO strap in gold, black and white.
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