The Oris Carl Brashear Cal. 401 limited edition is the third watch made in collaboration with the Carl Brashear Foundation. This model is the first powered by Oris’s in-house Calibre
The model is created to bring awareness to the foundation and Carl Brashear’s legacy, as well as Oris’ mission to bring Change for the Better. Since their first collaboration in 2015, Oris has developed a close relationship with the foundation.
An American Hero
Carl Brashear is undeniably an inspirational figure from American history. He was born in 1931 in Kentucky and his parents were sharecroppers. Brashear’s career started in 1948 when he enlisted into the U.S. Navy. Young Carl had set his sights on becoming a diver. As the Navy had been desegregated around the time Brashear’s joined the military, he faced racism and hostility. In 1954, despite all the difficulties, he graduated from the U.S. Navy Diving & Salvage School. With that, he became the first African-American to attend and graduate the school and thus becoming the first U.S. Navy Diver. Later in his life, Brashear suffered an accident which led to him having the lower part of his leg amputated. Brashear persevered and fought to remain on active duty, becoming the first amputee to be recertified as a U.S. Navy diver. Carl Brashear retired from active duty in 1979 and later passed away in 2006. His children, DaWayne and Phillip started the Carl Brashear Foundation in his honour. The movie Men of Honour was written about his life. Not only an inspiration, but Brashear was also a testament to the power of human will and what one can achieve with persistence and dedication.
Limited Edition Watch
The 40 mm multi-piece case is made of bronze. Bronze makes for an interesting choice for a watch case as the material tarnishes and changes over time due to it reacting to the oxygen and moisture. The metal was selected as a nod to the diving helmets worn by Carl. As it changes over time each watch will eventually become more unique and one of a kind, as each case will react differently to its environment. The case also features a bronze uni-directional ridged bezel. Domed sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating on the underside encases the blue dial. A mix of bronze-coloured round and baton indices contrast it. A small seconds subdial is placed at the 6 o’clock position.
The watch features a screw-down crown. It’s secured by a blue woven elastic nylon strap with a bronze buckle, specially designed for this model to be highly durable and resistant to moisture. The movement inside the watch is from Oris’ in-house line. The cal. 401 is automatic with a power reserve up to 5 days and heightened anti-magnetism. Its accuracy is -3/+5 seconds a day (within COSC tolerances). The watch is water-resistant up to 100 metres or 10 bars.
The watch is available in only 2000 pieces. If you’re interested in purchasing, please follow the link here.
What do you think of the Oris Carl Brashear Cal. 401 Limited Edition? Let us know in the comments.
