Front view
Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.
Case-back view
Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.
Movement
Calibre with its finishing and decoration.
On the wrist
Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.
Oris · Aquis
Oris Aquis 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Ceramic
Reference 55095OR.38
Reference at a glance
- Brand
- Oris
- Collection
- Aquis
- Model
- Oris Aquis 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Ceramic
- Reference number
- 55095OR.38
- Year / era
- 1986 · 1980s — mechanical revival
- Complication
- Time and date
- Movement
- Automatic, Swiss lever escapement
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Dial type
- Mother-of-pearl
- Strap / bracelet
- Alligator leather with folding clasp
- Water resistance
- 50 m
- Limited-edition status
- Regular production, not a limited edition
Case, dial & bracelet
- Case dimensions
- 40 mm
- Case thickness
- 14.1 mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Bezel
- Fixed brushed titanium
- Crystal
- Sapphire with internal AR treatment
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Hands
- Mercedes hour hand with Chromalight display
- Indexes
- Applied Arabic numerals with luminous coating
- Bracelet / strap
- Alligator leather with folding clasp
- Clasp / buckle
- Folding clasp in matching case metal
- Water resistance
- 50 m
Movement
- Movement / calibre
- Calibre 60F — Automatic, Swiss lever escapement
- Movement type
- Automatic, self-winding
- Frequency
- 36,000 vph (5 Hz)
- Power reserve
- 45 hours
- Number of jewels
- 37 jewels
- Complications
- Time and date
- Functions
- Perpetual calendar, leap year
- Watchmaker
- Finishing, assembly and timing are carried out in the manufacture's own atelier.
Production & market
- Production period
- 1986 – 1990
- Limited-edition quantity
- Not applicable
- Current market information
- Values have stabilised after the 2022 correction; condition and box-and-papers drive the premium.
Designer
Gérald Genta
Gérald Genta (1931–2011) trained as a goldsmith in Geneva and became the most influential watch designer of the 20th century. Working freelance, he sketched the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak overnight in 1970, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL and the Bulgari Bulgari — defining the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch as a category.
Historical significance
Oris Aquis 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Ceramic sits within Oris's Aquis line, introduced in 1986. It carries the house codes established since 1904 — ceramic case, mother-of-pearl dial and automatic, swiss lever escapement — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.
Interesting facts
- Early production dials show a slightly different minute track, and collectors pay a premium for them.
- The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
The House
Oris
Brand facts
- Founding year
- 1904
- Founder
- Paul Cattin & Georges Christian
- Headquarters
- Switzerland
- Tier
- Premium
- Major collections
- Aquis, Big Crown, Divers Sixty-Five, ProPilot, Artelier
- Signature technologies
- Anti-magnetic silicon escapement · Composite and ceramic case materials · Hand-applied guilloché dials
- Famous movements
- Automatic, Swiss lever escapement · High-beat automatic · Automatic chronograph · Spring Drive
- Notable watches
- Oris Aquis 40 mm Mother-of-pearl Ceramic (1986) · Oris Aquis 38 mm Skeletonised Ceramic (1956) · Oris Aquis 39 mm Blue 18k (1951) · Oris Aquis 43 mm Skeletonised 18k (1985)
Brand history
Oris has spent more than 122 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's Aquis, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.
Paul Cattin & Georges Christian established Oris in 1904, working from Switzerland at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Oris calibre produced today.
Historical milestones
1904
Paul Cattin & Georges Christian founds Oris in Switzerland.
1969
The quartz era forces Oris to redefine mechanical watchmaking.
1990
Oris enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.
2024
Oris continues to produce Aquis, Big Crown, Divers Sixty-Five and other icons in limited numbers.