Introducing: Oris Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition 2020
The Oris Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition is the third watch Oris have made in partnership with the Carl Brashear Foundation. Also, it is the first watch powered by Oris’s 401 calibre movement. Based on their ground-breaking calibre 400 launched last year, it is a highly accurate, highly resistant calibre with an incredible 120-hour power reserve. Also, it is telling that Oris are so confident in it, that it is covered by an amazing 10-year warranty.
Carl Brashear: The Man of Honour
Carl Brashear’s story is nothing short of inspirational. He was the first African-American diver in the US Navy and the first amputee Master Diver. Born in Kentucky, USA in 1931, Carl Brashear overcame poverty and illiteracy to join the U.S. Navy in 1948 as a 17-year-old, shortly after the U.S. Military desegregated. He quickly decided he wanted to become a deep-sea diver. He graduated from the Navy’s diving programme in 1954, despite facing discrimination on account of his race. Later, he recounted that he wrote to the Navy more than 100 times before finally being accepted – his letters kept getting “lost”.
In 1966, Brashear was overseeing a mission to recover a hydrogen bomb from the Mediterranean when the towing line on his salvage vessel snapped, causing a metal pipe to come hurtling towards his crew. Brashear pushed the men out of the way, taking the brunt of the impact himself. His leg was permanently damaged but he was advised that it could be repaired over a period of several years. However, Brashear told his doctors “Go ahead and amputate. I can’t be tied up that long. I’ve got to go back to diving.”
Brashear was a humble man but was incredibly determined. Despite the many obstacles placed in his path, he always pushed onwards and persevered. His mantra was ‘It is not a sin to get knocked down. It’s a sin to stay down’. The 2000 film “Men of Honour” starring Robert DeNiro and Cuba Gooding Jnr is based on Carl’s incredible story.
Carl Brashear passed away in 2006 but today his legacy lives on. In 2014, The Carl Brashear Foundation created the annual Navy Diver of the Year award to recognise the Navy diver who most embodies the courage and unwavering determination to succeed as displayed by Carl Brashear.
Carl Brashear 2016 & 2018 Limited Editions
The first Carl Brashear Limited Edition, released in 2016, was a time-only version of the Oris Divers Sixty-Five. The second, released in 2018, was a chronograph version. Both were cast in bronze as a nod to Brashear’s diving helmet and made in Limited Editions of 2,000 pieces. Furthermore, they have both become highly collectible.
Oris Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition 2020
Case, Dial, Strap
As per the previous two versions, the 2020 incarnation is also a Limited Edition of 2,000 pieces. Once again, the case is in a light-coloured solid bronze which will age with a beautiful patina as the years go by.
Additionally, the bronze bezel has a minute scale in relief. On the reverse side, the caseback has a special engraving with a deep-sea diving helmet, the name of the watch and its serial number. Furthermore, it is engraved with Brashear’s famous mantra.
The dial is in a vivid ink blue with bold indices. Along with the hands, these are coated in superluminova for legibility in poor light. Finally, a blue woven elasticated nylon strap completes the look. Designed to wick-away moisture, it is incredible comfortable and has a central bronze stripe to complement the case. A bronze buckle secures it to the wrist.
Oris Calibre 401
The Oris Carl Brashear Calibre 401 Limited Edition is only the second watch to use Oris’s Calibre 400 as its base. This new version, the 401, has a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock. This ground-breaking movement is highly resistant to magnetism. Additionally, it has a 5-day power reserve and is highly accurate to an incredible -3/+5 seconds per day. Consequently, it is even more accurate than a chronometer.
Where to Buy
Priced at £3,350, it’s a lot of watch for the money and if you act fast, there’s a good chance you can get your hands on one too.
To reserve your watch, click here and order from our Independent Watch Specialist and authorised Oris stockist: Phillips of Ilkley.
Specification & Price
- Limited Edition of 2,000 individually numbered pieces
- Automatic winding small second movement, Oris 401, 24 jewels
- 120-hour power reserve
- Vibrations: 28’800 A/h, 4 Hz
- Hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock
- Bronze case, 40mm diameter, uni-directional turning bezel with minutes scale
- Bronze screw-down crown
- Blue dial – indices and hands with superluminova
- Sapphire crystal, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating on inside
- Stainless steel screwed caseback with special engravings
- Blue nylon elasticated woven strap, bronze buckle, Interhorn width: 20mm
- Water resistant 10 bars (100m)
- Supplied in special wooden presentation box with certificate
- Ten Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
- Price: £3,350
