The flight tool watch from Oris that non-pilots can enjoy

As a watch addict (or should that be a watch collector?), I find that there is something very satisfying in the hunt for an elusive watch. The thrill of finding that said watch and ticking it off your bucket list is a huge adrenaline rush!

One such bucket-list watch was the Oris Big Crown X1 Calculator (reference: 01 675 7648 4264-Set 5 23 77) – based on the Bell X-1 rocket engine–powered aircraft.

Having a love for watches, one usually has certain styles that appeal to them. I think I have a love for broad styles and movements, if my collection has anything to say about it, from solar and automatic divers, racing inspired pieces to everything in between – however, I was missing one style in my collection, an aviation-inspired chronograph timepiece.

When thinking about aviation chronographs, my mind goes straight to Brietling’s iconic Navitimer and Citizen’s more affordable Promaster Sky range. With the cost of the Brietling out of my reach, and the Citizens not to my taste (even though I love busy dials), my attention was piqued when I stumbled upon the Oris Big Crown X1 Calculator.

The BC X1 Calc, as I affectionately call it, first came on my radar while looking at past Oris chronograph collections. I was initially drawn to the BC4 Chrono due to its cushion-shaped stainless steel case fixed with screws and its (internal) tachymeter. As gorgeous as the BC4 was, once I saw the BC X1 Calculator, I was smitten.

WHY I LOVE IT SO

Just look at it, what’s there not to love! The stainless steel gun metal grey plated case just exudes elegance and ruggedness all at the same time. The handsome dial and the coin-edge bezel which acts as your slide rule are the cherries on an already substantial cake. I love the chronograph dials due to how well they organise information while maintaining such a cool look. All stop-watch functions are aligned vertically and indicated with stark white hands. The 30-minute counter at the top, the 12-hour counter at the bottom, and the central seconds hand, are not only easy to read, but handsomely aligned on the dial when the stopwatch isn’t running. The day complication and logos offset the running seconds at 9 o’clock, while the date display between 4 and 5 o’clock together with the Superluminova filling the oversized numerals (12, 3, 6 and 9) and all main markers and hands provide perfect legibility in any condition, including total darkness – perfect for any budding pilot.

It’s 46mm size demands a 7”+ wrist to get the best wear out of this watch. The original Oris dark brown leather band compliments the gun metal gray case, but it is quite thick and stiff, which means getting it to contour to your wrist will take a fair few wears. Being a pilot watch, I’ll admit I am learning how to use the slide-rule and also calculate the speed / fuel in the metric system (even though you can also do these calculations in the imperial system).

Apart from its good looks, the movement was another big plus! The Oris 675 movement, based on the ETA / Valjoux 7750 caliber, is an absolute workhorse. The power reserve of 48 hours is quite welcome.

A special mention has to go to the packaging of this watch. Oris hasn’t skimped at all as they have included a special box with slide rule scale on top, a DVD of the movie “The Right Stuff”, certificate and documentation on the Bell X-1 aircraft.

Changing over to the camo NATO strap really brings out the military look and feel of the watch, so for now, the leather strap will be taking a break.

To say I love this watch so much would be a gross understatement.