Oris makes more than 50 Aquis variants. Different sizes, two movements, dozens of dial colors, and a long list of limited editions. That’s a lot to sort through if you just want to know which one to buy.
This Oris Aquis buying guide is built to help you do that. The buying choice always comes down to five questions: what size, which generation, which movement, what configuration, and new or pre-owned.
Most people end up with a 41.5mm Aquis Date and the Caliber 733. Here’s how to know if that’s you, and what to buy if it’s not. Read on for the full breakdown.
Why the Aquis Matters in Oris’s Lineup
The Aquis launched in 2011 as Oris’s modern dive watch flagship. It borrowed design cues from the brand’s earlier ProDiver and TT Divers lines, but built around a more wearable case, a screw-in integrated lug system, and 300m water resistance. Within a few years, it became the volume model in Oris’s catalog and has stayed there.
Two things make the Aquis worth knowing as a buyer. First, Oris is one of the few independent Swiss watchmakers left, based in Hölstein since 1904. That independence is one reason Aquis prices stay reasonable, and if you want the broader picture of where Oris sits as a brand, that’s worth a separate read. Second, the Aquis Date launched Oris’s in-house Calibre 400 in 2020, which pushed the whole collection upmarket.
The current lineup includes four standard Aquis Date sizes (36.5mm, 39.5mm, 41.5mm, and 43.5mm), along with the larger Big Day Date, Depth Gauge, and professional Aquis Pro 1000m and 4000m models. Most run the Caliber 733, and more are getting the Calibre 400 every year.
How to Choose the Right Oris Aquis for You
Five decisions, in order. Skip ahead if you’ve already made up your mind on one of them.
1. Start With Case Size and Wrist Fit
The Aquis wears smaller than its case size suggests. The integrated lugs are sharply downturned, so a 43.5mm sits closer to a traditional 41mm on the wrist. That’s the most useful thing to know before you panic at the diameter.
Here’s how the sizing breaks down.
| Wrist Size | Aquis Pick | Lug-to-Lug |
| Under 6.5″ | 39.5mm | 46mm |
| 6.5″ to 7.25″ | 41.5mm | 48mm |
| Above 7.25″ | 43.5mm | 50mm |
Lug-to-lug matters more than the diameter on this watch. The 36.5mm is sized as a women’s piece but works on smaller wrists either way. The 45.5mm Big Day Date and 49.5mm Aquis Pro serve niche use cases and aren’t covered in the size table above.
Every Aquis Date is rated to 300m and meets ISO 6425 dive watch specs. Any size works in the water. The Aquis Pro 1000m and 4000m sit on a separate platform built for technical diving, covered later.
2. Identify the Generation You’re Buying
Three generations of Aquis exist. If you’re buying pre-owned, Gen 2 is where the value lives.
| Gen | Years | What changed | Pre-owned price |
| Gen 1 | 2011 to 2016 | Original Aquis Date, smaller crown guards, original dial fonts | $1,000 to $1,500 (project pieces from $900) |
| Gen 2 | 2017 to 2023 | Refined case, beefier crown guards, ceramic bezel inserts standard | $1,300 to $1,900 |
| Gen 3 | 2024 to present | W&W 2024 refresh, redesigned bracelet links, 733-1 with 41-hour power reserve, more Calibre 400 references | New retail only (covered below) |
3. Pick Between the Caliber 733 and Calibre 400
Pick the Caliber 733 unless you’re a long-term new buyer with AD (authorized dealer) support. The 733 wins on value: the same Aquis with a Calibre 400 costs roughly $1,500 more new and $1,200 more pre-owned.
| Caliber 733 | Calibre 400 | |
| Type | Modified Sellita SW200-1 | Oris in-house |
| Power reserve | 38h (41h on Gen 3 733-1) | 120h |
| Anti-magnetic | Standard | High |
| Service interval | 4 to 6 years | 10 years |
| Warranty | 2 years | 10 years (with MyOris registration) |
| Service cost | $250-$400 indie / $500-$700 Oris | $400 to $600 |
Turnaround at Oris is 6 to 10 weeks for either movement. Independents can sometimes do a 733 service in 3 to 4 weeks.
The Calibre 400 upcharge buys you a 120-hour power reserve and a 10-year service interval, plus a display caseback. Worth it for the long-term new buyer covered above. Not worth it for someone buying pre-owned to flip in 2-3 years, where the 733 is more liquid.
4. Choose Your Configuration (Dial, Bracelet, Strap)
The main choices are dial color, bracelet or rubber, and strap compatibility: black or blue is usually the safest dial choice, the bracelet is better for resale, and NATO straps are not worth considering because they will not fit. Here’s the details on each.
Dial colors, ranked by liquidity:
- Black: sells fastest, discounts least off retail
- Blue: nearly equal to black, slight premium for Gen 3 sunburst and fume versions
- Green: trades 10 to 15% below black equivalents pre-owned
- White: smallest cohort, sits on the market longer
The bracelet is excellent. It tapers well and uses a milled diver’s extension clasp that feels solid. The rubber strap is also high quality but requires cutting to size, which some owners hate.
The Aquis does not fit NATO straps. Oris uses screw bars and shaped end-links instead of standard spring bars. The integrated lug profile locks you into Oris’s options regardless of what lug width the spec sheet shows.
If you want strap options beyond Oris’s catalog, look for Aquis-specific aftermarket pieces. They exist, but the market is small because of the proprietary lug system.
5. Decide Between New and Pre-Owned
Buy pre-owned Gen 2 if you don’t need warranty coverage. You’ll skip the 25 to 35% depreciation that hits in the first 18 months.
| New | Pre-owned (Gen 2) | |
| What you get | International warranty, AD support, boutique service | Mechanically identical watch at half the price |
| Trade-off | 25-35% depreciation in first 18 months | No warranty unless transferred, need to verify history |
| 41.5mm price | Current Gen 3 retail | $1,500 to $1,800 |
The 25 to 35% first-18-months drop is the single biggest variable in this decision. Past that window, depreciation flattens, which is why a 3-to-5-year-old Gen 2 holds its price better than a Gen 3 will at the same age. If you’re not sure what an Oris warranty actually protects you against in the first place, it’s worth understanding what’s covered before you decide.
Oris Aquis vs Tudor, Longines, and Seiko
Three watches come up on the same shopping list as the Aquis. Here’s how each comparison plays out.
Oris Aquis vs Tudor Black Bay 58 — Better Resale vs Better Design
The Black Bay 58 retails for $5,350 on the new five-link bracelet with the 2026 METAS update. The Aquis 41.5mm Caliber 733 retails well below that.
| Aquis 41.5mm 733 | Black Bay 58 | |
| Movement | Modified Sellita SW200-1 | In-house MT5400-U (MT5402 older) |
| Brand pull | Solid | Stronger |
| Resale | Average for segment | 10-15% less depreciation in first 3 years |
| Liquidity | Slower secondary market | More liquid |
| Design | Integrated lug case, distinctive | Traditional dive watch silhouette |
Verdict: Buy Tudor for resale. Buy Aquis if you want a watch that doesn’t look like every other diver.
Oris Aquis vs Longines Hydroconquest — Higher Build Quality vs Lower Price
The redesigned Hydroconquest launched at Watches & Wonders 2026 in 39mm and 42mm sizes, retailing around $2,000 to $2,100 in steel. We go deeper on the watch itself in our full Hydroconquest breakdown.
| Aquis 41.5mm 733 | Hydroconquest 42mm | |
| Price (new, on bracelet) | ~$2,800 | ~$2,000-$2,100 |
| Movement | Modified Sellita SW200-1 | Caliber L888.5 (ETA-based, Swatch Group exclusive) |
| Power reserve | 38h (41h on Gen 3 733-1) | 72h |
| Water resistance | 300m | 300m |
| Bracelet and finishing | More refined | Traditional, well-built |
Verdict: Tight budget around $2,000? Buy the Hydroconquest. Have $2,500 to $3,000? The Aquis is the better watch.
Oris Aquis vs Seiko Prospex SPB Line — Swiss Finishing vs Outright Value
The Seiko Prospex SPB143 retails around $1,200, and the SPB185 sits in similar territory. Roughly half the price of an Aquis, with specs that look similar on paper.
| Aquis 41.5mm 733 | Seiko SPB143 | |
| Price (new) | ~$2,800 | ~$1,200 |
| Build | Swiss-made | Japanese-made |
| Bezel insert | Ceramic | Stainless steel with Dia-Shield |
| Bracelet quality | Tighter, better finished | Solid but less refined |
Verdict: They’re not really competing for the same buyer. Seiko buyers want value. Aquis buyers want a Swiss diver with character. Different decisions.
Which Oris Aquis Is Worth Buying in 2026?
Each pick below includes who it’s right for and the trade-off worth knowing. The right Aquis depends on what you want from it.
Aquis Date 41.5mm Caliber 733 — Best for Most Buyers
This is the right Aquis for most people. The 41.5mm sizing solves the 39.5-vs-43.5 sizing debate. The Caliber 733 is reliable, easy to service, and significantly cheaper than the Calibre 400 alternative covered above. It’s the most liquid configuration on the secondary market, which matters when it’s time to sell.
Catch: 38-hour power reserve on the original 733. Take it off Friday night and it’s dead by Sunday afternoon.
Aquis Date 43.5mm Caliber 400 — Best for Long-Term New Buyers
Buy this if you have the wrist for 43.5mm, plan to keep the watch for a decade, and want to buy new from an AD. The 10-year warranty only kicks in with MyOris registration through an AD, which is what makes this a new-buyer pick rather than a pre-owned one.
Catch: It lands in territory where the Tudor Black Bay 41 and Omega Seamaster 300M Co-Axial start showing up on shopping lists. That means harder competition for your money.
Aquis Date 39.5mm — Best for Smaller Wrists Under 6.5 Inches
The 39.5mm is the right call for a 6.0″ to 6.5″ wrist. Lug-to-lug at 46mm keeps it from looking like a saucer, and the 12.7mm thickness sits comfortably under a cuff.
Catch: It can wear slightly thick in proportion to its diameter, especially on the steel bracelet and on Clean Ocean editions with reclaimed plastic casebacks.
Pre-Owned 733 Aquis Date — Best Value Buy
A 2018 to 2022 Gen 2 Aquis Date in good condition is the best value buy in the lineup. Most trade between $1,300 and $1,900 depending on size and dial.
The watch is mechanically identical to a new 733-equipped Gen 3 Aquis. The only meaningful differences are the 2024 case refinements and updated dial fonts.
Clean Gen 3 examples with newer dial variants (the Relief grey, the fume blues) also land here when they come up pre-owned in complete-set condition. The logic is the same and the case is slightly newer.
Catch: No warranty unless one transfers from the original buyer, and you’ll want to verify service history. See the inspection list below.
Aquis Depth Gauge — Best for Collectors Who Want a Conversation Piece
The Depth Gauge is the only Aquis that’s a collector piece, not a daily driver. A channel milled into the sapphire crystal lets water enter through a tiny hole at 12 o’clock.
As you descend, the water compresses the air in the channel and pushes a watermark along a yellow scale on the dial. It’s the only divers’ watch in production that works this way. The 45.5mm case carries 500m water resistance.
Catch: 45.5mm is a lot of watch, and most buyers won’t ever use the depth function. You’re paying for the engineering story, not the daily utility.
Aquis Pro 4000m — Best for Tool Watch Purists
The Aquis Pro 4000m is a 49.5mm titanium watch with 4,000m water resistance and the Calibre 400. Retail is around $6,900.
The newer Aquis Pro 1000m, launched late 2025 with a Sellita-based 733 and a thinner 16.6mm case, is more wearable and costs roughly $4,100.
Catch: 49.5mm titanium is a wear commitment. Past 7.5″ wrists is where the 4000m starts making sense. Below that, it’s overkill that lives in the box.
7 Things to Check Before Buying a Pre-Owned Oris Aquis
This is where money gets saved or lost on a pre-owned Aquis. Walk through each of these before paying. If you’re new to assessing pre-owned watches in general, our guide on how condition is graded across the market gives useful context before you start inspecting.
1. Check the lug screws. Oris uses proprietary screw bars that are easy to strip if a previous owner forced them. Make sure the screws sit flush with no buggered slots. A stripped screw means a service center visit before you can swap straps.
2. Test the bezel action. The unidirectional bezel should ratchet cleanly with no backplay. A loose or skipping bezel is a service flag. Factor in $80 to $150 for a bezel rebuild.
3. Look for bracelet stretch. On Gen 1 and early Gen 2 examples, hold the bracelet vertically and look for visible link gaps. Stretched bracelets are common on watches worn daily for 5+ years.
4. Test the crown threads. Unscrew and rescrew the crown a few times. It should thread smoothly and seat fully. A gritty or stiff crown is a gasket service flag.
5. Check the crystal and AR coating. Look at the dial under angled light. AR coating wear shows as patchy purple or hazy spots. Replacement is around $200 to $300.
6. Ask for service history. An Aquis serviced within the last 3 to 4 years with documentation is worth a $100 to $200 premium over an unknown-history example.
7. Confirm box and papers. Full kit adds 5 to 10% to resale value. Not having them is fine for a wearer, but it limits your future buyer pool.
Where to Buy an Authentic Oris Aquis
Where you buy changes the price, the warranty coverage, and how much vetting falls on you. Below are the four channels for a new or pre-owned Aquis, with the real trade-off for each. For a broader look at the pre-owned market itself, our pre-owned buying pillar covers the landscape end to end.
1. Authorized dealers. The cleanest channel for new watches. Full international warranty, AD support, and access to current Gen 3 stock. The trade-off is retail pricing with no negotiation, plus the depreciation hit covered earlier.
2. Online marketplaces. Chrono24 is the largest secondary market for Oris and gives you the best price visibility across thousands of listings. We’ve written a separate walkthrough on what to watch for on Chrono24 before you commit. eBay can be cheaper but you’re vetting individual sellers with no authentication on most listings. Grailzee runs auctions on pre-vetted watches, which sits between the two on price and risk.
3. Forum sales corners. Watchuseek’s sales corner often runs 10 to 15% below Chrono24 prices for the same watch in the same condition. Lower fees mean lower asking prices. The trade-off is you’re buying from a private seller with no marketplace protection.
4. Curated dealers. Curated pre-owned dealers do the vetting for you. Majestix Collection focuses specifically on Aquis trade-ins. Every watch runs through the inspection checklist above before listing, and ships with photos and a service report. The premium over a private sale buys you the work.
Final Thoughts on the Oris Aquis Buying Guide
The five-decision framework in this Oris Aquis buying guide holds up across the entire range. Start with size, identify the generation, pick the movement, choose a liquid dial color, and weigh warranty against depreciation. Most buyers land on a 41.5mm Caliber 733, black or blue, pre-owned Gen 2.
Two bonus tips before you buy. First, register every new Aquis with MyOris immediately, since it extends the 733 warranty by a year and locks in the full 10-year coverage on Calibre 400 watches. Second, confirm the purchase channel, because Oris won’t honor the international warranty on grey market watches. Our breakdown of authorized dealer versus grey market trade-offs covers why that matters in detail.
Need help finding a clean pre-owned example? That’s what Majestix Collection does for a living. Most buyers don’t have the time to vet 50 listings on Chrono24 or chase service history through three previous owners. We do that work, and you can browse our current collection for watches that are ready to wear.
