The pointer date complication probably isnt the first thing that comes to mind when one considers Swiss independent Oris, but it is arguably one of the brands most important collections-which is why Oris is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its first Pointer Date watch introduced in 1938 with a very special Big Crown bronze edition. Being a significant anniversary year also explains why weve seen so many different Pointer Date variants already this year, including bronze and stainless steel editions commemorating various partnerships, like the recent gilt-dial version for the Movember foundation.Before we get too deep into the watch itself, its worth pointing out that the pointer is actually the original expression of a date complication on a wristwatch. It was invented and quickly patented by watchmaker A. Hammerly from La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1915, who would also shortly thereafter patent the traditional recessed rotating date disc displayed through an aperture in the dial most commonly used today. A little over 20 years later, Oris would introduce its first watch using the complication, kicking off 80 years of constant production, and a lasting collection that would prove to outlive even the quartz crisis. History notwithstanding, the Oris Pointer Date seems to also have struck a chord with the modern purist who demands dial symmetry but isnt quite ready to totally relinquish the undeniable convenience of a date display. This particular Oris Big Crown Pointer Date differs slightly from the version we first saw introduced at Baselworld earlier this year-a 36mm bronze Pointer Date with a milky green dial. That particular release was somewhat significant as it marked the first time Oris made a bronze case available in a non-limited release, and the 80th Anniversary appears to continue that non-limited trend, but with a new British racing matte green dial, a red-tipped date indicator, and a slightly larger 40mm case; the latter of which should appease anyone (*slowly raises hand*) who thought 36mm was just a few hairs too small.While most brands have been content to release only one or two watches to earn a participation medal in the recent bronze boom, Oris has widely deployed the alloy in multiple forms across multiple collections, starting with its wildly successful Carl Brashear 3-hand Diver 65 three years prior. Granted, the Pointer Date is far from a marine watch where bronze applications are typically found-its only water resistant to 50 meters, but the inevitably warm, gently worn-in bronze tones lend themselves just as nicely to vintage-style aviation watches. And since the Pointer Date follows the design codes of those early Big Crown pilot watches (many of which shared a similar gold-plated tone), the aesthetic still works really nicely here.Like the rest of the modern Pointer Date watches, the 80th Anniversary is equipped with the Oris 754 automatic movement, which uses a Sellita SW200 as its base. Nothing too out of the ordinary here-it hacks, hand-winds, and the crescent-shaped date indicator quick-adjusts just like any other date wheel. The movement itself carries a pretty standard 40 hours of power reserve and a 4Hz oscillation rate. Despite being introduced under somewhat of a special occasion, the 80th Anniversary Bronze Pointer Date doesnt carry any pricing premium over its non-limited bronze variant. It has an asking price of $2,000 USD. Head over to oris.ch for official pricing and purchase information. [...]