Oris celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Williams Formula One team with a limited edition Chronoris. There are few figures in motorsport, and sport in general, more important than Sir Frank Williams. The legendary founder of Williams is a force of nature, a visionary character who transformed his British team into a winning team and one of the most successful Formula One racing teams in history. Williams Racing has won 16 FIA Formula One® World Championships, including nine constructors' and seven drivers' titles. Oris and Williams Racing met in 2003 and Oris is currently the team's longest-standing partner. This year, Williams Racing celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first Grand Prix, which took place in 1977 in Spain. To celebrate this historic event and Sir Frank's extraordinary achievements, Oris has created a limited edition version of its iconic Chronoris model, also designed in the 1970s, the Williams 40th Anniversary Oris Limited Edition. The 40 mm diameter stainless steel timepiece features a slender case, a tribute to the original Chronoris, and is powered by an automatic movement with chronograph functions which features a central chronograph seconds hand and chronograph 30-minute and hour counters at 12 and 6 o'clock respectively. Oris designers have come up with numerous details to reinforce the Williams connection. The central chronograph seconds hand and the minute scale are both Williams blue, while the case back is engraved with the Williams Racing logo. The timepiece is offered with either a brown leather strap or a black rubber strap, alternatively a flexible metal bracelet. The new watch is as much a tribute to the Williams Racing team as to its namesake founder and also to Chronoris itself. When it was introduced in 1970, the Chronoris became Oris' first chronograph, designed for an entire generation of racing enthusiasts, fascinated by the exploits of the brave F1® drivers of the time. The uncompromising and unconventional shape of its case enhanced the bold design of the time and has become part of the Oris legend. This year, the design has been reinterpreted and adapted to the needs of a contemporary audience. The Williams 40th Anniversary Oris Limited Edition, the hero of the new collection, features a sapphire crystal, 48-hour power reserve and water resistance to 100 metres. It will be produced in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces and will be a true collector's piece. "We are very proud to have been working with Williams Racing since 2003 and to be the team's longest standing partner," said Oris President Ulrich W. Herzog. "We designed this watch to enhance the deep admiration we have for Williams Racing and Sir Frank, who has been an inspiration to us and so many others for so many years." "The Williams 40th Anniversary Oris Limited Edition is an extraordinary timepiece and a brilliant interpretation of the spirit of the Williams Racing team," said Claire Williams, Deputy Head of Team Williams Racing. "It is a strong, bold timepiece, crafted in the name of excellence. We are proud of our enduring partnership with Oris and would like to thank them for their continued support and sharing of our values."
