Oris: Purely Mechanical Watches
Oris was established in 1904 by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian. The pair opened a factory that originally employed only 24 at Hölstein in the north-western region of Switzerland. They chose to name their brand Oris, after the scenic brook and valley of the same name situated close Hölstein.
Both men were from the Swiss watchmaking capital of Le Locle in the Swiss Jurassic region. Their passion for watchmaking became a driving force behind the brand that by 1911 was employing over 300 people at Hölstein. After being hit hard by the watchmaking crisis of the 1970s, Oris has bounced back to create its own niche market of affordable mechanical Swiss watches.
