Face Off: Longines Heritage Diver 1967 vs Oris Divers Sixty-Five

Today, we’re bringing two winners from Baselworld 2015 head-to-head for this Face Off. The retro inspired trend has been steadily increasing over the past few years, and both Longines and Oris knocked it out of the park with their latest entries. I enjoy modern watches that pay tribute to the classic pieces that make up a brand’s history. If done right, you end up with a great looking watch that has vintage appeal, yet doesn’t look too gimmicky. It’s safe to say both these piece are done right. It’s the Longines Heritage Diver 1967 vs Oris Divers Sixty-Five.

Longines Heritage Diver 1967

Longines Heritage Diver 1967

Let’s start with the Longines Heritage Diver 1967. This was one of my early favorites from Baselworld and still remains so. Longines did a great job of remaining faithful to the vintage model while still including updated features like 300m water resistance, 54-hour power reserve, subtle 12-hour counter, and a modern 42mm size. The deep red bezel, black dial, and contrasting asymmetrical white sub-dials are wonderfully retro and create an excellent combination. As far as wearability, Longines offers a variety of choices: steel bracelet, leather strap, or rubber strap with diving extension. With its ETA based movement, it’s sure to be a tough and accurate underwater companion. Overall, it’s a fantastic looking watch with useful features all at a reasonable price point of $3,100.

Oris Divers Sixty-Five next to the original

Oris Divers Sixty-Five

And now for the Oris Divers Sixty-Five. This was a surprise hit for me. I generally like Oris as a brand; however, they didn’t really have any models I would seriously consider buying. Until now, that is. This is another fantastic vintage piece, one which looks very much like the original, even more so than the Longines. With the exception of the date being moved from 3 to 6, it’s nearly identical. The Sellita SW200 movement is uncomplicated yet reliable, and housed in a case water resistant to a respectable 100m. The tropic strap is also a huge plus in my book. Tropic straps are tough, comfortable, inherently vintage yet seldom used these days. It also has the always appropriate NATO strap as an option. I’m rather impressed with what Oris has accomplished while keeping the price to a very affordable $1,650.

Conclusion

The Longines is a great looking and very functional watch. It certainly won’t appeal to everyone though, with its red, black, and white contrasting color scheme. At 42mm, it isn’t oversized, but it adds to the conspicuousness when compared to the 40mm Oris. In the dive chronograph market, we see it as a fantastic value that will likely do incredibly well against the competition.

Oris’ Divers Sixty-Five looks straight vintage. If you wear it, you’ll undoubtedly get the, “what year is that?” line. For a modern diver, the 40mm diameter was warmly received — practically perfect from our standpoint. Oris really went the whole nine yards with reviving their vintage diver, and we applaud them for it.

For the budget-minded, I absolutely recommend the Oris Divers Sixty-Five. The look, size, and proportions are damn near perfect, and any one can pull off this watch. For me, however, I’m more attracted to the Longines Heritage Diver 1967. I would imagine it may not have as wide of an appeal, what with the much higher price and flashier looks, but I can’t get enough of it. The look is unlike any other, and with its reliable and useful features, it’s more than just a pretty face. Luckily, both of these pieces are relatively affordable, especially when compared to their respective competitors. Why not get both?

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