Inside The Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition: An Interview With CEO Rolf Studer

Few characters in the pantheon of popular culture possess quite the peculiar magnetism of Gonzo. The Muppet stuntman, connoisseur of the absurd and unapologetic provocateur has never been particularly interested in convention, which makes him an unexpectedly natural companion for Oris. If watchmaking is traditionally a pursuit of precision, restraint and painstaking discipline, Gonzo represents the delightful antithesis: an invitation to experiment, to perform and, occasionally, to hurl oneself spectacularly into the unknown. Yet beneath the humour lies a surprisingly coherent philosophy, one that aligns with Oris’ own willingness to approach mechanical watchmaking with imagination rather than reverence alone. The new ProPilot X Gonzo Edition therefore feels less like a character branded onto a watch and more like a mechanical interpretation of personality. Built around the technically ambitious ProPilot X Calibre 115, the timepiece takes the futuristic aviation inspired architecture of the collection and gives it a decidedly more theatrical vocabulary, pairing a multi piece titanium case with an open worked, gradient dial illuminated by Gonzo’s unmistakable blue, red and yellow palette. A rainbow laser textured inner ring adds another layer of visual exuberance, while the hand wound Calibre 115 reveals the considerable mechanical theatre beneath the surface, including Oris’ celebrated 10 day, or 240 hour, power reserve. The sapphire construction allows that movement to be admired from both sides, transforming engineering into spectacle while retaining the practical 100 metre water resistance expected of a watch designed to be worn rather than merely displayed. At 44mm, it is unapologetically prominent, yet Oris has engineered its bracelet attachment to remain comfortable across a range of wrists. It is, in essence, a watch that refuses to whisper. In a conversation with Outlook Luxe, Oris CEO Rolf Studer discusses the thinking behind the ProPilot X Gonzo Edition, its daring design language, the engineering philosophy of Calibre 115 and how Oris is approaching the changing tastes of a new generation of mechanical watch enthusiasts.

What was the central idea behind the new ProPilot X Gonzo Edition?

Rolf Studer: We have been collaborating with the Muppets for a number of years now, and that collaboration is more than just that, it’s a love affair. And therefore, we stood with ProPilot X as a collection. (2:47) But Gonzo, as a stuntman, is a very daring person, he will never ask someone for permission. So, we took our most daring watch with it, ProPilot X Calibre 115, as a tribute for the watch together.

Why did Horace choose a multi-piece titanium case for this model?

RS: That is the character of the ProPilot X. It is our futuristic aviation watch. Titanium is a material that is a signature of this collection. The multi-piece case gives it its signature look, so it was clear that we would use that same construction also for this edition.

At 44mm, how did you balance the watch size with wearability?

RS: I have a very small wrist, 16.5cm, and I like to wear it. It is prominent on the wrist, but the attachment of the bracelet is in a way that you also can wear it with a small wrist very comfortably. So, I think we found a good balance for many wrist sizes.

What was the thinking behind the skeletonised gradient dial?

RS: Well, the skeletonised dial is part of the ProPilot X Calibre 115, a watch whose architecture was developed together with the dial itself. The skeletonised dial is there to be the stage for the skeletonised movement. We then used that dial for the multi-colour Gonzo inspired treatment. I think it makes a lot of sense and highlights the watch even more.

What does the rainbow laser texturing add to the dial?

RS: Actually, the rainbow laser top ring or inner ring is one of my most favourite features of this watch. When you look at it, it mirrors the colours on the dial very nicely. That mirror effect together with the matte titanium of the case gives that extra spark that is signature to Gonzo. It makes it a real piece of jewellery despite its stealth base.

How does the open-world construction change the way the wearer experiences the movement?

RS: Normally, with the Calibre 110 series, you only can appreciate the beauty of the movement through the open case back.
It’s just fantastic to see the watch work, to look at that huge mainspring.

Why was the hang-on movement chosen for this watch?

RS: Calibre 110, the family, one of its signature features is that it has a very long power reserve, 10 days. But it’s hand-wound. The power comes out of one single barrel with more than 1.2 metres in length. It’s the characteristics of that family that is hand-wound. The movement offers a 240-hour power reserve.

What was the engineering priority behind this?

RS: In our hand-winding movement, we wanted to have a very long power reserve. When you have a long power reserve out of one mainspring, your main challenge is accuracy. We gave that mainspring a special shape in order to improve release of power. Therefore, a constant release of power was one of the key features when we designed that movement.

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What inspired the non-linear power reserve indicator and its distinctive or chilly hand?

RS: The chilly hand is a tribute to the Gonzo. The non-linear power reserve indicator is one of the characteristics of the Calibre 110 family. It’s an Oris patent, and was created by the two snail gears in the back. You see it when you look at the watch from the back side. The idea was that it is not so important if you have 10 or 8 days of power left, but it’s very important if you have 3 or 1 days of power left. This you see more clearly here. It’s also a technical thing that we were able to do. This is what mechanical watchmaking is about.

How did you approach the finishing of the titanium case and bracelet?

RS: The ProPilot family started as a futuristic. Its main idea is to be a futuristic aviation watch. It’s inspired by stealth planes, by contemporary planes. Therefore, it also has a matte finish on the titanium. Nevertheless, I really like the top ring, the laser-treated top ring on this model that gives it an additional element of spark, which I think is very befitting of that watch.

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What role does the sapphire case back play in showcasing Calibre 1105?

RS: You can look at the movement from both sides through a sapphire glass. Sapphire glass is the beauty of this Calibre. The sheer power of the huge mainspring, and this is what you see from the front and the back. If you are a watch enthusiast, that’s how you want to spend your spare time. Why was 100m water resistance important for a highly technical skeletonised watch? Because we make watches that make sense. We make watches that can be worn, that should be worn. 100m water resistance is just a practical thing if you want to assure wearability. That’s why we gave it 100m.

What does this watch say about the direction of Oris’ mechanical watchmaking today?

RS: It’s a showcase of what we can do, of what we are willing to do and of what level of mechanics we can offer to the Oris fan and watch enthusiast. It’s the upper end of our offering. It doesn’t mean that in the future we are only to go in things at the price point of Calibre 115. But we want to be able to show what we can, what we are able to. And that is the role of Calibre 115. And also commercially it makes a lot of sense. Since its launch in 2019 it has consistently been within the top ten sellers.

The new generation, they are more looking towards a smaller size. They want something like 38-40mm in range. Can we expect Oris to come up with a similar model in a lesser size, catering to the younger audience?

RS: We started maybe even a little ahead of the trend offering 38-36mm cases. Then had to move back a little bit again because it was too small for many people. Now we see that change is finally happening. But this is a general development which I personally welcome. However, if you have a single barrel watch that delivers 10 days of power reserve, I think that element of technicality makes a lot of sense of having it in a bit of a bigger size.