In 2016, Rega ? a nonprofit air-rescue service in Switzerland ? rescued 869 people from the pristine-yet-precarious slopes of Switzerland. This year, in order to support the private organization’s efforts, Oris has teamed up with them to release a limited edition timepiece: the Oris GMT Rega Limited Edition, based off of the brand’s popular Big Crown ProPilot GMT series.
As GMTs are wont to do, the Rega LE has a second time zone indicator readable through a central red-tipped 24-hour hand. The 45-mm watch is powered by the self-winding Oris Caliber 748 (based on the Sellita 220-1), which you may recognize from previous ProPilot GMT models. The case is coated in gunmetal gray PVD in order to offset the glare from the cockpit of a plane and features an oversized crown (hence the Big Crown name) that allows for quick time, date, and second time zone adjustments. You can see the Rega logo next to the date window at 3 o’clock. The Arabic numerals, hands, and hour markers are all infused with Super-LumiNova®.
Rega was originally founded in 1952 and is completely funded by donations from over three-million patrons. The name comes from a portmanteau of the German, French, and Italian words for “air rescue.” Last year, the group’s fleet of helicopters and ambulance jets conducted over 15,000 rescue missions. This isn’t the first time Oris collaborated with the action-first foundation; in 2016, the Oris Big Crown ProPilot Altimeter was bo...