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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Michael Penate knows the Rolex Datejust from wearing his father’s black-dial version, with baton markers, a fluted bezel and Jubilee bracelet. He would still choose the burgundy 40 mm Oris X Cervo Volante Big Crown Pointer Date, reference 01 754 7785 4038-Set. His reason is personal, not a claim that the watches are technically equivalent: the Oris’s unusual date hand, distinctive dial and quieter brand presence appeal to him more.
Why Penate prefers the Oris
In his September 30, 2026 article, Penate, co-founder and senior editor of Two Broke Watch Snobs, sums up the Oris’s central appeal: “I’d rather have the weird date hand.” The Big Crown Pointer Date uses a central hand to point to the date on a scale around the dial’s edge. It makes the date part of the watch’s visual character rather than a number in a small window.
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That character matters to Penate more than the Datejust’s stronger recognition. He likes that the burgundy Oris feels less expected and does not announce itself in the same way. Those are his preferences, not objective measures of quality or status. His father’s Datejust is not identified by reference, so this comparison is about the particular watch Penate knows and the Oris he favors—not a specification-by-specification comparison between defined models.
What distinguishes this Oris
Burgundy dial and pointer date
Oris calls this model “this deep burgundy version of our signature Big Crown Pointer Date.” Its saturated dial and perimeter date scale give it a noticeably different look from the black dial and baton markers on Penate’s father’s Datejust. The pointer hand is the defining detail: it travels around the dial to indicate the date.
#1 Best Overall
- Oris Big Crown Automatic Blue Dial Men's Watch 01 754 7741 4065-07 8 20 22
Case and movement
Oris specifies a 40 mm multi-piece stainless-steel case, 20 mm interhorn width, 5 bar water resistance, and automatic caliber 754-1. The movement is listed with a 41-hour power reserve and a frequency of 4 Hz. Two Broke Watch Snobs reports a 48.2 mm lug-to-lug measurement and 12.2 mm thickness; those figures are not in the official product-page text reviewed, so treat them as publication-reported specifications rather than Oris-listed measurements.
Cervo Volante strap
Oris describes the strap leather as sustainably sourced, naturally tanned Swiss deer leather supplied by Cervo Volante. That sustainability description is Oris’s own characterization; the product information cited here does not establish an independent audit.
Rank #2
- Genuine Oris Watch with 2-Year Warranty
- Official Oris Retailer
How the comparison differs from a technical matchup
The available details make it possible to describe the Oris, but not to declare it technically better or worse than the Datejust Penate knows. His father’s watch has no supplied reference, and the article does not provide a corresponding set of Datejust specifications. The most useful contrast is therefore the one Penate actually makes: a familiar, recognizable Rolex design against an Oris whose pointer date and burgundy dial he finds more compelling.
Price also needs that context. Oris’s US product page listed the burgundy model at USD 2,600 when accessed October 13, 2026. No equivalent-market Datejust price is established for the unspecified watch, so a price ratio would not be meaningful. Prices and availability can change.
Oris X Cervo Volante Big Crown Pointer Date specifications
| Specification | Oris listing |
|---|---|
| Reference | 01 754 7785 4038-Set |
| Case | 40 mm multi-piece stainless steel |
| Interhorn width | 20 mm |
| Water resistance | 5 bar |
| Movement | Automatic caliber 754-1 |
| Power reserve | 41 hours |
| Frequency | 4 Hz |
| US listed price | USD 2,600, as listed by Oris when accessed October 13, 2026 |
Who is likely to prefer the Oris?
- Choose the Oris’s appeal if you want a date display that stands out and gives the dial an unusual focal point.
- Its burgundy dial and lower-key brand presence may suit you if you value individuality over immediate recognition.
- If your priority is a direct technical or price comparison with a particular Datejust, identify the exact Rolex reference and market first; Penate’s father’s watch is not specified closely enough for that comparison.
Sources: Two Broke Watch Snobs, Michael Penate’s article published September 30, 2026; Oris US product page, accessed October 13, 2026.
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