# Oris Maldives Limited Edition Photos---And comparisons



## robattopper (Apr 1, 2009)

last year's Great Barrier Reef joined the Carlos Coste Titanium, Carlos Coste Chronograph, and Swiss Hunter Limited edition as one of the best selling Oris watches at Topper over the last decade. The Great Barrier Reef took the design of the popular 47mm TT1 Diver Small Seconds, and modified it with a new dial, bezel, & case back. In addition , Oris made a donation with the sale of each watch to an aquatic conservation charity. This post will compare the similarly themed Maldives to both the Great Barrier Reef and the new blue dial Aquis. 

*Maldives vs. Great Barrier Reef*










While the two dive watches share the 643 calibre movement, there are several differentiating features between the Maldives and the Great Barrier Reef. The first is the case diameter and thickness. While the Great Barrier Reef is 47mm, the Maldives is a more manageable 43mm. Since the Maldives is also the first of the 643 calibre dive watches in the last several years to be water resistant to 300m instead of 1000m. The case is dramatically thinner than the Great Barrier Reef, and closer in thickness to the discontinued TT1 Diver Titane 300m or the Oris Divers Date.









The Maldives (right) is much thinner than the Great Barrier Reef (left), and for many will be a much more wearable watch.









The profile shot comparison really shows how much more massive the Great Barrier Reef (left) is than the Maldives (right).









Though the Maldives and Great Barrier Reef share the same basic color scheme, the dial and bezel of the Maldives look much more matted , and has a satin finish texture. 

Here are some stand alone shots of the Maldives.





























































This is the first time I've ever seen an automatic helium escape valve in a 300m watch.











*
Maldives vs. Aquis*

While the Great Barrier Reef was almost identical to the TT1 Diver Small Seconds except for color scheme, limited numbering ,and special case back, This year's Maldives has several key differences from the Aquis, with whom it shares it's case design. 










The Maldives Limited edition (left) next to the new blue Aquis (right). 









Though the titanium case is certainly darker on the Maldives (left), it's hard to find many structural differences in the case construction when compared to the Aquis (right).

While like the Aquis, the Maldives features a ceramic bezel and a cylindrical 43mm case, it asserts it's individuality in several key ways: The texture of the ceramic bezel has a more brushed texture, the movement is based on an ETA 2836-2 instead of an SW200, and the case is titanium instead of steel. While they are both water resistant to 300m, only the Maldives has the automatic helium escape valve. 









While the Maldives has a new finish for Oris in a ceramic bezel, the finish of the Aquis is more similar to the earlier Titan C Ceramic. 



















Last but not least, the rubber strap model of the Maldives will feature the same style of rubber strap and clasp as the Pro-Diver with the security and size adjuster.


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## djy74 (Jun 26, 2008)

Very nice review Rob. I'm actually liking that Oris small second Maldives watch (and I'm not a dive watch fan). Does it come in any other color combinations?
-Dan


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## ctujack (Mar 9, 2009)

Doing away with the wave patten dial is a big mistake in my view.


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## nelsondevicenci (Nov 30, 2009)

Great pictures as usual... the closest to real ( in person ) thing.

Thanks Rob !


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## Orisf4n0ne (Sep 13, 2011)

The good people at Oris Know they can't keep doing the same thing forever. In my opinion this watch exudes classiness becuase it's so simple and elegant. The sprial pattern behind the small seconds is awesome, it looks like when you drop a stone in a pool of water. The texture on the dial to me remindes me of sandstone and the color of some ancient ocean matching perfectly with the bezel. This is probably the most ecological watch money can buy(some profit on each 2000 limited watches go to some aquatic charity)so the person interested in this watch will most likely appreciate the understated look.


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