ORIS X BAMFORD Propilot Altimeter ‘MISSION CONTROL’
Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter “Mission Control”: Taking Flight to New Frontiers
Some collaborations feel inevitable. When Oris’s wildest technical achievement meets George Bamford’s playful imagination, sparks were always going to fly. The result? The new Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter “Mission Control”—a watch that’s equal parts aerospace instrument, 1980s sneaker tribute, and a love letter to the absurd brilliance of mechanical watchmaking.
Altitude Meets Attitude
The ProPilot Altimeter is no ordinary tool watch. In fact, it’s the only automatic Swiss mechanical watch that also houses a fully functioning mechanical altimeter, capable of tracking altitude up to 19,700 feet. To call this complication unusual is an understatement—it’s one of the quirkiest, most ambitious engineering feats in contemporary horology.
For the Bamford edition, the complication gets centre stage. Bright yellow, lime, and red markings light up the black dial, ensuring the altitude scale and time display remain crystal clear, even when you’re more focused on air pressure than minutes and seconds. Bamford describes it as “an 80s sneaker vibe,” but the payoff isn’t just style—the playful palette makes the watch extremely legible.
Carbon Fibre and Cosmic Storytelling
At 47mm, the “Mission Control” isn’t shy about its proportions, but it doesn’t feel clumsy thanks to its futuristic materials. The single-piece carbon-fibre composite case makes it as light as plastic but tougher than most metals. Add in a grey PVD-coated titanium bezel and caseback, and you have a robust frame that can handle altitude as easily as everyday wear.
George Bamford, with his trademark mischief, frames the project as a space odyssey: “We’re taking it on a Kubrick-style journey with Lieutenant Audley—because why not? Watches should make people smile.” Oris’s Co-CEO Rolf Studer echoes the sentiment: “The ProPilot Altimeter is one of our proudest achievements. With George’s storytelling layered in, it becomes something truly unique.”
Inside, Oris has fitted its upgraded Calibre 793, providing a healthy 56-hour power reserve and slimmer proportions than the earlier ProPilot generation. For a watch juggling both a timekeeping movement and a mechanical altimeter, refinement was key.
The ProPilot Altimeter “Mission Control” is completed with a black textile strap, lined in vibrant yellow and green leather, and secured with a titanium folding clasp that allows for fine adjustment. Limited to 250 pieces, it debuts at Geneva Watch Days and is priced at £6,100.
Final Descent
The Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter “Mission Control” is proof that when you pair Swiss precision with London eccentricity, the results can be otherworldly. It’s a watch that doesn’t just measure altitude—it measures imagination. Recognisable from space? Bamford thinks so. More importantly, it’s a collaboration that captures the best of both worlds: Oris’s technical daring and Bamford’s irreverent creativity.