With the debut of Zach Starr Weiss’s OraOrea comes the introduction of the Coriolis Pointer Date. Having founded Worn & Wound in 2011 and the Windup Watch Fair in 2015, Mr Weiss brings an enthusiast’s eye and and insider’s perspective to his own brand.

Initial thoughts

An industrial designer before founding Worn & Wound, Brooklyn-based Zach Starr Weiss has put his experience to work with the launch of his own brand, OraOrea, which translates loosely as ‘golden hour.’

The debut model, the Coriolis Pointer Date, features its namesake complication alongside several clever and expensive details, including solid 18k gold hemispheres on the dial, and curved seconds and minutes hands.

I got to see the watch ahead of its debut and the quality of the dial finishing is evident. The design is arguably a bit crowded — a time-only variant would help with that — but the three-dimensionality of the design helps keep things interesting.

The case checks all the boxes for a go-anywhere, do-anything-style watch, with a 38.5 mm stainless steel case rated to 100 m, despite a standard push/pull crown.

The robustness of the case may seem like overkill, but Mr Weiss rightly understands that there’s a segment of passionate collectors for whom 100 m is the bare minimum for a watch intended for daily wear.

Intricate dial

The dial is notable for its massive laser-cut and hand-polished index, which encircles the dial. This so-called ‘oscillating index’ features alternately spaced Roman numerals, placed above and below a railroad minutes track, punctuated by applied gold studs.

The design calls to mind certain mid-century Omega chronometers, which often featured alternating Roman numerals and studs.

The hands appear to be expensively made, and should reward close scrutiny. The lozenge-shaped hour hand is particularly luxe, beveled inside and out. The capped seconds hand, like the minutes hand, is curved at the tip for better legibility — an unexpected detail in the price segment.

Three variants

The Coriolis comes in three colourways: silver, teal, and black. The Skyline Silver option is the brightest of the three, with a vivid blue applied chapter ring and date pointer. The darker dials — Venetus Teal and Rhodium Black — are paired with a mirror-polished chapter ring and gold-coloured date pointers.

The 38.5 mm stainless steel case is the same regardless of the dial colour, as is the tapered leather strap.

Interestingly, what at first looks like a simple one-piece case is actually a multi-piece design with separate lug wings to allow for the desired finishing along the case edges and between the lugs.

Pointer date, sans moon

The movement powering the Coriolis looks familiar through the case back, being a Sellita SW300 derivative, but carries the unfamiliar designation SW386. That’s because it’s a new variant of this tried-and-true movement platform, featuring a pointer date but deleting the moon phase display usually comes part-and-parcel with this complication from Sellita.

Mr Weiss has chosen to have this movement finished to Sellita’s highest level of decoration, which is why it gleams with ample perlage and and custom rotor. In terms of performance, the SW386 is delivered in what the manufacture calls ‘Top’ grade, its second-highest classification after chronometer grade.

Key facts and price

OraOrea Coriolis Pointer Date

Diameter: 38.5 mm
Height: 12.1 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Sellita SW386-1
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 45 hours

Strap: Leather strap with pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: Directly from OraOrea, with shipments planned for late 2026
Price: US$3,950 (excluding taxes)

For more, visit Oraorea.com.