When Oris unveiled its first New York Harbor Limited Edition in 2022, the independent Swiss watchmaker did more than launch a timepiece. It cast its lot with one of the most ambitious ecological projects on the planet: the restoration of one billion oysters to New York Harbor. Now, with the release of the New York Harbor Limited Edition II, Oris is reminding us once again that luxury, at its best, can be a trigger for meaningful change.
The statistics are daunting. In the 1600s, the waters that would become New York Harbor supported an estimated 220,000 acres of oyster reefs. A single adult can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, their reefs creating natural defenses against storms and providing habitat for countless marine organisms. They were to the ocean what trees are to the forest.
How does Oris support the restoration of New York Harbor?
By the early 20th century, however, overharvesting, pollution and a crumbling sewage system had brought the population to the brink of extinction. By the time the Clean Water Act of 1972 stemmed the tide of raw sewage and industrial waste, the oyster beds were all but gone.
The Pier 101 EcoDock is a home base for Billion Oyster Project operations
The Billion Oyster Project, founded in 2014 by Pete Malinowski and Murray Fisher, is tackling that loss head-on. Their mission is ambitious: to return one billion oysters to the harbor by 2035 and, in the process, engage one million New Yorkers in this restoration. Already, more than 150 million oysters have been reintroduced across 17 reef sites, 2.9 million pounds of discarded shells have been recycled from restaurants, and over 30,000 students have been drawn into hands-on marine science and aquaculture programs.
Malinowski is clear that this is about more than shellfish: “It’s about fostering environmental stewardship through education, public engagement and community science. Oysters are the means by which we reconnect New Yorkers to their harbor.”
Pete Malinowski, Executive Director at Billion Oyster Project
For Oris, this is more than a passing collaboration. The company has built its modern identity not only on the strength of its watches but on a genuine commitment to sustainability. It became climate neutral in 2021, has pledged to cut emissions by 10 percent annually, and has consistently supported conservation initiatives around the world.
Yet it is the New York Harbor editions that have perhaps struck the deepest chord. The first limited edition, released in 2022, was a runaway success with collectors, combining a vivid green dial with a clear sense of purpose. Proceeds flowed directly into reef construction and education, proving that watchmaking could drive tangible change.
Based on the Aquis Date diver, the 41.5mm steel watch features a gradient aqua green mother-of-pearl dial
The new Limited Edition II builds on that legacy. Based on the evergreen Aquis Date diver, it comes in a 41.5mm stainless-steel case with 300 meters of water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel, and an automatic Calibre 733 (Sellita SW200-1 base) that delivers 38 hours of power reserve.
The most striking feature is its dial: a gradient aqua green mother-of-pearl that recalls oyster shells shimmering beneath the harbor’s surface. Each of the 2,000 pieces is individually numbered, and the caseback bears an engraving of three oyster shells. The watch is equipped with a stainless-steel bracelet and delivered with an additional rubber strap, underscoring its versatility between city and sea.
Each of the 2,000 pieces is individually numbered, and the caseback bears an engraving of three oyster shells
Provenance, purpose and partnership now matter as much as complications and calibers. This watch offers all three: Oris’s independent heritage as a maker of honest, reliable tool watches; the purpose of funding real-world ecological restoration; and a partnership with a project that speaks to the cultural and environmental history of one of the world’s greatest cities. It is an Aquis through and through, robust, usable and modern, but it is elevated by its back-story and its cause.
Of course, the challenges faced by the harbor remain immense. Combined sewer overflows still threaten water quality, and full ecological recovery will take decades. But the signs are promising: biodiversity is increasing, water clarity is improving, and even whales have returned to the harbor after a century-long absence. For Malinowski and his team, every new reef is evidence that resilience is possible. For Oris, every watch sold is another reminder of the cumulative power of small actions.
The New York Harbor Limited Edition II is, in that sense, more than a watch. It is a symbol of collaboration, of patience and of hope. For the wearer, it offers the satisfaction of a beautifully made dive watch with a dial unlike any other. For New York Harbor, it represents one more step toward an audacious goal: a billion good reasons to believe that even the most degraded ecosystems can be coaxed back to life.
Tech Specs: Oris New York Harbor Limited Edition II
Movement: Self-winding Caliber 733 (base SW200-1); 41-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes; central seconds; instantaneous date; stop-seconds
Case: 43.5mm × 13.1mm; stainless steel; unidirectional rotating bezel with stainless steel insert and relief minutes scale; water-resistant to 300m
Dial: Aqua-green mother-of-pearl with oyster-shell effect
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp; additional aqua-green rubber strap with stainless steel folding clasp
Price: USD 3,000
Availability: 2,000 individually numbered pieces
