The Lord’s Cricket Ground is a hallowed one for lovers of the sport, an iconic place where innumerable memorable matches have been played. One would think that there would have been an official timing partner for the grounds given its 236-year-old history, but it was only last year that Oris came on board for this purpose. Today, Oris’s branding can be seen on the clocktower within the Mound Stand and under the Father Time weathervane, one of the most recognisable landmarks in world cricket. And it is this weathervane that becomes a highlight in the newly released Oris Father Time Limited Edition.
The Father Time weathervane is a cast iron figure measuring almost a metre and a half and seen stooping over cricket stumps – the mythical character is said to watch over the passage of time, and also said to represent Law 12.3 of the Laws of Cricket, held by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which says that “After the call of Time, the bails shall be removed from both wickets.”. It signals the end of the day’s play. Furthermore, positioned as it is atop the clocktower at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, it has aided players make weather-sensitive decisions. In 1926, Sir Herbert Baker, the architect of Lord’s Second Grand Stand, gifted it to the MCC to apologise for the late completion of the building project.
It is easy to see then how the Father Time weathervane is an important symbol, and Oris saw it a fitting insignia to represent its association with the grounds. The Oris Father Time Limited Edition toes the same aesthetic line as the Big Crown Pointer Date collection with its Cathedral hands, fluted bezel, and the recognisable fourth hand that indicates the date on the periphery of the dial. Also, the 40mm watch is cased in bronze, a material that has been featured in the collection before. The difference this time is the laser engraving of Father Time weathervane on the steel caseback. The watch is limited to 1,926 pieces to mark the year Father Time was gifted to Lord’s Cricket Ground. The watches come either with a bronze bracelet or a light brown deer leather strap sustainably sourced and produced by Cervo Volante.
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The watch however has a deeper significance for both Oris and the MCC. It symbolises their idea of ‘Change for Better’ through community-led projects, both local and international, which include educational, social, and sports events. There are synergies in the arena of sustainability as well. Last year also saw the Oris ‘Change for the Better’ Day, where both MCC and Oris teamed up to collect polluting plastic waste from London’s streets. Oris’s commitment to sustainability is well known, and the MCC, aside from initiatives like operating on 100 per cent renewable electricity (wind power) and its recycling programmes that have resulted in zero waste going to landfills since 2010, recently signed up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and published its strategy to become carbon neutral by 2030.
The Oris Father Time Limited Edition represents all these ideas. Its white dial features indices, numbers, and hands with Super-LumiNova®, and the watch has a domed, anti-reflective sapphire glass topping it. The automatic watch is powered by the Oris 754 with a bi-directional red rotor, which gives it an autonomy of 38 hours. The watch has a water resistance of 50 metres. Each timepiece is delivered in a special presentation box decorated with the Father Time logo.
The watch is priced at Rs 2,90,000 (approx.).
Images: Courtesy Oris
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