On this page
There are watches that tell more than the time. Watches that carry a memory, a gesture, an attitude toward life. With the Lou Gehrig Limited Edition, Oris signs a piece that is at once understated, moving and deeply coherent, in tribute to one of the greatest figures in the history of American baseball.
Inspired by the iconic Big Crown Pointer Date, this limited edition celebrates Lou Gehrig, the legendary New York Yankees player nicknamed “The Iron Horse” for his extraordinary endurance. A nickname forged by a statistic that became legendary: 2,130 games played consecutively in Yankees colours. It is precisely this figure that Oris chose to keep, limiting this creation to 2,130 numbered pieces.
A legend beyond sport
Lou Gehrig did not enter history for his athletic performances alone. He did so through his dignity, his inner strength and his humanity.
On 4 July 1939, in a packed Yankee Stadium, he delivered one of the most famous speeches in the history of sport. Suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease still often called “Lou Gehrig’s disease” in the United States, he announced the end of his career. Facing adversity, he chose neither complaint nor resentment. On the contrary, he declared himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth”.
This phrase, which became immortal, sums up the man’s greatness better than any other. Lou Gehrig embodies that rare elegance which consists in remaining standing when everything is faltering. He passed away on 2 June 1941, at only 37 years old, but his legacy continues to cross the generations.
A Big Crown Pointer Date rich in symbols
To pay tribute to him, Oris chose one of its most identity-defining models: the Big Crown Pointer Date. This choice is anything but incidental. This watch, born in the world of pilots and now one of the signatures of the Hölstein house, possesses a timeless, almost self-evident dimension. It does not seek effect. It prefers accuracy.
The Lou Gehrig Limited Edition takes up this familiar silhouette, with a 40 mm steel case, a coin-edge bezel, a large crown and that date indicated by a central pointer hand which gives the collection all its charm. But here, every detail is conceived as a discreet nod to the player’s story.
The silver dial with a vertical brushed finish evokes Lou Gehrig’s nickname, “The Iron Horse”. The touches of blue and white recall the colours of the New York Yankees. On the date railway track, the number 4 stands out in blue: it is Lou Gehrig’s jersey number, retired by the Yankees in 1940. A gesture that became historic, since it inaugurated the tradition of retired numbers in Major League Baseball.
This is not a demonstrative watch. On the contrary, it is a watch of restraint, balance and memory. It speaks softly, but it speaks true.
The vintage charm of a measured tribute
The overall aesthetic draws on the 1920s and 1930s, the era during which Lou Gehrig was writing his legend on the fields. The dial combines Arabic numerals and indexes, with a vintage-styled minute track. The white date numerals on a black background reinforce this old, almost instrumental reading, faithful to the spirit of the Big Crown Pointer Date.
The brown leather strap, with double white stitching, naturally evokes baseball gloves. Oris also delivers the watch with a blue, white and grey NATO strap, which extends the reference to the Yankees. The whole is elegant, coherent and perfectly wearable on a daily basis.
On the back of the case, the engraving pays homage to Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech. A way of recalling that this watch is not only a horological object, but also a vessel of memory.
A watch with a cause
This limited edition supports the Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation, committed to raising awareness around ALS and to supporting public health causes. Oris here follows an approach that is familiar to it: creating watches that carry meaning, capable of connecting the object to a story larger than itself.
John Howell, president of the foundation, perfectly sums up the spirit of this creation when he speaks of a watch that reflects the “quiet strength”, “understated excellence” and “endurance” that defined Lou Gehrig.
Hard to put it better. This Oris does not seek to make noise. It pays tribute to a man who marked his era through his talent, but above all through his courage and his dignity.
An automatic caliber true to the Oris spirit
Inside this Lou Gehrig Limited Edition beats the caliber Oris 754, an automatic movement offering the hours, minutes, central seconds and the date by central pointer hand. It has a 41-hour power reserve, a stop-seconds function and instantaneous date change.
The steel case measures 40 mm in diameter and 12.20 mm in thickness, with a lug-to-lug length of 48.20 mm. The domed sapphire crystal on both sides receives an anti-reflective coating on the inside, while water resistance is rated at 5 bar.
The watch is delivered in a special box, together with its two straps and a strap-changing kit. Its recommended retail price is 2,400 euros.
Time as legacy
With this Lou Gehrig Limited Edition, Oris pulls off a delicate exercise: paying tribute without falling into excess, telling a story without overloading it, moving people without exploiting them.
The watch is beautiful, certainly. But above all it is right. Right in its proportions, right in its references, right in its intention. It reminds us that watchmaking can sometimes go beyond simple mechanical pleasure to become a vector of memory, transmission and commitment.
Lou Gehrig was a man of constancy, courage and moral elegance. Oris dedicates to him a watch that resembles him: discreet, solid, deeply human.
Frequently asked questions
Lou Gehrig was a legendary New York Yankees player, nicknamed “The Iron Horse” for playing 2,130 consecutive games. Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), still called “Lou Gehrig’s disease” in the United States, he became a symbol of dignity and courage. Oris honours his memory and endurance with this limited edition.
It is based on the iconic Big Crown Pointer Date, one of Oris’s most identity-defining models, recognisable by its large crown, coin-edge bezel and date indicated by a central pointer hand.
It is powered by the automatic caliber Oris 754, with a 41-hour power reserve, stop-seconds and instantaneous date change. The steel case measures 40 mm in diameter, 12.20 mm thick and 48.20 mm lug-to-lug, with domed sapphire crystal and 5 bar water resistance.
The edition is limited to 2,130 numbered pieces, a nod to the 2,130 consecutive games Lou Gehrig played for the Yankees, the record that earned him the “Iron Horse” nickname.
Yes. The edition supports the Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation, which raises awareness around ALS and backs public health causes. The watch comes in a special box with two straps and a changing kit, at a recommended retail price of 2,400 euros.
