Oris Extends Its Muppets Line with the Most Audacious Version Yet

Like many generations of kids past and present, I grew up on the Muppets, and well, quite frankly, I've never outgrown them. They are one of those rare and fantastic so-called kids' universes that really transcend age and time. However, when Oris first partnered with the franchise in 2023, I was skeptical. Cartoons, superheroes, Muppets – there are plenty I love, and, of course, I also love watches. I'm just not sure I love the two together. Now, I'm fairly certain I'm in the minority. The Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition seems to be an enduring fan favorite, later followed up by the ProPilot X 'Miss Piggy.' The designs are by all accounts very simple and subtle, with Kermit's face casually appearing in the date window and Miss Piggy only featured on the caseback. Still, something about them always felt a bit kitschy to me. About a month ago, a teaser came through my inbox announcing a forthcoming Muppet model, and I slotted the information away. Like many of us can tend to do once we've been deeply ingrained enough in the watch world, I filed the announcement under the category, 'this is not for me.' Let this serve as a good reminder to remain open and willing to change your preferences – to be surprised. When I finally got the full press release for the new ProPilot X Gonzo Edition, I started rethinking my position on these types of collaborations altogether. The creativity and attention to detail really blew me away. A lot of brands talk about making horology more fun, but Oris actually walks the walk. We see this across the brand's catalog, but it's certainly most literal in models like the Muppets. With the new Gonzo edition, Oris has really pushed the envelope in a lot of ways. Even with a much bolder design, the depiction of the character himself remains subtle like we've seen in previous editions. Instead, Oris has really harnessed the essence of Gonzo and translated that spirit into the design of the watch. The result is a model that's extremely playful – almost feeling toy-like or cartoonish in nature. Yet, in the watch world, we well know that a skeletonized dial puts on full display how intricate and complex these little timekeeping machines really are.