Following on from successful collaborative creations featuring Kermit and Miss Piggy, Oris is on its third official outing with the Muppets, and this time it’s everyone’s favourite alien and superfluous stuntman, Gonzo the Great.

Gonzo the Great and Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition

The watch that has been chosen to showcase and celebrate the death-defying Gonzo is the ProPilot X — a contemporary titanium-cased model that keeps the theme of Muppets collabs in line with the models used in previous editions, but this is the biggest yet, and we don’t just mean the 44mm diameter.

Oris has been quite clever with its Muppets creations. Other brands would have been tempted to place Kermit and pals front and centre on the dial, maximising the partnership presence. Yet the allusion to the beloved entertainers has been a little more laid back. Kermit’s green was unmissable, sure, but the frog himself only showed up on the date wheel. Miss Piggy didn’t even deign to show her face on the dial — her trademark hue and a single diamond were enough to signify her presence. It’s the same story with Gonzo. The skeletonised dial is realised in a rainbow of his signature colours, but at first glance his distinctive schnozz is nowhere to be seen. We do get a chilli pepper as the power reserve indicator, which true fans will recognise from his shirt, and the power reserve scale is measured in ‘great’ days, a nod to his epithet. But Gonzo himself is hard to find.

Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition (©Revolution)

Even though he’s not on the dial, he can be seen from the dial. In what must surely be one of the most innovative examples of co-branding the watch industry has ever seen, Gonzo can be spotted under certain conditions, laser-etched onto the mainspring of the Calibre 115 itself. Normally this wouldn’t be possible, but given that the mainspring for this watch is visible from the dial side, combined with the fact that it’s quite hefty (10 days of power needs a big spring), means there’s enough real estate to let the little guy shine. Even then, he’s not visible all the time, as the spring needs to be at full power for Gonzo to make an appearance. As far as Easter eggs go, it’s a pretty great one.

Caseback of Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition (©Revolution)

Calibre 115

It’s tricky territory teaming up with beloved fandoms like the Muppets — the upside is tapping into a deep well of passion and nostalgia, but it’s not without risks. The gloss can wear off quickly, and fall into a trap of same-same releases that offer diminishing returns and diminish both partners. Thankfully, Oris has neatly sidestepped these issues by mixing up the implementation of its Muppers pieces, coming up with novel executions each time that feel in character and on brand. And unsurprisingly, Oris is keeping any future releases close to its vest for now, but I’m holding out for Fozzie Bear. Waka Waka.

Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition (©Revolution)

Tech Specs: Oris ProPilot X Gonzo Edition

Movement Oris Calibre 115, manual-winding, 240 hours of power reserve
Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, non-linear power reserve
Case Titanium, 44 x 52 x 12.6mm, water-resistant to 100M
Dial Skeletonised in gradient blue, red and yellow
Strap Titanium with Oris folding clasp
Price CHF 8500