The company was founded in 1904 and is based in Hölstein in the Canton of Basel-Landschaft. Founded by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, they named their new watch company Oris after a nearby brook, and they began the industrial manufacture of pocket watches. Oris is known for Big Crown (1938), 8-Day-Clock (1949), Chronoris (1970), Oris Worldtimer (1997), and Aquis (2011). The brand remains one of the very few Swiss watch manufacturers that are independent from large groups such as Swatch, Richemont or LVMH.