Orient watches – A Review of the best from the brand in 2023

It’s often difficult to buy a watch in the mid-price range as the quality can vary enormously between brands in this sector however Orient watches offer a great catalogue

The more expensive timepieces from the lower-end brands and also the less expensive Swiss-made watches tend to be part of this category. But even a $50 variation in price can see a drastic change in the quality of the watch.

So, if you’re looking mid-range – typically under $1000 – you are well-advised to do your homework on the brand that you’re interested in. One brand that is worth a look is Orient, which offers decent quality at a reasonable price. 

Background

In Tokyo, on July 13th, 1950, Orient was officially founded. Orient Watch’s origins may be traced back to 1901, where Shogoro Yoshida, the company’s founder, established a wholesale watch shop in Ueno, Japan.

Orient was once one of Japan’s “Big Three” watch companies, alongside Citizen and Seiko, but when mechanical watch companies were hit hard by the mass production of inexpensive quartz wristwatches in the 1970s, Citizen and Seiko chose to produce affordable quartz watches en masse, while Orient stuck to what it thought was best, producing mechanical watches.

In 1985, Orient and Seiko opened a pot manufacturing. Orient makes a wide range of automatic and quartz movement watches, with prices ranging from cheap to high-end.

Orient is now well-known all over the globe. Singapore, South America, and Japan all have manufacturing plants. Orient has been a well-known and recognised name in the watchmaking business for almost a century.

Mechanical mechanisms have traditionally been used in Orient watches.
Orient Star and Royal watches, which are extremely high-end timepieces, are among the most valuable watches in the world.

Orient utilises in-house movement manufacturing, which is regarded to be one of the most effective processes in the watchmaking business in reducing capital investments, which helps in maintaining a low product cost when compared to some of the world’s best watch manufacturers like Citizen.

Orient’s abilities in manufacturing extremely tiny mechanical components led them, like Seiko, into the orient6computer sector in the 1980s, where they produced tiny parts for the computer industry. Orient’s is now a multi-industry conglomerate. Today, many other firms are attempting to replicate Orient’s popularity and high standards.

Let’s check out the best Orient watches available in 2023.

Monarch

The Monarch is a dress watch with a royal appearance. It resembles a pocket watch with straps attached. Its big face and gold case contribute to this. The hours are represented by Arabic numerals. They also have the appearance of a pocket watch.

It’s no shock that it doesn’t have a stainless-steel band since it’s a dress watch. A leather strap will be provided to you. The leather feels luxurious, however, it absorbs moisture quickly and takes a lot of time to dry. We don’t know what kind of leather Orient utilised, but it feels luxurious.

The gadget, on the other hand, is water-resistant. It can go underwater to a depth of 165 feet (50 metres). Stay away from the water, considering what we mentioned about getting it wet.

The Monarch is a mechanical watch made by Orient. We’re relieved to see the back of the car finally revealed. It is powered by the Orient calibre 48C40 movement. You’ll receive a 40-hour power supply.

There is a mineral window in the room. The peculiarity of its crystal is that it is bent. This not only renders it more impact-resistant but also gives it a more premium appearance. Curved displays are common in Swiss jewellery.

Sun and Moon V3

The display of the smartphone does not have any lume. It also hasn’t got any colour on its hands.

A calendar is present, however, it is in the shape of a sub-dial. A date wheel may also be seen if you look closely. If you’re curious what the dial on the left is for, it’s the sun and moon indication on the watch. It does precisely what you want.

It’s no surprise that the crystal is sapphire since it has a high-end appearance.

The timepiece is one of the most substantial on our list. Its casing is 1.65 inches (42 mm) in width. Because of its excellent quality, it is very gleaming.

Yes, the strap is made of leather. We don’t know what kind of leather was used, but the embossing gives it an alligator-skin appearance. Remember that leather is extremely water-resistant.

Can the watch withstand a swim in the pool? It’s possible. It can withstand water for up to 50m.

Another automatic watch brings our examination to a close. The F6B24 mechanism is included. This translates to a 40-hour power reserve and 22 jewels in the gears. The gadget may be self-wound and hacked.

Bambino

If you’re looking for a dress watch on a budget, the Bambino collection is for you. It has simplistic but beautiful designs. Inside are some of the best mechanical movements you can find at this price level.

The Bambino V5 is quite similar to its predecessors with a 40.5mm case which is 12mm thick. It has crystal on the dome covering the dial, which has Arabic numerals on a sunburst-effect dial, and very polished hands. The side of the case is matte and brushed. You can pick it up in three different colours.

Star

Orient’s Star collection is considered the best by die-hard fans. It has some of the more sophisticated design and a marginally higher price in comparison to other ranges, but it it does combine some of the more modern tech, movements and design features.

The Classic Star is the most popular model because it has a very versatile design that means you can blend it in with any outfit for any occasion. 

The Classic Star also has the on-brand sunburst dial and crystal dome. Both shiny and sophisticated. It has dauphine hands and, again, the highly polished markers. This offers a strong contrast against the pure white dial so it’s incredibly readable in all lighting.

The case is 38.5mm and 13mm thick. It has a vintage look which oozes class.

Mako II

The Mako II is the most popular in the sports range and a real bargain. 

It’s a little chunkier than the rest, at 41.5mm and 13mm thick. The stainless steel case is polished on the sides as well as on the crown. It’s popular with divers as it offers an incredible 20ATM water resistance; almost unheard of at this price.

Ray II

If you’re into diving or generally any extreme water sports, the Ray II ($129 / £107) is exceptional. 

The dial has a starburst pattern in the background. It doesn’t just look good, it’s been designed to be seen underwater, where it can withstand 200m of water pressure.

The face has minimal details, again purposely done so the wearer can easily see the time when needed.

The unidirectional bezels edge is scalloped and on the whole, very slim. It has a luminous pip at the 12 position so you’re never unsure of the exact time. For the price, you’d be hard pushed to find a dive watch that would be this reliable.

Mako XL

Coming back to minimalistic design, the Mako XL offers the clearest design of all. It’s minimal but elegant. It has the right amount of text and markers to remain uncluttered. The dial and hands are made to be totally sharp. The markers are luminous but could be a little brighter.

The bezel rotates, but it’s sturdy and of better quality than most on the market. The bezel has a 60 marker, rather than the typical triangle. It takes a while to get used to.

Summary

Orient watches offer decent quality, with sophisticated designs and reliable movements baked in. The sports watches, in particular, offer exceptional value, especially as this is one of the few affordable brands still making its own movements in-house.

If you like the sound of Orient but want to window shop a little further around the mid-range, you should check out a couple of our reviews. Guess is a great start and a better-known brand if you’re not sure about Orient. Check out what we thought here. If you are interested in a brand you may not immediately recognise, see what we said about the Nixon brand, here.

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Last Updated on December 12, 2022