A few months ago I was contacted by the PR company that is representing Orient and Orient Star in the UK. They wanted a UK watch site to review Orient’s wares, because, for the first time, Orient is making it’s watches available to UK customers. Some 46 watches will initially be available – including the popular Diver 1964 2nd Edition (Orient Star) and the Mako, Classic & Simple (a little later), and Bambino (Orient). Information and purchase is via their UK web shop – presumably based at the Hemel Hempstead address noted in the Contact section.
The roots of Orient go back to 1901, when one Shogoro Yoshida opened a watch shop (Yoshida Watch Shop) in Taito, Tokyo, initially importing and selling pocket watches. In 1912 he began manufacturing gold wrist watch cases. In 1920 the name changed to Toyo Tokei Manufacturing, and table clocks and gauges were also made. In 1934 the company began making their own wrist watches and such was their success, they moved to a new factory in Hino, Tokyo. However, in the aftermath of the WW2 and the collapse of the economy, the company closed. However, in 1950 the business was resurrected under the new name of Tama Keiki Company. By the time watches began to be produced again in 1951, the name changed once again to Orient Watch Co Ltd. The watches were manually powered, well made, sensible and affordable, and were by all accounts a success. One watch, the Dynamic in 1956 was particularly so. Then, in 1958, in order to go a little more upmarket, a sub-brand was launched – Royal Orient, with a watch of the same name launched. By 1961 these watches were automatics, and some boasted a calendar function. In 1964 the Grand prix 100 came to market, and from 1967 the Fineness dress watch was offered. This was in fact the world’s slimmest automatic watch with a day/date feature. By1969 a range of diving watches became available – including the World and King 1000. Many more models ensued through the 70s and 90s – quartz and mechanical – including the visually fascinating Multi Year Calendar, and some skeleton types too. Frankly, there were a somewhat bewildering array of case and dial designs plus colourways! Royal Orient evolved into Orient Star – who continued concentrating on the more expensive pieces, whereas Orient covered the more affordable bracket still. Both brands offered similar watch types – so there were sports/divers types watches in both camps, as well as more dress-types and contemporary. More recently, some “revival” versions based on their back catalogue have emerged. In terms of ownership, Orient and Orient Star had in fact collaborated for a long time with Seiko Epson – part of the Seiko empire. Then in 2001, Seiko Epson became a majority shareholder of the Orient business group, and in 2009 was fully integrated. Today, Epson Seiko Japan markets Orient and Orient Star watches, whilst Akita Epson manufactures them. What is clear – by looking at the current range on offer today, is that there are some great designs – new and retro, plus the “affordable” tag is still very much valid. Some of these are now available to UK customers – at long last!
Anyway, getting back to the beginning, initially I declined the offer to review some watches. To be frank, they really did not interest me that much, as some simply looked like many other also-rans in the market. Also, I felt that at the lower end, just how good could watches from some £270 really be – after deducting profit and other costs? However, a little later on some more watches were offered, and, well, a couple piqued my interest. I had of course heard of Orient before, and some of their watches were pretty good back in the 60’s and 70’s, but, by not being available in the UK, meant that sightings were quite rare and thus engendered some mystique. My watch – as shown above, is a slightly rarer version with that dial colour and the day/date positions. The days are in fact in German as well as English so would have been for the former market. Anyway, in the end I agreed to take a closer look at two pieces – both from the Orient range. So, here we go!
Orient Mako Vintage
This watch is not one of the four brand new revised Makos divers launched a few months ago. Whilst these are fine, I just preferred this existing retro type, so plumped for it! As mentioned before, there is nothing really remarkable about the watch, and as you can see it certainly has similarities to say a Rolex Submariner and a few other lookalikes from other brands. However, I really liked the dial and the vintage sepia/buff lume employed. By the way, this reference is RA-AA0810N.
Starting with the case, this, expectedly, is in stainless steel and sized at 41.8mm x 12.8mm. The general shape is of a typical and generic sports variety. It mainly has fine brushing on the flanks and lug tops, but there is some polishing on the fine edges. There is a knurled screwed-in crown (with the logo atop), which is protected by guards. An attractive uni-directional bezel surrounds the dial, and this turns with reassuring ratchet clicks. The outer edge is polished and knurled, and inboard an anodized ring marked off in increments of 5 up to 60. Interestingly, the first segment from 12 to 3 is in a mid-grey hue, whilst the rest is black. At 12 there is an inverted arrow head with a lumed pip.
Turning to the dial, this has an outer minute track, then inboard are large round lumed pips – except for at nine which is a baton, and at 12 another inverted arrowhead. The hour hand is in polished steel, with an arrow shape tip which has lume. The minute hand is more feuille-like, with more lume. Finally, the sweep hand is needle thin, but for the lumed fine arrow tip. At 3 there is a combined and framed window for day and date – white background and black script. But then the dial itself! Well this is just so cool, graduating from an outer black to a mid-grey at the center – really enamel fume-like. Here, in reality, it is probably achieved by a form of galvanoplasty (like electroplating). But, it is very clever and effective. The Orient shield and scripts appear below 12 and some more above 6.
Turning the watch over reveals the predictable solid case back. On this, some information is noted, such as; “200m water resistant, sapphire crystal ( I don’t think there is any anti-reflective coating here), stainless steel, and movement Japan”! The latter, incidentally, is the in-house caliber F6922. Some 22 jewels are at play, the beat is 21,600 vph, and Seiko’s Diashock system is present. So, this is an automatic engine (with hand winding too), plus a hacking seconds feature. A power reserve of some 40 hours is noted. The movement hails from around 2016, and Orient cite it’s accuracy at -15 to +25 seconds per day. This is pretty good for a non-haute horlogerie movement, and in reality actually may be a little better. Some thirty winds of the crown should provide full power from dormancy, and wearing for around eight hours a day is suggested to maintain just on auto-wind.
Finally the bracelet. This is pretty substantial and is fine brushed. It closes with a folding clasp – like most sports watches. It opens via two small lozenge shaped buttons on the clasp sides. Locking is easy and it clicks nicely shut – with the then added security of a fold-over locking tab. There are four size positions by moving the spring bar. I did so to the minimum, but it was still too big! So I guess I would then have to remove one link via screw pin removal so no huge deal. As I have an average wrist, I was however a little surprised at how large the bracelet caters for as standard.
I have worn the watch for a day or two, and it is fine and comfy. It is probably a little bulky and weighty for me personally – but for most it will be fine. As mentioned before, it is aesthetically attractive and one can read all data well – although in the sun one misses the anti-reflection aspect occasionally. Incidentally, there is another dial colour option – a green/blue, also with graduation. I assume that the watch will also be pretty reliable – what with Seiko backing the enterprise. Price for all this? A mere £409.99!
Orient Classic & Simple
I was drawn to this new variant of an already popular model by, again, retro aspects. A round dress type case with minimal bezel, plus a large Ivory coloured dial with Roman numerals, and new interesting sub-dials. This reference – RA-AK0702Y, plus three other dial colour options (noted later on) will be available on the site in September.
So, again a stainless steel piece, with 40.5mm x 12.5mm case dimensions. As mentioned, in this instance the first appearance is that it is all glass and dial, with the polished bezel being very minimal. The case flanks are finely brushed horizontally. Although at this price point the fairly modest sized lugs will have surely been “attached”, it has been done seamlessly. Their sides are brushed too, but the tops mirror the polished bezel. The crown is of a vintage shape, but unlike it’s minimalist predecessors, is of a size that you can actually grasp! The watch notes water resistance of 30m.
So to the dial, which in this case is the main party piece. One is quickly drawn to the lovely Ivory/Cream colour, which immediately shouts retro/old! An outer rail minute track features, curving down – so more like a real chapter ring. Then there is another track which is graduated in minutes and noted every 5 minutes. Just inside of this are the hours, illustrated in Roman numerals, and they seem to be applied and in polished steel. At 3, an unframed date window lies, with black numbers on a white background. There are two sub-dials too – the one at 5 showing a 24 hour indicator, with the other at 10 showing days. The main hands are fine and sword-like, with a needle sweep hand. The sub-dial ones are similar. All hands are deep “blued”, and in a certain light do pop a bit. The Orient logo and name, plus “Automatic” in a nice italic slanted script, all appear under 1. There is no lume at all. The overall appearance is of a very attractive and balanced “vintage” look, from say the 40s/50s. The glass is of a domed shape and noted as being made of mineral in this case.
Turning over reveals an exhibition case with an average sized “porthole”. One can view the in-house caliber F6B22 automatic movement. This appears to be very similar to the Mako’s movement – in fact all the main details seem to be identical so I shall not repeat.
Finally the strap. This is fairly substantial, padded, and in a dark brown colour. It is made of leather with a crocodile imprint. A polished pin buckle with the Orient name is provided. All this provides a comfy fit.
Again, I have worn the watch for a couple of days and actually really like it – something I was not really expecting. It is of course less heavy than the Mako – and a little slimmer, so is an easier wear. I also think it is a very attractive watch – particularly in this dial style and colour. As mentioned earlier, there are three other dial colours offered; white, grey (quite dark), and bordeaux – all with different strap colours. The brown strap here goes well with the cream dial – although if mine I would probably try with a black strap too. The movement – whilst not haute hologerie, should offer quite adequate timekeeping. Any gripes? Not really, but a little lume would have been helpful, plus, I think the name could have been a bit more imaginative and shorter! Anyway, all this at a price of £309.99. This to my mind is a hell of a bargain!
In overall conclusion, these two watches are both very attractive in their own way and should also be decent timekeepers. They seem to be very well made too. As such – at the noted prices, I feel they are remarkably competitive for what you get. Additionally, all from a well-established brand backed by a watch goliath. What’s not to like? Nothing really!
Mako Vintage Rating: 4/5
Classic & Simple Rating: 4.5/5
P.S. I did in fact call the telephone number on the UK contact details, as I wanted to check it out plus get a little more information on some historic and technical aspects. I in fact got a call-center in Barcelona. The chap I spoke to had good English and was most polite, and whilst he could not help me directly, promised to relay my enquiry on. A day later I received an acknowledgement from him confirming my enquiry. That was a few days ago as I write, but if I learn more I will update as required.
All words/images: The Writer.