ORIENT

Although the Orient Watch Company was founded in 1950, its roots may be traced back to 1901, when the company's founder, Shogoro Yoshida, began selling foreign pocket watches.

It wasn't long before the firm switched from importing to producing the items under the name Toyo Tokei Manufacturing. It created the first watch in 1934, laying the foundation for the brand's success over the next decade.

The company's chances of survival were hampered by the economic depression induced by World War II's aftermath, which led to the factory's closure in 1949.

When the manufacturing of wristwatches proceeded in the same facility in 1950, but under a new name, Orient was essentially resurrected from the ashes of its predecessor. With the debut of the Orient Star watch, which drew attention both in Japan and abroad, the breakthrough was instantaneous.

For Orient, the Quartz Revolution of the 1970s proved crucial. When Seiko and Citizen successfully transitioned from mechanical watches to mass-produced quartz timepieces, Orient opted to return to the traditional route of producing mechanical watches.

Despite its dubious nature, the choice resulted in higher quality and a greater understanding of how to cope with the movement. Orient is still best recognized for its automated mechanical calibers, which are noted for their dependability and precision. Its automated wathes are widely considered as among the best in their pricing ranges.

Seiko Epson, one of the Seiko Group's three major firms, now owns Orient. Aside from the most popular mechanical timepieces, Orient also makes quartz watches that are just as trustworthy.

Because to the tight association with Seiko, there have been Orient models with solar power and radio sync, although mechanical timepieces still make up the bulk.

The way Orient creates mechanical movements is one of the key reasons contributing to the company's well-deserved reputation.

The job isn't outsourced to low-cost nations, and the watches aren't outfitted with movements from other manufacturers; instead, they're made fully in-house. In fact, Orient is one of the world's few firms that does so.

The independence from movement manufacturers has helped lower expenses, as seen by the low pricing of Orient watches, which frequently retail for less than $100.

The narrative is a little different in terms of the entire watch manufacture, not just the movement.

When higher-end versions, such as Orient Star watches, are totally manufactured in Japan, the rest is almost certainly assembled overseas. The major site is assumed to be Hong Kong. Because we don't have a lot of knowledge on where things are made, we can only make educated guesses.

Another question is the significance of that specific site. Does it really matter where a specific Orient watch is produced when even Swiss luxury manufacturers receive components of their watches from Asia, or Apple assembles its iPhones in China?

As long as the watches produced by Orient are robust and attractive, purchasers may be certain that the Japanese know-how is firmly embedded in the timepieces, regardless of where they are made.

As previously said, Orient's main selling point is its in-house mechanical movement, which is both very accurate and long-lasting.

Completely automated, automatic with winding capabilities, fully hand-winding, or hacking-enabled calibers are all available. All of the watches are guaranteed to have a 40-hour power reserve, so you won't have to worry about the tickers dying overnight if you wear them every day.

Quartz timepieces from Orient, on the other hand, are mostly made by Seiko. As we all know, Seiko was a pioneer in quartz technology, which tells us a lot about the dependability of a watch powered by that movement.

The general quality of Orient's timepieces is higher than one might anticipate from a company that sells most of their watches for under $200.

The watch cases are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel, while the bands are made of metal, leather, or rubber. The diving watches from Orient have a screw-down crown and case back, as well as suitable water resistance to defined depths.

The dials of more inexpensive watches are coated with common mineral crystal, whilst the most popular crystal in wrist wear, sapphire, is used on the more expensive versions. Orient's most expensive timepieces, on the other hand, are still among the most cheap sapphire watches on the market.

Orient artifacts are easily identifiable by their design. The bulk of models use Roman numerals or indexes, with numerics being less common. The shaded dark blue/black/white dial with italic text specifying either the movement type or water resistance is one of the brand's hallmarks.

When it comes to Orient's numerous styles, there are two key categories to consider: diving and dress.

Orient provides a large assortment of dive-specific wristwear that is well-liked by the diving community. Their appropriateness for a variety of events is what sets them apart - simple dials, sleek design, and a variety of case sizes ensure that an Orient watch will look great no matter what the occasion.

Their dress watches, on the other hand, exude the highest level of refinement. The Orient dress watches are typically combined with open-heart designs, textured backgrounds, and moon phase indications, making them far more elegant than their costs imply. On a traditional watch face, there's a stunning open-heart design.

A typical Orient watch ranges in price from $100 to $300. The pricing is incredible, especially considering it has an automated mechanical movement.

In fact, Orient is the world's most economical producer of high-quality automatic timepieces, even surpassing its close colleague, Seiko.

Orient Star, the brand's premium line made exclusively in Japan, is actually far less expensive than some may believe. Star versions with sapphire crystals and mechanical motions start at $500, while the more complex mechanical moon phase skeleton components cost well over $3,000.

Many people may be unfamiliar with the Orient brand since it does not have the same level of recognition as other well-known watch brands. As a result, some comparison is necessary to properly comprehend Orient's place in the industry.

To begin with, comparisons to fashion companies such as Invicta, Stuhrling, or Vincero are unwarranted due to Orient's far superior quality.

Seiko is the most similar brand to Orient in terms of quality and appearance, despite their popularity gap. Both manufacturers provide some of the most cheap diving watches in the same price range. While some people like Seiko, others prefer the craftsmanship of the Orient company.

When Seiko and Citizen are frequently compared, it is mostly because to their storied histories and comparable technology. However, Orient is seldom compared to the latter. If just in the domain of diving watches, where they both have a solid reputation.

Premium and luxury companies, on the other hand, are more likely to use more expensive and long-lasting materials. The sole exception is the Orient Star line, which maintains the same high level of craftsmanship.

One of the goals of this Orient watches review is to see if the timepieces match the industry's stringent requirements.

When a watchmaker uses terms like "quality" and "reliability" to describe its products, the PR is the one who backs them up. While many of them fall short of such expectations, Orient outperforms them by not just a tiny margin, but by many. All of this has been validated by those who wear these timepieces.

Quality is on par with Seiko and Citizen. Orient may not have the same level of popularity or sophisticated technology as these two brands, but it makes up for it with reduced costs and unwavering trustworthiness. It's one of the most cost-effective watch brands available.

(President Jiro Miyagawa of Orient watches in Picture above)