![Introduction of Orient Watches and Their Standard Models [ A Leading Japanese Watch Manufacturer ].](https://otokomaeken.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/7dd4c3f74f006b34bb1d70d7adebd54e-13.jpg)
Seiko, Citizen, and Orient are the three major Japanese watch brands that Japan is proud of in the world. Among these, ORIENT is favored by a wide range of people because of its low price setting that does not match its high quality. In this issue, we focus on Orient, the leader in Japan-made watches, and introduce its charms!
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What is Orient?
Orient, a leading Japanese watch manufacturer, was founded in 1901 ( Meiji 34). The company was founded in 1901 by Shogoro Yoshida, the founder of Orient, as “Yoshida Watch Store” in Ueno, Tokyo, which specialized in importing and selling foreign watches. More than 100 years have passed since its establishment, and the company still produces many watches that are second to none of its foreign products, such as the ” Orient Star ” and the “Royal Orient. Currently, as a subsidiary of Seiko Epson, the company is also involved in products other than wristwatches, such as printers and electronic devices.
The original design watch that propelled Orient to become a prestigious brand
Orient began manufacturing wristwatches in 1934, when it was known as Toyo Watch Manufacturing Co. Two years later, however, the company was forced to switch to the munitions industry due to wartime conditions. After the war, the company continued to face hardships, including the dissolution of the Hino Plant and the suspension of operations due to prolonged labor disputes caused by the establishment of a labor union. In 1958, the company introduced the “Luminous,” a model equipped with a light function, and in 1976, the “Orient Star” was born. And in 1976, the “Touchtron” was born, which used the most advanced LED technology of the time and caused a huge boom. With these products, which no other manufacturer in the world could have thought of at the time, Orient established its position as a watch brand.
Orient is proud of its mechanical watches
In the 1980s, Orient mainly developed quartz watches, but in 1992, the company returned to the world of mechanical watches. Unraveling its roots, it is clear that many of the models in its current lineup have been evolving for more than 50 years.
The ” Orient Star,” a signature model that marks time with the brand’s history (1952-)
The ” Orient Star ” was born shortly after the launch of the Orient Watch brand, and from its first appearance in 1952, it featured an elegant oval case. It gained popularity as a wristwatch with elegant and authentic appeal. The seemingly simple case used a bombe dial and box glass, and the thin glass rim accentuated the delicate three-dimensionality of the outer circumference. The selling price at the time was 4,310 yen. This was at a time when the starting salary for national public servants was 9,200 yen.
Today’s Orient Star models range from those with a classic design to those with a GMT function. The high-end model with a skeleton dial is especially popular among the Orient Star series because of its beautiful balance drive and other features. 50-hour power reserve is a specification that is unbeatable even for a top Swiss brand. The Orient Star continues to evolve along with the progress of the brand.
Royal Orient” (1958-), the origin of classic watches
The “Royal Orient” series reigns as the top-of-the-line model of Orient watches today. The first model was released in 1958. The simple and elegant design with no sense of futility was highly sophisticated at the time, and has become the prototype for the classic design of the three-hand watches that Orient produces today. The champagne gold-colored dial has a high level of elegance, and the gently curved indexes around the periphery of the dial are so beautiful that it is hard to believe that this was a vintage watch. The “N-type movement” from Orient Watch, which was installed in the models of this period, was adopted as the standard for domestic watches of the time, including those from Seiko and Citizen. It was priced at 6,200 yen at a time when the starting salary for national public servants was 10,800 yen.
Nearly 50 years later, the current Royal Orient incorporates the retrograde day display, power reserve indicator, and other design features of today’s Orient watches, while still maintaining its simple and classic features and exuding a sense of elegance.
King Master” (1964-), a masterpiece with a retro feel
The history of Orient Watch’s divers’ watches goes back to 1964. The “King Diver,” launched in 1964, was water resistant to 40 meters, a performance that was revolutionary for its time. Its bold and masculine design attracted great support from young people, and its popularity continued well into the 1970s and beyond. The selling price at the time was 13,000 yen ( average starting salary for a college graduate was 21,200 yen ).
The ” World Diver ” watch, introduced in 1969, was a diver’s watch with the same 40-meter water resistance as the King Diver, but with a rotating bezel with a simplified world time function. The unique dial with a world map design shows Orient’s original sensibility and aggressive attitude. If you look closely, it is interesting to note that the time difference and national borders at that time were different from today’s. It was priced at 11,800 yen (average starting salary for a college graduate was 32,400 yen).
As was the case with most divers’ watches in the 1960s, neither the ” King Diver ” nor the ” World Diver ” actually met the standards when compared to the current strict JIS standards required to call oneself a diver’s watch. From a design standpoint, they are also a bit too advanced, to be honest. However, the current model has undergone a dramatic evolution. The current diver’s watch, ” Diver 300m,” is, as the name suggests, fully water resistant to 300 meters. The stainless steel case and band and sapphire crystal glass boast excellent durability.
And in terms of design, the “King Master,” which is the authentic inheritor of the DNA of the “King Diver” and “World Diver,” has undergone a surprisingly modern transformation, while certainly retaining the atmosphere of the two past models. By combining the retro feel of the rugged case and spherical glass with the luxurious dial and index design, the design is suitable for a variety of fashions.
Orient solar radio-controlled watch
Japanese watches have a reputation for the quality of their solar-powered timepieces, and Orient, which mainly offers a collection of mechanical watches, is no exception. The “Neo70’s” series and several models in the “io” ladies’ line are solar-powered, and the “Neo70’s” series is based on the design style of mechanical watches from the 1970s. However, Neo70’s is actually a modern model that uses solar radio waves to set the time. In fact, it is a modern model that uses solar radio waves to set the time. It can run for about six months on a full charge. The appeal of radio-controlled watches is that even a model with a chronograph can be purchased for the low 30,000 yen range.
Orient’s “WORLD STAGE Collection” is highly acclaimed overseas
Orient’s “WORLD STAGE Collection” has been developed in the global market. The richly varied models have gained a large following around the world for their high quality and cost-effectiveness, and their reputation overseas now surpasses their popularity in Japan. The design with a 50-hour power reserve indicator, which is often seen in Orient’s representative models, has been accepted globally.
The aforementioned ” King Master ” is another model in the World Stage collection.
The three-hand dress watch with its roots in ” Orient Star ” and ” Royal Orient ” is also a royal favorite.
Orient Watch’s 46 series movement
Orient’s caliber is synonymous with its in-house 46 (Yong Lok) movement, which is used in many of its flagship “Orient Star” models. This movement, also known as the “46 series,” has been in production for more than 45 years since its creation in 1971, and the cumulative production of this long-running series has exceeded 100 million pieces. The total number of units produced has exceeded 100 million pieces. In the 1980s, Seiko and Citizen, which are also Japanese brands, were leaning toward quartz watches. Although Orient, as usual, was steering towards quartz watches, this brand was the only one that did not completely discontinue its mechanical watchmaking roots.
The 46 movement, which has undergone repeated trial and error and study over a long period of time, now has a power reserve of more than 40 hours and stable accuracy with few malfunctions or errors. In recent years, the company has also developed a skeletonized model, which has a finish that looks beautiful from any angle. Each part of the watch has a wavy or swirl pattern machined by craftsmen, and artificial rubies are used to reduce wear on the shafts, making the 46 movement itself the face of the watch design.
Introduction of Orient’s popular models
Orient is known for the many models it releases, but this time we pick up one of the most popular models!
Orient Star Elegant Classic WZ0341EL ” by Orient
The blue Breguet hands give this watch an outstanding sense of luxury and presence, and as the name suggests, it is an “elegant classic. The roman indexes and warm white dial are extremely classic. The power reserve indicator at the top also blends well with the watch’s atmosphere.
For details and purchase, click here.
Orient ” Mako Diver’s Watch
Orient Watch is developing a diver’s model watch with 200m water resistance in the overseas market. The popular diver’s watch ” Mako ” (Mako) is now available in a new version. Equipped with manual winding and second hand stop function. With its clean case and simple dial indexes, it is an active piece suitable for outdoor as well as town use.
Click here for details and to purchase
Orient Star WZ0041DX
This skeleton face masterpiece has a spherical sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating on the dial surface and a crystal glass on the back for use with a see-through back. The movement made by skilled craftsmen is so fascinating that it makes one forget the time despite being a watch. Despite its exquisite and defenseless appearance, the watch is water resistant to 5 atmospheres, antimagnetic resistance class 1, and has a powerful power reserve of more than 50 hours. The alligator leather band adds warmth to the watch, making it a perfect example of the highest level of made-in-Japan craftsmanship.
For details and purchase, click here
Orient “Orient Star Retrograde WZ0071DE
This self-winding model is equipped with the popular retrograde day display. The black dial and three-row metal band with a three-dimensional, highly practical feel are standard Orient Star details. The layout is also attractive for its ingenuity, with a different stamping pattern on the power-reserve and retrograde displays.
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Orient ” Royal Orient Retrograde WE0021JD
The high-end Royal Orient model. The collection’s theme is “a watch that you can feel people’s warmth” and “a watch that you can use for a long time,” and each detail of this collection shows the meticulous work of skilled craftsmen. The strong and elegant impression of the case, which is exclusive to Royal Orient, is a rough polished finish that was discussed with the designers at the design stage. The symbolic asymmetrical power reserve indicator and retrograde function are driven by a new movement developed exclusively for this model. In addition, the 0.8mm-high three-dimensional indexes are carefully polished one by one. Although this is a top-of-the-line model, one cannot help but feel that it offers excellent cost performance when one considers the value of the technology and modeling that went into it.
For details and purchase, click here
Orient “King Master WV0021AA
This popular model has a retro feel with its rugged case and spherical glass, but also has a clean, modern impression with its two push buttons. The three stars at the 6 o’clock position on the dial are the same as those on the 1964 King Diver. The three stars are said to express “quality,” “design,” and “price.
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Orient “Bambino SAC00009N0
A popular model from the World Stage Collection for the overseas market. The simple design and blue hands guarantee excellent legibility. In addition to the manual winding function, the watch is equipped with a second hand stop function, making it functional despite its appearance. The cream yellow dial and minimalist bar index design give this watch a neat appearance that will appeal to those who love classic taste.
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Orient “Mechanical WV0391DB
This is the signature model among the mechanical watches in the World Stage collection. The semi-skeletonized design allows the wearer to enjoy the movement of the balance through a small window at the 9 o’clock position. The fusion of innovative design and traditional technology creates an overwhelming presence that attracts connoisseurs from all over the world. Despite its radical appearance, the watch is fully legible, and its brown color gives it a mature appeal.
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Orient “Orient Star Modern Skeleton WZ0201DK
Orient Star with semi-skeleton design. The gimmicky design and the soothing brown-gray color create an exquisite harmony. The brown belt in the same color is alligator stamped, creating an adult appeal.
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Orient “Orient Star WZ0081DA
The semi-skeleton Orient Star, also of the semi-skeleton type, is a popular model with a slightly more subdued appearance, inspired by vintage watches of the 1950s, giving it a modern yet somehow classic feel. Many people choose this model as their first mechanical watch.
![Introduction of Orient Watches and Their Standard Models [ A Leading Japanese Watch Manufacturer ].](https://otokomaeken.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/7dd4c3f74f006b34bb1d70d7adebd54e-13-115x60.jpg)
