Orient Is One of Our Favourite Affordable Watch Brands
Orient is one of our favorite watch brands. They offer a range of affordable automatic watches, and their Orient Star line demonstrates that the company has the quality and technical chops to stand on their own in the premium segments.
We have hands-on reviewed three Orient watches to date: the Bambino V2, Leo, and Symphony. We are working on a fourth review (the Multi-Calendar automatic) that should be online somewhere around mid to late November, 2016, and a fifth review of a Mako dive watch that should be online somewhere around middle of December, 2016.
Our Favorite Orient Watch
Our favorite watch that we’ve reviewed from Orient to date is the Bambino V2. We love its classic styling, contemporary sizing, and the large domed crystal as a stand-out feature.
A new version of the Bambino V2 was just released in September, 2016, featuring an upgraded movement that can be hand wound and hacks. This new version makes our favorite Orient even better!
Orient’s Automatic Movements
Orient is one of few watch brands that focus on their in-house manufactured automatic movements. They tout themselves as the “watchmaker’s watch”, and their watches all use one of their mechanical/automatic movements.
Their focus in mechanical movements is unique and one of the things we appreciate about the brand.
About Orient Watches
Brief Company History
Orient’s history goes as far back as 1901, where Shogoro Yoshida opened a watch store called “Yoshida Watch Shop” in Tokyo. Selling imported pocket watches, Yoshida Watch Should grew to become quite successful. The company began manufacturing wristwatches in 1934.
Orient as we know it today was formed in 1950 and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seiko (since 2009). Orient produces a range of watches, including automatics, quartz’s, solar-powered, and radio-controlled watches. All their automatic movements are manufactured in-house.
Featured Orient Watch Review
Orient Bambino V2 Review
The Bambino comes in three flavors, referred to as version one, two, and three. All three use the same movement, and have similar but distinct looks. Of the three, the V2 variety is definitely my favorite.
