About Timex
Orient was founded in Tokyo, Japan in 1950 and has a robust history. The company as we know it today began in 2001, when it became a subsidiary of Seiko. Orient offers timepieces across the spectrum, from automatics, to radio controlled, and everything in between.
You can find Orient watches from $100 all the way to $5,000 or more. View Price on Amazon.
HOW WE REVIEW WATCHES
Our reviews are based on our first-hand experience with the watch. All photos and media are created by us (unless otherwise credited). Learn more about how we review watches.
Review Summary
I think that the Orient Leo is a great looking watch in any of its color options, but particularly the combination reviewed here. Unfortunately, no matter how I tried to adjust the bracelet I was unable to get it to sit flush with my wrist- an annoyance that taints an otherwise good entry-level automatic watch.
Orient Leo Technical Specifications
- Model Number: FET0L00D20
- MSRP: $255
- Case Diameter: 42mm
- Alternate Models: Dark color scheme shown here
- Movement: ET46B automatic
- Complications: Day/date display, day/night indicator
- Power Reserve: Approximately 40 hours
- Water Resistance: 50m/155ft
- Crystal Material: Mineral
Operating the Watch
The day/date display on the Leo looks different than most that you see, but it’s set the same way. The day/night indicator also makes it easier to set the day/date. Note that the ET46B is a non-hacking movement.
Read the complete user manual here.
How To set the time:
- Pull crown to the furthest position (position 3). Turn the crown clockwise to set the time. Note that the day and date displays will roll over at midnight, indicating AM time.
How To set the Day & Date:
- Pull the crown to the middle position (position 2) and turn counter-clockwise to set the date, clockwise to set the day.
Orient Leo Aesthetics & Design
I really like the small things about the Leo that make it look so good. The bezel reminds me of a vault door, and the brushed steel gives the Leo a hardened mechanical feel. It’s almost as if the watch has its own personality.
What’s the most notable about the Leo is the big day display at 3 o’clock. The brushed steel ring contrasts sharply with the navy face and immediately draws your eye. The date display at 6 o’clock is almost hidden by comparison.
The dial shows more blue than my photos demonstrate. This helps the red seconds had pop off the face of the watch in contrast with the otherwise dark colors. It also helps the lume in the hour markers and hour/minute hands really light up at night.
The stainless steel bracelet, which also has the brushed texture carried over from the case, completes the look. The Leo looks sporty and rugged, mechanical and modern. It’s a great aesthetic overall. It’s a shame that I was never able to get the bracelet to sit flush with my wrist, since it detracted quite a lot from an otherwise great looking watch.
Orient Leo Build Quality
This is my first experience with Orient, so I was unsure of what to expect in terms of build quality. My impression so far is positive, as the Leo looks no worse for wear despite several weeks of… wear. The steel all around has held up quite well, which is nice as small scratches are always a wear item for stainless steel bracelets.
Crystal, Case, and Dial
As mentioned, the brushed stainless steel has held up well on the case. There are no marks or scratches after several weeks of regular wear. Most people with office/light work will find the Leo an excellent daily wearer. The Leo seems to be designed to look great for a long time.
The domed crystal concerns me somewhat because of how far it protrudes, but it still looks brand new. I don’t anticipate this being a major problem, and replacement crystals are fairly inexpensive.
Strap and Clasp
The bracelet never fit me right no matter how much I tried to adjust it. The result, as pictured above in aesthetics, is that the lug ends “square” off the strap’s initial links on either side. This looks weird and also isn’t the most comfortable.
The bracelet is good quality, as is the deployment clasp. Both are worth the price tag associated.
I am pretty frustrated that this is what tarnishes an otherwise great review.
More About the Orient Leo
Movement
Orient is one of the only watch manufactures that uses in-house movements at this price point. The ET46B movement is Orient built and features day/date and day/night complications. It is a non-hacking movement.
During the time I tested the watch I noticed that it was losing approximately 8 seconds per day. This is pretty good, especially considering the inexpensive price.
Popular opinion online regarding Orient movements is overwhelmingly positive. My experience has also been positive.
Value for Money
That you can get a watch for under $300 that features an in-house movement with day/date and 24 hour display (day/night indicator) is pretty impressive. Most watches that feature those complications for similar pricing are using Chinese-manufacturer or knockoff movements, and their build quality is suspect. The Orient Leo is vastly superior to those types of watches in effectively every way.
Unfortunately, if you have smaller wrists like me, you may find that the way it fits on your wrist to be off-putting. The fact that the Leo uses an uncommon/integrated lug further frustrates the issue- at least if Orient had used standard 22mm lugs or something I’d be able to swap out the bracelet and continue on happy as ever.
If the watch fits you fine, have confidence in knowing that it’s an otherwise reliable and good quality watch. It feels built to last and has a great movement inside. It’s a good buy.
Photo Gallery
Other than the bracelet described, I really like the look of the watch. I’d rock it for sure.
Looks great, been looking for a watch for awhile that is made for larger wrists.
I’m willing to bet that I’d like the way it fits as the gaps you mention seem minor in comparision to my PR516 and, I love the way that watch fits.
You made me start buying watches, jerk!
(but thank you)
Nice looking watch and great review. Been looking for an automatic for awhile another great option for me. Thanks for the review
I like the blue colour of the face but in the wrist shot, it really looks like my grandfathers watch. Big and bulky. I also like the fact that how wide is the band connection to the watch itself. Like you said, you need to have thick wrist for this otherwise it will look awkward. I wonder how sturdy is the side knob.
Feels solid. I doubt it’d present itself as an issue.
Seems like a nice watch, but not something I would pick out personally based on the looks. Although I do like the days of the week I find it looks sharp and I quite often forget rhe day of the week lol. I have small wrists as well so deff not for me.
Decent review Cam, I feel your pain about the uncomfortable-ness of an improperly fitting watch. It may be counter mended by leaving an extra link on bracelet of it, then one would normally do with a watch. Thankfully I have big wrists (dont make jokes about being single having something to do with it, lol). So I think I’d feel fine using it on the daily. Too bad such a small design issue can lead to such a flaw with an otherwise decent watch.
I like the looks of it otherwise, and that being said, if a person really liked it for what it is, replacement bracelets aren’t a bank breaker, and quite a viable option.
I wish you went into more detail about the actual watch, not so much the bracelet. Im curious as to whether or not the back of it is open (with an exposing viewing crystal) so you can see the mechanical movement moving and doing its thing. (which is something I love) I dont know as per the review, so I’ll look at pics online and go from there.
I also would have went into detail about how easy it is to set the date and so on, as well as how long it takes (to wear) for it to be substantially wound. I have two automatics, one is very slow to wind, takes a few hours of continual movement to wind, the other fully winds with the same sort of activity in less then an hour typically.
Setting day/date instructions are in the review 🙂
The Leo does NOT have an exhibition caseback.
I really love the look of this watch. Truth be told, I know nothing about timepieces, but my husband has been hinting for a nice watch to wear to work for ages. This site is very user friendly and I appreciate your honest reviews. This is a sleek looking watch and I can definitely see my husband enjoying it!
Give Watch 101 a read before you buy your next watch!
Cheers 🙂
^ Whoops, I must have glazed over that part, WTF lol. That barely ever happens.
Happens to the best of us 😉
Orient’s are some of my fave watches for the money, great choice and great review! I agree about the bracelet and clasps being their biggest downfall though, the bracelet on my blue Ray broke and fell off.
Another great in depth review. Like discussed in the last give away, I’m cursed with small wrists. I love the look of the watch though, and day display is stellar. Keep up the great reviews.
Thanks Justin 🙂
A friend with larger wrists put the watch on and it looks much better on him.
I wonder what the longevity of the automatic movement is? I have a Fossil Automatic that is a skeleton watch (beautiful), but it stopped ticking one day within the first year. Of course the long warranty is there, but what a pain…couple years and still haven’t sent it out.
It makes me question the choice of a low price automatic but they are still my favorite watch type for sure. I don’t mind the old school look of this one at all.
The Fossil that broke down on you likely used a low-quality Chinese-manufactured automatic movement (similar to what Lucien Piccard uses, for example). I wouldn’t call it an even comparison when looking at an Orient or Seiko movement.
Automatics don’t need to be expensive to be reliable, though generally speaking you’ll looking for something that’s Japanese or Swiss.
Isn’t Orient a Seiko subsidiary? So the overall quality of this watch should be more or less pretty good.
I’ve been intrigued by Orient since I became obsessed with affordable mechanical watches, it seems they offer great value. (I’ll probably buy a Mako soon. Review idea: Mako v. Mako XL head-to-head!).
But you wrote, “The Orient ET46B is a 21 jewel Japanese-manufactured automatic and powers many different watches.” I understand Orient’s movements are all in-house, is that right? Do they sell out to other manufacturers? I’d like to know more about this.
Thanks for the reviews.
While I’m not an expert on Orient watches, I do believe that the ET46B is an in house movement. It is used in a bunch of different models.
awesome! keep ’em coming!
Guess I won’t need to put on my glasses to see the time, puny wrists though. Nice to see a review on watches that the less well off can afford.
Love the look of that Orient!! And it just so happens that my 7.75inch wrist was made for that watch 🙂 Great review brother.
Thank you sir!
nice looking watch!
Hmm, since those first lugs don’t bend much I wonder if a Bond/ regular nato or a leather strap would do the trick. Like the offset subdials and the main blue dial with the silver borders around the markers and hands though and that it’s actually not a struggle to tell the time at a glance.
It’s an integrated strap- I don’t know how easy it’d be to swap out for a leather one 🙁
Good looking watch, but I suffer from small wrists (7″) so not for me. Great review. Also, great site. Thx.
Nice watch review!
That Orient seems sturdy and makes a strong statement wearing it, without being too big or having a diver bezel. Its also nice to know that you can’t swap the strap for a leather one, I would have done that right away just to see how it looks with a black leather one or dark brown.
Great review, I really like your website.
I have never been a fan of round watched, but after reading about it seeing all the pics, I would totally buy this for myself.
keep up the good work.
Great review. Ok looking watch, but for $250 that’s to be expected.
I love the silver on black face with the 12 being the only number at top. It’s pretty striking and I would imagine it would go with a lot of outfits because of the grey colour. That’s always a design secret, grey goes with everything!
I like that it has a somewhat smaller face however fits a larger wrist, Normally (if you have large wrists) you have a smaller face sitting in the middle of your wrist OR a giant face to make up for it when shopping for less expensive watches, Also the fact that normally you have to order online so you do not know until it arrives, I like alot of these reviews, makes it handy when looking at the lower price spectrum.
I like the Orient, looks like a sturdy and well built watch. But I am unsure how it would look on a small wrist like mine?
Given that this is an integrated bracelet, are there other options with respect to replacement or am I SOL if I decide to win/buy this watch?
It’s a shame, too, because it’s a pretty good looking watch otherwise. I’d never have looked at an Orient were it not for this review (being honest). I’ve always considered Seiko, Orient, Citizen, etc. the low-end brands… very surprised to learn otherwise!
I never really was a watch person but slowly looking in at more watches. Might start with something cheaper and lower end but move on to bigger and better when I get used to wearing them. This would be a good starter!
Excellent review – as always. Thanks for creating a site that allows junior watch afficienados a place to learn more!
It is a handsome watch and I like the fact you are reviewing all manner of time pieces. Tick On!!
Don’t let one Orient set your opinion of the brand – you would be short changing yourself and your readers. I own 2 and have a 3rd on order – they are great for what you pay. Journeyman World Time and the Orient Star Retrograde are ones I can confirm first hand the quality. You should review the retrograde – sets well on smaller wrist. I quit wearing my Seamaster when I got the Journeyman. I haven’t reached raving fan status but I am impressed by what I own. Check out their site and review a Retrograde Model.
I’d love to get my hands on a Retrograde to review, but sadly we aren’t large enough as a site for most manufacturers to just send me one 🙁
One day!
Interested in buying this watch in ‘blue’.
Cannot find for sale anywhere…
Any suggestions or leads appreciated.
Thanks,