If you have been wondering if Orient watches are still goof then we will take a close look at the Japanese watch industry.
Two brands always take center stage, and that’s the Seiko brand and Citizen.
And to be honest, we aren’t so surprised, especially if you consider these brands’ achievements in horology and their impeccable level of craftsmanship.
That said, the Japanese watch industry doesn’t revolve around these two brands, especially if you consider brands like Orient that are making giant strides in the watch industry.
As a matter of fact, the Orient watch brand has produced some incredible timepieces that can go toe-to-toe with watches from some of the best brands out there.
More so, if you look at the prices of Orient watches, you’ll agree that they are one of the best when it comes to price-quality ratio.
For those still wondering if Orient watches are good, you’re welcome to read our unbiased review about the Orient brand, gradually establishing its footing in the watch industry.
After reading today’s post, we are sure you’ll be considering adding one to two Orient watches to your exclusive collection.
History of the Orient Watch brand
While the Orient Watch Company was officially launched in 1950, the company first dabbled into the watch industry in 1901, with its founder Shogoro Yoshida mainly concentrating on selling imported pocket watches.
It wasn’t long until the company switched from watch importation to full-fledged watch production under the brand name Toyo Tokei Manufacturing.
Having switched into watch production, the company launched its first watch in 1934.
This watered the ground and spurred the brand to incredible success.
Unfortunately, the economic downturn brought about by World War II dealt a significant blow to the activities of the company, forcing the company out of business in 1949.
Thankfully, the brand was able to bounce back in 1950.
Continuing from where they had stopped, the brand continued to build their watches from the same factory, only that this time, it came under a new establishment.
Thanks to amazing watches like the Orient Star, the brand was able to position itself as a watch company to be reckoned with, not just in Japan but also overseas.
The brand’s incredible success was aided by the Quartz Revolution of the 1970s, which saw brands like Seiko and Citizen switch to making quartz-powered watches, while the Orient brand remained faithful to the old ways- manufacturing mechanical watches.
Today, the Orient brand is owned and managed by the Seiko Epson brand, one of the three subsidiaries of the Seiko Group.
Thanks to its affiliation with the Seiko brand, some Orient watches today feature solar power and radio sync.
Where are Orient timepieces manufactured?
One of the reasons Orient watches enjoy a lot of accolades is the time and effort they put into building their mechanical movements.
Unlike other companies in the watch industry that outsource their products to low-cost countries, or use movements from other brands, the Orient brand has built a reputation for building its mechanical movement in-house.
Without mincing words, Orient is among the few brands out there to tow this path.
Since the brand independently produces its movements, it has helped to cut down costs, which further explains why most Orient watches are affordable.
While high-end watches like the Orient Star watches are manufactured in Japan, other watches from the brand are assembled elsewhere.
According to reports, most Orient watches are thought to be made in Hong Kong.
Nevertheless, since there is very little or no information regarding production places, most of the information out there is merely an assumption.
What is the quality of Orient watches?
When it comes to quality, only very few watches on the market today can beat Orient watches, especially when you consider the unique price point of their watches.
Orient watches come with cases that are durable and anti-corrosive.
Also, we love that their bands come in high-quality leather, metal, or rubber.
Their dive watches are one of a kind and deliver impressive performance in spectacular depths.
More so, they feature a screw-down crown and case back, which further boosts their quality.
While the dial of the brand’s more affordable watches features popular mineral crystals, their premium models feature incredible crystals like sapphire, which has been lauded for its durability and anti-scratch design.
And even though the brand uses only premium materials to build its watches, their pricier watches are among some of the cheapest sapphire watches on the market.
Orient watches and their movements
As we mentioned earlier, one of the incredible selling points of the Orient brand is their in-house mechanical movement that has been lauded to be long-lasting and super accurate.
Unlike other brands out there, most Orient watches come fitted with fully automatic movements.
Not just that, their movements have a full winding or hacking capability.
Another cool thing you should know about Orient watches is that they are guaranteed to deliver a 40+ hour power reserve.
One of the brand’s popular mechanical calibers is the F6922, which features in most of their timepieces, including the Ray II and Mako II watches.
On the flip side, the brand also has quartz-powered watches, which feature mainly Seiko signature movements.
And since Seiko is one of the leaders of quartz technology, you can expect Orient quartz-powered watches to live up to expectations.
Frequently asked questions: Learn more about Orient watches.
What is the average price of most Orient watches?
While orient watches are decent and built from quality materials, their watches are one of the most affordable in the watch industry.
To give you some idea in terms of pricing, most Orient watches cost between $100 to $200.
Orient has some of the most affordable timepieces the watch industry has seen; even close partners like Seiko are a little more expensive than Orient watches.
Are Orient watches worth it?
From their impeccable craftsmanship, connection to the Seiko brand, and the quality of materials used to build them, we have no doubt that Orient watches are worth every penny spent buying them.
If you’ve always wanted a watch that delivers on quality, you’ll be hard-picked to find a watch brand that is better than the Orient brand at the moment.
Is Orient considered a luxury brand?
Given the sheer fact that the Orient brand is famous for building affordable watches, they do not qualify as a luxury brand.
Nevertheless, the quality of their watches is not in doubt.
