Are Orient Watches Worth It? (Japanese Wristwatch Review)

If you’re interested in style or even mechanical wristwatches, chances are you’ve heard of the brand Orient. They seem to be everywhere, but are they worth it?

Let’s start by answering this burning question: Why are we making this post? For most people interested in watches, the discussion around Orient and their worth is almost a throwaway thought. Of course they’re worth it! They’re great value for a mechanical watch. This is based on the fact that most Orient watches are in an average price range of about $200 to $300, which seems like a no-brainer ticket price when compared to a much bigger investment like an Omega, Rolex or Patek Philippe, setting you back an average of 6K, 12K, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, respectively.

But, just saying, “Sure, it’s worth it compared to the big guys,” isn’t enough of a justification for us, especially when you’re looking to spend your hard-earned money on an investment in your wardrobe; and it’s even more true if you don’t have a lot of capital to invest in the first place. And just like anything in our “Is It Worth It?” series, we do like to focus on iconic items and brands in the classic style space, which certainly includes Orient.

History of Orient Watches

Yoshida Watch Shop’s initial success came from selling imported pocket watches. In 1912, Yoshida began producing gold wristwatch cases, and in 1920, Tokyo Tokei Manufacturing was established, originally producing table clocks and gauges.

In 1934, this manufacturing company began to produce wristwatches, a popular move as pocket watches began to fall out of favor. Two years later, the Hino factory was built in Tokyo.

After several successful years, the company shut down in 1949 due to the economic collapse in Japan following World War II. However, Yoshida’s wristwatch manufacturing company was quickly resurrected under the name of Tama Keiki Company in 1950. One year later, in 1951, the company changed its name to the one that we know today: the Orient Watch Company, Ltd. It was the same year that the first Orient Star watch entered the market.

Following a trade agreement with China in 1955, Orient was able to broaden its reach overseas. This allowed the company to innovate, and the Royal Orient went on sale in 1960. In the following decades, Orient would go on to release many important mechanical wristwatches. These include the Dynamic in 1956; the Grand Prix 100 in 1964; the Fineness in 1967, which was the world’s thinnest automatic wristwatch with both day and date calendar functions for its time; and the Tenbeat in 1970.

That being said, Orient offered a large list of their historical timepieces on their website.

What makes Orient impressive is its relatively low public profile but ability to survive and thrive. For example, many of the major watch manufacturers were quaking in their boots in the late 1970s and 80s, fearing the mechanical watch was dead with the advent of quarts and digital wristwatches. But Orient kept on quietly ticking away.

After transferring his business to Epson, the company now exists as a dormant company. Epson Sales Japan Corporation markets the Orient Watches, and Akita Epson Corporation manufactures them, but there are a few more important dates surrounding those events.

In 2003, the Orient Technical Center, or OTC, was established, and the Assembly of Luxury Watches began in Ugo, Ogachi, and Akita, Japan. The high-precision Caliber 88700 movement was made available via the Royal Orient Watch line in 2004. In 2005, the Orient Star Retro Future Collection was launched. 60th-anniversary celebrations took place in 2010 with a limited edition model. This featured a power reserve and a date window. The Royal Orient line was then discontinued around 2016, most likely to prevent competition between it and similar brands, Grand Seiko and Credor, also owned by the Seiko Group.

To celebrate 70 years of the Orient Star line in 2021, the Orient Star Skeleton Watch was introduced. This particular watch features a silicon escapement made using Epson’s MEMS technology, the same kind that has been used in high-end Seiko watches since 2009.

Review of Orient TriStar Watch

For an in-depth review of a single watch, let’s get into one for my own personal collection. My personal Orient watch is a three-star, stainless steel, silver dial, day-date automatic. This watch features an automatic movement. It has a case diameter of 40 mm, lug width of 10.8 mm, and, just for reference, my wrist measurement is 7 inches. I did have to really adjust the watch to fit my wrist the way that I wanted. I do not like to have a ton of wiggle room in my band, and I love for my watch to stay in place even when I raise my hand.

Additional features of my Orient watch: It is waterproof up to 30 m, but I usually try to keep it away from water; it is not shockproof; and it does have a date window; and it does have the day; and it does have the option to have it in Spanish.

It also has gold-toned hands and markers. I’ve had this watch since 2021. This watch has performed great. It is probably one of my go-to’s in my watch collection.

I get a lot of wear out of this watch. I wear it at least once or twice a week. I was in Colombia for one year, and I was walking by an Orient store. I saw this watch in the window, and I really liked it. I was attracted by the face and the simplicity of the watch. This watch fits perfectly with my collection because it was one of my first watches with a metal band.

I like to wear this watch both casually and dressed up. Its simplicity and aesthetic give off a luxurious appeal that does well with any style. I don’t find any difficulty pairing this with any style that I tend to wear; it fits well with just about anything.

If I were to create three outfits around this watch, I would wear this watch for a formal gathering like our GG Belvedere Bash; number two, I would wear this watch with a sport coat, some denim, and a pair of sneakers; and lastly, I will wear this Orient TriStar watch with a pair of denim and a button-down shirt, keeping things very casual.

Are Orient Watches Worth It?

Of course, you may be looking for watches that are higher-end or even watches that are less expensive, and we have covered you in plenty of other guides in both cases.

What do you think of our assessment of Orient Watches? Does it stack up to your thoughts and experiences, or do you have different ideas? Let us know in the comments.

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