Orient Watches Review – Affordable and Reliable

Orient Watches Review

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orient watches review men's esteemYou may not be familiar with Orient watches, and if that’s the case, it wouldn’t be a surprise.  Obviously, there are hundreds of watch companies, and most people are only aware of a handful.  What makes these watches remarkable is that they’ve been in business for more than 60 years and are now owned by one of the world’s largest watch makers, Seiko.

Despite this, the company has a relatively low profile, despite more than half a century of making reliable mechanical wristwatches that sell for very affordable prices, particularly when compared to Swiss watches with similar features and build quality.

Read on for the full Orient watches review.

Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary

Orient Watches Build Quality

Orient watches are rugged and well-built.   They feature stainless steel cases, and their watch faces are protected with either mineral crystal (on their less-expensive models) or rock-hard sapphire crystal.  Water resistance tends to be quite good, with most models offering 30-50 meters of water resistance.  Their watches come with either leather straps or stainless steel bands.

Movements

While Orient watches has traditionally made mechanical movements, they have conceded that some people do like quartz.   Today, the company makes watches with quartz electronic movements, manually wound mechanical movements, and automatic (self-winding) mechanical movements.

All movements used are designed and manufactured in-house.  The company also sells movements on a wholesale basis to other companies that may wish to use them in watches sold under other brand names.

Click here to shop for Orient watches at Amazon

Innovation

The company has a history of innovation; the best-known watch in that regard might be their “Fineness” model, which was introduced in 1967.  This watch was the thinnest watch available at the time that included both a day and date calendar function.

Today, while many of the company’s watches are time-only, the company also offers a number of watches with mechanical complications, including the date, day/date, power reserve indicators, chronograph features, and even a day/night indicator, which shows the sun or the moon to remind you what time of day it happens to be.

Styling and Features

orient watches butterflyStyling tends to lean towards the conservative, with most models offering either silver or gold-plated steel cases and a simple, austere look that would not have looked out of place in the 1950s.

A few of the women’s models have a splash of color, but you are not going to find bold, avant garde styling or bright colors in the company’s models.

Still, they have a nice selection of models, and appear to currently offer at least 100 different models, with many designs for both men and women.

They don’t offer watches with gold cases or embedded diamonds, but they do offer a selection of models that are suitable for casual wear, business wear, or perhaps an evening out on the town.

Care and Maintenance

Care and maintenance is fairly straightforward.  If you have a quartz model, you will need to have the battery replaced every 2-3 years.  If you have a mechanical model, you will want to have it examined by an authorized jeweler every 3-5 years to ensure that the watch is continuing to run properly.

Aside from these considerations, you should strive to keep your watch away from extremes of temperature or strong magnetic fields, as these may damage the movement.  Be aware of the water resistance ratings, which can vary by model.

With proper care, you should get many years of use from your Orient watches.

Orient Watches Warranty

The warranty that you receive with the purchase of Orient watches is OK, but not great.  They are warranted against defects in materials and craftsmanship for one year from the date of purchase.  We’ve noticed that most watch companies offer at least a two year warranty, and it’s possible that your retailer may offer a warranty of longer than one year if you buy from them.  It’s a good idea to ask, though these watches are tested thoroughly at the factory prior to shipping, so defects are likely fairly uncommon.

Prices

orient watches presidentAs designer watches go, you’ll find that Orient watches are quite reasonably priced.  We’ve seen some quartz models offered for sale for well under $100, and most mechanical models run in the $100-$400 range.  There are a few limited edition models and some with additional complications that may sell for as much as $2000, but those are the exception, rather than the rule when it comes to Orient watches pricing.

For the most part, they are quite affordable and have a track record of providing long, reliable service and a lot of watch for the money.

Where to Buy

You can find them for sale at many retailers, both online and off.  As the brand isn’t exactly a household name, you likely won’t find them for sale just everywhere, but specialty watch shops and a few larger department stores will almost certainly carry the brand.

You can also find them for sale online at a number of retailers, and you’ll find that buying online gives you the best opportunity to buy at a discount.  Keep in mind that not all retailers will stock the entire product line, but you’ll likely find that most retailers that stock the brand will carry a good representative sample of what the company offers in their product line.

Orient Watches Summary

There is a place for inexpensive quartz watches that you can buy without giving them much thought and there’s a place for high end, handmade, Swiss watches that cost more than your home.  There’s also a place in the middle for a high quality, attractive, reliable watch that will look good, serve you well for years and not cost you a fortune when you buy it.

Orient watches have more than a half a century of providing a reliable, attractive mechanical timepiece that will likely last for as long as you care to wear it.  If you’re looking for a good mechanical watch at a great price, Orient watches may be a good fit for you.

Click here to shop for Orient watches at Amazon