Orient is traditionally recognized as a manufacturer of watches for the budget-conscious consumer.
However, conscious consumers often have different budgets for different occasions
and a person can definitely like to wear an expensive watch to work or
special events, and then have some inexpensive watches for other, less formal or
more physically-demanding situations.
Having
recently discussed this with one of the blog's readers, who confessed to having
some fairly luxurious pieces in his collection besides his Orients, I thought
it would be interesting to explore this topic: the way Orients can fit into the
collection of someone who also owns some higher-end timepieces. Here are some
examples from my own collection.
Case
No. 1 – Feeling Blue
If I
were looking for a dressy piece with a touch of blue (perhaps to fit a bluish outfit)
– here are a couple of items I would be able to find in my safe. On the left is
a Jaquet Droz "Grande Seconde Quantieme Côtes de Genève". A perfectly
fancy, very Swiss watch, of current production. On the right is a 1971 Orient GM.
The
price ratio between the two is about 20:1. The Swiss is a decidedly high-end piece,
with a finely finished in-house movement, chronometer accuracy, and highly
detailed dial. Jaquet Droz is a highly regarded brand within the Swatch group.
It is a watch one can take to any business event or social function with pride.
And
yet, as an owner of that lovely JD watch, I have no problems wearing the
Orient. It too has an in-house movement, similarly high-beat, with a proud
legacy (being originally a King Seiko movement); it might not be a chronometer
but still displays admirable accuracy after nearly 5 decades of operation; it
too has a beautiful dial that withstood the test of time well. It wears great,
has lovely dress-watch proportions, and is thoroughly enjoyable. While it might
not be as impressive from a few feet away like the JD, on the wrist it just
works, and on occasions when making a buzz is not really required the Orient
does the job just as good.
Case
No. 2 – Getting Red Hot
If
I were looking to up the ante and demand that the crowd pays some more
attention to what I'm wearing – a red hot dial could do the work. Here are two
leading candidates from my collection: on the left is a Citizen Campanola,
Mechanical Collection "Beniake" with multi-layered red Urushi dial,
one of the most shamelessly lavish pieces I own (or in fact, ever saw. Really,
in direct sunlight it is explosive). On the right, a limited "Prestige
Shop" edition Orient semi-skeleton.
The
price ratio between the two is about 15:1. The Campanola boasts a ludicrously
elaborate dial, a high-end Swiss movement (by Citizen-owned La Joux-Perret), and
is a proper conversation piece.
Still,
the Orient is nothing to be ashamed of. With its deep, purple-red wine colored
dial, cool view of the movement, and – again – very comfortable dress-watch proportions,
it looks fantastic. While not the extravagant attention grabber like the Campanola,
it still gets noticed.
Case
No. 3 – Classic Black
In the
end of the day, after all that red and blue, one often wishes to turn back to
classics: the little black dress, sorry, dial. Here, I have side by side two
old favorites of mine: to the left is a Grand Seiko SBGR019, one of the
Japanese masters' best examples of immaculate craftsmanship and utterly
thoughtful design. To the right, an Orient
Star WZ0041FR.
The
price ratio between the two is about 10:1. The Grand Seiko is a beast of a
watch – a perfectly executed and polished piece of classic Seiko DNA enhanced
with an unusually complicated dial that looks completely black indoors, but
reveals an intricate texture in the sunlight. It also boasts endless little
details that one would typically not notice until one understands that they are
simply missing on most any other watch out there.
What
the Orient Star lacks in prestige and refinement, it more than makes up for in
character. It too has many little details on its dial that add up to a very
charming wearing experience, and then they're all packed into this beautifully
shaped case – which, while being no competition to the Grand Seiko, definitely
stands out as a fantastic example of watchmaking, punching well above its price
point.
So
in summary – as someone collecting and wearing watches at many price levels, I
can testify to the charm and practicality of Orient watches; they provide a
great choice of wearing options for when one does not want to take his more
expensive items out, or when a slightly more restrained outfit seems to be
appropriate.
What
do you think?
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