"New Orient" and the First Orient Star

When discussing Orient's early history, two watches stand out. The first is the New Orient, introduced in 1950. The second is the Orient Star, introduced a year later. Together, these watches marked the beginning of the modern Orient Company and established themes that would remain visible throughout much of the brand's history.

Although the company that launched the New Orient was formed in 1950, its roots stretched back much further. Shogoro Yoshida opened a watch shop in Ueno in 1901, a bustling commercial district in eastern Tokyo, and gradually expanded into manufacturing. By the 1930s, production had moved to a factory in Hino, west of central Tokyo, where watches were produced under the Toyo Tokei name.

The war and the difficult years that followed eventually led to the closure of the company in 1949, but the Hino factory itself remained. In July 1950, production resumed under a newly established company called Tama Keiki.

The first watch produced by the new company was the New Orient. It was a simple hand-wound watch with a small seconds display, and by modern standards there was little about it that would attract much attention. Its importance lies elsewhere. The New Orient demonstrated that watch production at Hino could continue and that the newly formed company once again had a product to bring to market.

The watch appears to have been successful enough to influence the company's future direction. In 1951, Tama Keiki adopted the name Orient Watch Co., Ltd., effectively taking its identity from the watch that had relaunched the business. The same year also saw the introduction of the Orient Star, a model positioned above the New Orient and intended to represent the company's higher-end offering. More than seventy years later, Orient Star remains one of the few names from Orient's earliest years that is still in active use.

The movement story also appears relatively straightforward. The New Orient was based on a pre-war movement that allowed the newly restarted company to resume production quickly and efficiently. It therefore seems likely that the first Orient Star continued to use the same basic caliber, perhaps with minor refinements appropriate for a higher-end model.

During the following years, Orient gradually improved the movement before eventually unveiling the T-S caliber in 1955 – the first movement developed entirely by the new company. This period also coincided with the arrival of Tamotsu Aoki, a Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and a leading figure in Japanese horology, whose influence likely helped shape the company's growing focus on technical quality and movement development. Rather than pursuing frequent redesigns, Orient appears to have focused on refining a proven foundation while rebuilding its business.

Collectors may notice that both the New Orient and the first Orient Star carried the word "Chronometer" on their dials. While impressive, the designation should be viewed in the context of its era. These were not certified chronometers by modern standards; however, in those early days, the term Chronometer itself was loosely defined, and was often used simply to indicate a premium watch. Later in the 1950s, the terminology became clearer and Orient would no longer use it.

The New Orient and the first Orient Star established two ideas that would remain visible throughout the decades that followed. The New Orient provided the foundation on which the company could rebuild, while the Orient Star established the concept of a premium offering sitting above the standard range. Both themes would reappear repeatedly in later collections, from Royal Orient to the modern Orient Star line.

 

Photos were taken from various old Orient publications and sale ads.

A Meteorite Among The Stars

I was not ready for it, but it happened: the Orient Star M34 F8 Date Meteorite exceeded my expectations, as high as they already were. I mean, I often like the Orient watches that come my way, but usually I know what to expect. Having a few high-end watches in my collection, I usually stop short of comparing my favorite brand's products with those of the heavyweights of the industry. This one was different.

So, while I usually just post my review and move on, I thought I could do this timepiece justice and follow up with some comparisons to other high-end Japanese watchmakers, possibly ones better known for their premium models.

In my hand, pictured below, are watches that I think are worthy of admiration: Citizen's Campanola – mechanical model, deep-red urushi dial; Grand Seiko's iconic SBGR019; and next to the Orient is the slightly less famous but equally fantastic Divido, by Minase.

The first obvious comparison is Grand Seiko. The classic name that made us talk about Zaratsu polishing and dial textures. Just as its grandparents taught the Swiss industry about accuracy back in the 1960s, it returned in the 2000s to teach the world how high watchmaking craftsmanship and fine finishing can go.

Honestly, the level of polishing and accuracy of details are hard to distinguish between the Orient and the Seiko. The SBGR019 had some unique elements that aren't even very common among other (and newer) GS models. The "beehive" pattern on the dial is hidden until put in direct light. But then, the Meteorite dial is always there, and always gorgeous.

Looking at the bracelet, the Grand Seiko wins, with a design whose complexity really produces extreme comfort. But in all fairness, most current GS watches have lesser bracelets, and the Orient Star's bracelet will not feel underwhelming next to any of those.

Now the Campanola is a different story, a watch born out of a very different design philosophy. With no interest in minimalism whatsoever, this piece boasts layers of components, materials, and colors (and keep in mind that, as far as Campanolas go, this is one of the more restrained models).

Different but still comparable. The Campanola is the more expensive of the bunch, boasting the most amount of handcrafted effort and a Swiss movement with big-date complication. It is exceptionally eye-catching, and its dial also shines in the light, extremely so.

While there's no denying the unique flair of Citizen's premier model, even here the Orient does not look like it would be out of place in the same watch box. Yes, the hand-painted dial of the Campanola is a winner, but it wins even when pitted against watches costing ten times or more.

The Divido sits somewhere in between its bigger brothers. Featuring fine Zaratsu polishing like the Grand Seiko and complex, precise construction like the Campanola, it actually costs less than both (and roughly the same as the Orient Star) and is really a kind of hidden gem among Japanese manufacturers.

Minase takes pride in the Divido bracelet, which feels lighter than the Orient's and Seiko's. It is highly comfortable, and is well adjusted to the watch, which also has a very light and "roomy" case-in-case construction. Again, the Orient Star bracelet does not pale in comparison; rather, it seems chunkier – more appropriate for the M34 case.

This post mainly focuses on looks and craftsmanship, rather than movements and accuracy. I would not compare movements between watches of different ages that were never serviced; as of now, the Orient Star is the most accurate watch I have ever handled more than briefly, keeping about a second a week, albeit with a noticeable difference between rest and wrist-time. The Campanola is a close second, with its fancy (and nicely decorated) La Joux-Perret movement. The Divido and Grand Seiko are accurate enough, both gaining a few seconds per day.

There is no "bottom line" here; these are four fantastic watches, and I just loved to see the Orient Star feel at home among them. It's closer in spirit to the Grand Seiko, the latter obviously serving as inspiration and perhaps – target.

  

Orient Star M34 F8 Date Meteorite Review

Orient presented the M34 F8 Date two years ago. Since its introduction, this model has become the brand's own "mini-Grand-Seiko" (no longer a poor man's Grand Seiko, though!). With its sharply polished case, upgraded specs, and distinctive dials, it was pretty obvious what target market this watch was after, and it made sense: priced like what GS used to cost eons ago, this became an extremely compelling offering.

Now, after a few textured dials in various colors and one very special "meteor shower" dial, comes the real deal: an Orient first, reference RE-BX0010A boasts an actual meteorite. And what a beauty it is!

Announced only a couple of weeks ago, I was happy to get my hands on a sample and enjoy some quality time with this special timepiece – and here are my thoughts…

 

How It Looks

In case photos haven't made it clear, let me spell it out: this is one seriously impressive watch. And a seriously gorgeous one too. Even before diving into the details, this watch simply exudes quality and refinement.

The M34 F8 Date combines brushed and polished surfaces to great effect. The mostly brushed surfaces give it visual heft and substance, and provide contrast for the shiny bezel, chamfers, and polished bits on the bracelet, which can then glitter without appearing too flashy.

The meteorite dial matches this balance of textures perfectly, as grey patches are intermixed with silvery streaks, which shine or dim depending on how light hits them. Seen in still photos, this might give the illusion of a blurry dial that would impede legibility. In reality, though, the 3D effect created by even a slight movement makes the markers stand out.

Let me also emphasize: not all meteorite dials are the same. There are different materials, and you don't just slice some rock and throw it in the watch: there is careful selection, chemical treatment, and so on. I have seen watches with meteorite dials – this one is truly executed to a very high standard.

Examined closely, it becomes clear how well the markers and hands are finished, making them more reflective and contributing to their visibility. In fact, almost any part of this watch where you might want to zoom in, would reveal very fine execution. Even the date aperture isn't just a cutout, but given a lovely (and almost unnoticeable) frame.

Some elements may be at the same level as other, less expensive Orient Stars – I have seen similarly high quality cases in the likes of the Contemporary Standard and Basic Date. The H-link bracelet, though, looks better than most Orients I've handled – possibly, the best-looking bracelet currently offered by the brand.

How It Wears

As with most Orient Star watches, case dimensions are fairly modest: 40mm wide by 47.3mm lug to lug. While it is not very thin at 12.9mm, the thickness isn't really very disturbing on the wrist.

It is interesting to note that the M34 F8 Date appears larger than its dimensions suggest; I actually had to measure it to be sure it isn't the same size as the OS Basic Date (which is, in fact, 2mm wider and 3mm longer!). That is probably due to the visual impact of the dial.

The watch weighs 156g (assuming it's the same as other M34 F8 Date versions). This is about the same as that Basic Date, despite being smaller – and almost the same as the Contemporary Standard, despite being bigger… well, honestly, none of these models is a featherweight, nor a heavyweight. They've all got decent heft that's easy to live with, and the F8 Date is no exception.

On the wrist, it feels comfortable and composed. The review sample I got did not have all its links, so I wore it a bit tighter than I am used to – still, it was comfortable enough to get through the day with it. This is evidence of its well-balanced weight distribution, as well as the smoothness of the inside of the buckle.

The bracelet provides decent sideways flexibility, I think more so than other Orient Star bracelets, and that probably also contributed to the comfort. It is 20mm wide at the lugs, so in theory it could be easily replaced, but trust me: you'll want to keep it.

How It Functions

The M34 F8 Date is powered by caliber F8N64, offering 60+ hours of power reserve, and a stated accuracy of +15/-5 seconds per day. Real-life accuracy is, however, better – in fact, the best I have measured in any Orient – it gained about 3 seconds in a week.

There is noticeable variance between positions, and I could see it gaining or losing a second or two per day, depending on whether it was at rest, active, or lying flat, but it seems Orient got the mix right.

Operating the watch is straightforward. The crown does not lock in, and it is fairly large and grippy. So, winding and setting the watch are as easy as it gets. The power reserve indicator is handy in showing whether any winding is needed at all.

Legibility, as mentioned above, is quite good considering there is no lume on the hands or the dial, thanks to the natural contrast between the hands and the dial. It is further aided by the superb anti-reflective coating, which turns any glaring light into a faint blue spot.

Everyday practicality is not compromised, as the watch features 100m (10 bar) water resistance, and tough sapphire glass front and back. It feels robust, and while I would not call such a pretty thing "beater," it is not a piece you need to take off your wrist too often.

Bottom Line

The M34 F8 Date Meteorite is one of the most impressive watches to have ever borne the Orient Star logo. It takes the already fantastic M34 F8 Date and adds some serious icing to that cake with its exquisite dial.

Yes, it is not cheap: the premium for the Meteorite is almost 25% above the standard F8 Date, which is not an inexpensive watch to begin with. But, ignore the brand name for a moment, consider only the watchmaking expertise at hand, and suddenly it does not seem so expensive.

For the official price of €3,250 you are getting a robust in-house movement that has been modernized with silicon and an upgraded power reserve, offers excellent accuracy and carries with it a legacy of high reliability; you're getting fine craftsmanship all round; and it is a limited edition, 255 pieces to be precise.

With the M34 F8 Date, Orient continues its journey to compete with the heavyweights of the watchmaking scene. Whereas the beautiful M45 F8 Moon Phase excels in subtle, dress-watch elegance, the Orient Star M34 F8 Date seems like the closest thing to a mechanical Grand Seiko that isn't Grand Seiko.

And yet it is entirely Orient Star, with its own identity and uniqueness, owing to the Meteorite dial, the unmistakable power reserve, and subtle design elements. I really hope Orient succeeds in getting consumers to accept its higher-end products like this, because it deserves it – and frankly, watch buyers too deserve more watches like the M34 F8 Date Meteorite.

 

The blog would like to thank Orient – Epson Europe for providing us this watch for review.

Orient Star M42 Diver 1964 Hands-On Review

The first edition of the Orient Star Diver 1964 was released in 2021, to celebrate the brand's 70^th anniversary and commemorate Orient's first dive watch. A year later, the 2^nd edition was released, this time as a reissue of the brand's first automatic diver (which was recently reviewed here!) – and in 2023, a new version of this edition was announced, this time in Titanium, and now officially named "M42 Diver 1964 2nd Edition F6 Date 200m Titanium".

This year Orient marks the 75^th anniversary of Orient Star, and to mark this event they have announced a new edition of the 2021 reissue: Reference RE-AU0503N (RK-AU0503N in Japan), featuring a dark grey gradient dial instead of the first edition's black one, but identical otherwise.

Well, I may have missed reviewing the first run, but not going to miss this one I got my hands on one of these new watches. Let's dive in!

How It Looks

When Orient does a re-issue, they do it properly. Sometimes, producing an almost indistinguishable copy of the original (as in the case of the World Map diver, for instance), and at other times, the new watch is more clearly modernized, while maintaining key design elements of the original.

In this case, Orient took the latter approach; however, the inspiration is undeniable. Elements borrowed from the vintage piece include a steel bezel, square markers, arrow-shaped hands, and the sharp lines of the lugs.

These elements indeed work well: I love a steel diver's bezel, despite the popularity of ceramic bezels and colored bezel inserts, as I really think it adds a tougher, more tool-like character to a watch. And this matches the sharp lugs perfectly. Very different from the pretty-but-perhaps-too-tender roundness of the standard Orient Star Diver.

The dial looks good too – the gradient effect of the dial is quite subtle, making it a fitting background to the markers and hands. And, you can't go wrong with arrow hands, can you!

The standout modern elements here are mainly the Orient Star branding, the power reserve, and some fine finishing typical of current Orient Star production.

Interestingly, this watch does not shout "retro". This might be down to the surprisingly timeless design of the original, or possibly the certain sparkle of the Orient Star quality. It is, however, first and foremost, a dive watch. No doubt about that. And, quite a handsome dive watch.

 

How It Wears

The 1964 Diver's dimensions are very close to those of the original. The case width grew from 39.8mm to 40.2mm, or 41mm when measuring the bezel; lug to lug it is longer at 49.6mm, around 2mm more than the original watch. Thickness is a substantial, but not unusual, 14.5mm, which I believe is only about 1mm more than the original.

These are fairly normal dimensions for a modern diver watch, making it perfectly wearable for most wrists except for the real puny ones (which would still be able to wear it, but it would probably look and feel too chunky).

The bracelet is a very solid five-link-style steel, 20mm at the lugs and gently tapering to 18mm at the buckle. The buckle is a triple-folding type, which securely and confidently locks the watch onto the wrist. A folded hidden link can be unfolded when the bracelet is open, serving as a useful diver's extension.

Watch and bracelet combined, the wearing experience is comfortable and the total weight of 179g is reasonable, noticeably lighter than, say, an M-Force. It sits on the sweet spot between too light to be taken seriously and too heavy for all-day wear.

How It Functions

First things first, crown action. Unscrewing is easy enough – screwing the crown back into the locked position requires just a tad more precision and pressure than what I would call optimal. The crown provides all the grip one might need, tough. It is okay, but I remember it being smoother in the standard Orient Star 200m Diver.

Once unscrewed, there are no surprises, and winding and setting the time and date are as smooth as one may expect. The bezel is also grippy, turns smoothly with just the right amount of force needed, and locks in place nicely.

The watch is powered by the familiar caliber F6N47, an in-house automatic movement commonly found in Orient Star divers. This movement holds 50 hours of power reserve, and is specified for accuracy of +25 / -15 seconds per day.

The specimen I received for review did about +12 seconds per day, and while worn kept a better pace equivalent to about +7 sec/day, both reasonable and within specs.

With its sapphire crystal, screw-in crown and overall tightness, the M42 Diver's water resistance is rated as 200m, compliant with ISO standards for air diving watches. All due respect to going retro, we wouldn't settle for the original's 40m rating nowadays...

Legibility is generally excellent, thanks to the large, clear markers that contrast well against the dark dial. While it does not distract from the clarity of reading time, I did feel the sapphire has was slightly more reflective than the standard OS diver (which has a superbly effective anti-reflective coating) – perhaps because the crystal here is curved.

Bottom Line

The Orient Star M42 Diver 1964 is a fine watch, boasting high quality, good looks, and a vintage flair stemming from a real connection to the brand's history. It works well as a daily wear, capable of taking a splash or a scratch, with only a few minor imperfections.

I feel it is still worth comparing it to the Orient Star 200m Diver, as these are essentially comparable products in terms of mechanics, differing mainly in styling. The M42 is priced approximately 40% higher than the standard diver (compared to references equipped with the steel bracelet). It does feature more refined finishing, and a noticeably higher quality bracelet, and is more limited in production.

Bottom line, this is a very good watch from Orient Star. With the brand now offering a number of divers, both the standard one and the 1964 reissues, choosing the right one seems to be mostly a question of stylistic preference. Despite being functionally similar, the M42 appears less like a "desk diver" and more a real tool-watch, with its perceived toughness and the bracelet in particular justifying the higher price tag.

The blog would like to thank Orient – Epson Europe for providing us this watch for review.

  

February 2026 Orient Star Releases

This year marks the 75^th anniversary of Orient Star. Some pretty special announcements were expected, and indeed, Orient has just announced a bunch of interesting new models – many of which are limited editions. The following watches should be available in March.

 

M34 F8 Date Meteorite

A meteorite dial? Yes indeed! Orient are upping their game, nudging very cautiously at product categories that used to be reserved for the likes of Grand Seiko and The Citizen. Meteorite might not be as exclusive today as it was a decade ago, but it is still a precious material that offers a unique visual appeal while remaining very natural and understated (not sure if "down to earth" is the proper wording here…)

Indeed, the M34 F8 Date is a fine platform to host the brand's first ever meteorite dial. It is operated by the in-house modern automatic caliber F8N64, featuring a silicon escape wheel, 60 hours of power reserve, and +15/-5 seconds per day accuracy, housed in a sharp, finely finished 40mm case.

The list price for this watch, reference RE-BX0010A (RK-BX0010A in Japan), is € 3,250, considerably higher than the standard M34 F8 Date models, and also about 10% above the "meteor shower" edition – but then again, this is not an illustration of a meteor shower, this is the actual thing in the flesh. This model is limited to 255 pieces globally (actually more than the meteor shower).

 

M34 F8 Full Skeleton

This is a new member in the M34 F8 Contemporary Skeleton family, reference RE-AZ0105N (RK-AZ0105N), characterized by a blackened case and bracelet. The dial is grey, and the hands here are silver, as opposed to the blue hands of the previous references in this family.

As is often the case with skeletons, different finishing also imply matching colors on the movement itself as it is mostly visible, so the movement here is a "new" hand-winding caliber F8B65. It is essentially the same as other F8Bxx movements, having 70 hours of power reserve and +15/-5 seconds per day accuracy.

Pricing is € 3,240 (leaving the top of the list to the Meteorite, by a €10 margin). It is limited to 430 pieces.

 

M42 Diver 1964 1st Edition

Or, more accurately, the 2^nd version of the 1^st edition… anyway, this is a new limited edition of the M42 Diver 1964 re-issue, first released in 2021. The new model, reference RE-AU0503N (RK-AU0503N), features a gradient dial, with a blueish-grey center and darker tones toward the edges.

Technically, it is similar to the first 1^st edition, having a 41mm case with a unidirectional bezel and 200m water resistance, and equipped with an automatic caliber F6N47 that offers 50 hours of power reserve and a more standard accuracy of +25/-15 seconds per day.

The MSRP for this watch is €1,300, and 660 pieces will be available globally. And, what is even more exciting – the blog's already got its hands on one for an early review! Expect this story to be posted here very soon!

 

M34 F7 Small Seconds

Finally, a brand new model! And one that, at the sub-1K price range, is what I believe to be the most accessible Orient Star with the improved accuracy of +15/-5 seconds per day.

The new watch has dressy case dimensions of 39mm width, 45.7mm lug-to-lug, and 11.7mm thickness, complemented by an elegant style. It utilizes a new automatic movement, caliber F7H44, which features small seconds and a power-reserve indicator.

Design-wise, this looks like the replacement for the aging Orient Star Heritage Gothic, and a good replacement it if I might say – at least according to the image. Note that the new model does not display the date. Some people may wish that it would, but it's a sacrifice in the name of symmetry and elegance that I personally appreciate.

Orient presented three variants of the new M34 F7 Small Seconds. Reference RE-BS0001E (RK-BS0001E) has a green dial, RE-BS0002S (RK-BS0002S) features an ivory dial, and Ref. RE-BS0003N (RK-BS0003N), limited to 500 pieces, features a granulated, grey dial. The limited model is priced at €1,050 while the non-limited ones are around €950.

 

Contemporary Date

Not completely new but an updated design, we have a new version of the Contemporary Standard model, recently reviewed on the blog. The new releases differ from most Contemporary Standard references by its power-reserve gauge, here taking a subtle appearance unlike the metallic track applied to the previous models.

Is that a new trend? All new models announced feature similarly understated PR indications, possibly aiming to appeal to both fans of this feature and those who find it an unnecessary clutter on the dial.

In all other respects this is the same as previous Contemporary Standard watches. Case width is 38.5mm, lug to lug length is 46.9mm and thickness is 12.3mm. The movement is cal. F6N43, with a 50 hour reserve and +25/-15 seconds accuracy.

Three references are presented at this time: RE-AU0112V (RK-AU0112V) features a purple dial and steel bracelet; RE-AU0113Y (RK-AU0113Y) has a brown dial, and a matching leather strap; RE-AU0114E (RK-AU0114E) features a blue-green gradation dial and steel bracelet, and is limited to 1,200 piece worldwide.

The list price is €660 for the limited edition, and around €600 for the brown one.

Modern Skeleton

Last but not least, the Modern Skeleton is another familiar Orient Star that has undergone a design change, though not a complete makeover - the resemblance to older models is obvious.

While mechanically unchanged, the dial cutout is noticeably different, as is the small second hand. Other modifications are more subtle.

The case dimensions are still 41mm width, 49mm lug to lug, and 12mm thick. The movement is the familiar automatic caliber F6F44 with its 50 hours of power reserve.

Orient presented six references, none of which is limited: RE-AV0134E (RK-AV0134E) with a green dial, RE-AV0135L (RK-AV0135L) with a blue dial, RE-AV0136N (RK-AV0136N) with a grey dial, RE-AV0137S (RK-AV0137S) with a white dial, RE-AV0138V (no JDM reference) with a purple dial, and RE-AV0139Y (RK-AV0139Y) features a brown dial and is the only variant with a leather strap.

Pricing for the new model is about the same as previous Modern Skeletons.