Orient's Textured Dials

Textured dials have long been a hallmark of thoughtful watch design, one that goes beyond the basics. Texture can be subtle or flagrant, it can overpower the dial or take the backseat, but it always has an impact.

The appeal isn’t just aesthetic. Textures originated as a practical solution to glare, particularly in the mid-20th century, when both dress watches and field watches relied on matte or grained surfaces to enhance legibility. Over time, these finishes evolved toward more decorative expressions: stamped linen patterns in the 1960s, crisp radial brushing in the 1970s, and more elaborate machine-cut motifs once CNC tooling became widely available. Each era brought its own take on how a dial could play with light.

Traditional crafts also played a role. Guilloché and other machine-turned patterns – once reserved for high-end dress watches – demonstrated how texture could elevate a dial through pure geometry and light. Even when used sparingly, these classic techniques helped establish texture as a legitimate design element rather than just a technical necessity.

The modern resurgence of textured dials owes a great deal to brands that have leaned into nature-inspired surfaces. Grand Seiko’s “Snowflake” is often credited with kicking off the trend; its finely layered, almost paper-like texture showed just how expressive a dial could be without resorting to bold colors or busy layouts. Coupled with the novel spring-drive movement, that watch gave the premium brand a serious boost, and no wonder Grand Seikos kept boasting unique dials ever after.

What makes this design direction especially compelling is that it bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary watchmaking. Stamped textures, laser finishing, and powdered lacquers all coexist today, each offering a distinct visual nuance. And for collectors, especially those who enjoy discovering small details, textured dials offer the perfect blend of subtlety and richness: quiet at a glance, rewarding under the loupe.

Orient, as a brand that's always happy to add a bit of flair to its designs, dipped its toes in the texture pool as well. Considering it is a visual element that requires no changes to the mechanical parts of the watch, it's a trend that aligns perfectly with its watchmaking preferences.

Take, for instance, the 1970 Orient GM. Containing one of Orient's rare high-beat movements (borrowed from Seiko), but housed in a modest case, most GMs were presented with unique dial textures – possibly hinting that something special is ticking inside. The two samples above show one GM with a linen dial (a style that I see as the true ancestor of the snowflake) and one with simpler, but not any less attractive, geometric finishing.

Royal Orient, of course, would also feature plenty of unusual dials, fitting for a high-end product. Pictured below are just two of many, my favorite polka-dot dial and a more obscure model with a dial that looks like a stamped gold leaf.

Modern Royal Orient watches, while they lasted, also had some standout dials. These were largely inspired by classic machine-turning patterns such as Guilloché and tapisserie. While similar patterns can be found on other Orient watches, the "Royal" versions were generally finished to higher standards.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Orient turned much of its attention to quartz watches. These, too, were often adorned with textured dials. Below, for instance, is a golden ladies' watch featuring a pressed pattern resembling linen dials.

In the second half of the 1990s the focus returned to automatic watches. With the renewed interest, proper dial decorations made their comeback – both to the standard models, and to the reintroduced Orient Star label.

Over the past 30 years or so, Orient and Orient Star dials have featured numerous patterns and textures. Only a few examples can be listed here… two of those are shown below, in the Orient Polaris GMT's Guilloché-like weave pattern, and the "Clous de Paris" finishing of the FD series Orient Star.

Even when Orient does semi-skeleton dials, where the open heart aperture is already taking much of the attention (and space) given to the dial, there's always room for a bit of texture. The layered skeleton is one extreme example, where Orient had put together a few bold patterns.

Another example is the classic moon-phase watch, which has a particularly complex dial structure. Here, the center of the dial features a repeated pattern of Orient Star symbols.

Today, I see two new trends in the application of textured dials by Orient. First, in regular Orient models, these are typically offered to highlight limited edition models – such as this 75^th anniversary limited edition Mako 40mm, shown below.

A completely different approach is taken at the very high end of the Orient Star range. The new M34 F8 Date models were given unique dial finishes and colors, which, along with the fine polishing and premium specs, convey an unmistakable Grand Seiko vibe. Which is fair enough, given how many different brands (including the 3^rd major Japanese brand, Citizen) are attempting the same.

 

Some photos were taken from Orient publications and sale ads, or other classic watch sales ads; photos of blue GM, gold Royal Orient, moonphase, layered skeleton, sun & moon, blue FD-series model, and polka-dot Royal Orient are copyrighted by the blog.

 

The Calendar Auto Orient

1964 was a busy year in Japan, with the Olympic Games taking place and all. And Orient, in particular, was working up a sweat: that same year the brand introduced its first diver's watch, the Olympia Calendar Diver; the completely bonkers Grand Prix 100; the Flash; and, still in the same year, its first automatic dive watch, the Calendar Auto Orient.

The watch was still part of the Olympia lineage, and used caliber LCW, a variant of the Olympia family's L-type movement. The specific movement inside the diver was renamed caliber 670, possibly to differentiate it from the elaborately bejeweled "676" LCW inside the Grand Prix 64, and you will see publications referring to it by either name.

The Calendar Auto Orient was also sometimes referred to as Calendar Auto Diver. Peculiarly it had acquired an additional nickname: "19 Diver" or "21 Diver", depending on its jewel count, since that was the writing on the dial.

The model was relatively short-lived, as it was released toward the end of the life of the Olympia line and the L-type movement. It was probably only produced until 1965. During that time a number of versions were made, having either a white/silver or a black dial, a metallic or black bezel, and a few variations of the markers and hands.

Recently, I have added a lovely sample of this model to my collection: a 19-jewel Calendar Auto Orient, featuring a silver dial and metallic bezel, in fine cosmetic condition and excellent working order.

It is worth mentioning that while I sometimes buy such pieces from private sellers, this one came from a respectable store in Japan. They took their time cleaning and servicing the watch, and it shows: the thing winds smoothly, keeps ticking an entire day after I put it down (not common with old movements), and is accurate within a few seconds per day.

Some numbers: the watch case is approximately 39mm wide, excluding the crown, but visually it measures 40mm due to the overhanging bezel. Like many of Orient's vintage divers, it is a perfectly wearable size by modern standards. Lug to Lug length dimension is 47mm, and thickness is about 13mm – of which, nearly a mm can be attributed to the plexiglass extending above the height of the bezel. By the way, I'm always a bit cautious when measuring the thickness of a watch with a tall acrylic crystal, not wanting to scratch it, hence the "about"…

The lume in the hands and markers is obviously no longer luminous, but it has by now taken on a lovely vintage hue. I do hope no one in a sound mind would ever think of repainting such hands! This color just looks so good against the silvery dial.

The bezel rotates smoothly in both directions, without clicks. It is easy enough to turn but offers sufficient resistance to any accidental movement.

Turn the watch around to examine the rather interesting case back. First, you'll note the flying fish engraved in the center, a symbol of this watch, and its reference: T-19735A. The large text above – Olympia Calendar – also reveals its family origins.

The bracelet pictured is not original, but it is "period appropriate", its end-links fit the case, and it arrived just perfectly sized to my wrist, so I could not complain…

What else is there to say about this watch? It's a cool vintage piece with modern wearability (except that I'd keep it away from water), it works well and quite simply looks fantastic! These early divers are a bit more expensive than most vintage Orients, but considering the historical importance combined with everyday practicality, this is not such a bad deal! Calendar Auto Orients are not very rare, as long as you're not fixated on any one particular version. But finding one in good condition takes a bit of patience. Which, again, is worth it!

Orient AC0F European Collection

Orient's AC0F models have been around since 2019. A few variations were added in later years, but the original design – known in some markets as the "Symphony III" and part of the brand's contemporary collection – remained largely unchanged. This means sticking with classic dress-watch color schemes, like black, blue, and white dials, with gold-colored case versions as well.

Now, Orient introduces a collection of five new AC0F references, exclusive to the European market. Not surprisingly, these come in a selection of trendy dial colors, suitable to consumer preferences in 2025.

The new references include: RA-AC0F13E (Green dial), RA-AC0F14L (Blue), RA-AC0F15R (Red), RA-AC0F16S (Ivory), and RA-AC0F17Y (Brown).

The technical specifications are the same as older references of this model. The watch features Orient's automatic caliber F6722, which displays the time and date, and also offers hand-winding and second-hand hacking capabilities.

The case is 41.6mm wide, 11.7mm thick, and 49mm lug to lug. Lug width is 22mm. The watches offer 50m of water resistance, feature mineral glass, and come with a brown leather strap – for all dial colors. The price is listed as 259.99 GBP (let's call it 260 shall we).

Having seen these in person, I can testify that, as with most Orient watches, the colors are really deep and vibrant, and the watches are lovely – a decent alternative to the Bambino for anyone looking for something a bit sharper and less "classic".

Orient's Use of Silicon in Watchmaking

Silicon is not new to watchmaking anymore. Brands have been experimenting with it for nearly two decades, mainly in the heart of the movement: the escapement. Some use it to achieve higher accuracy, others to improve long-term reliability. Orient entered the field in 2021, introducing silicon parts into its new F8 family of movements.

Silicon can be applied in different ways. Perhaps the most demanding is the hairspring, where silicon replaces traditional alloy and greatly improves resistance to magnetism. This has allowed some watchmakers to offer chronometer-certified models, emphasizing precision as their headline achievement. But producing a silicon hairspring is technically complex and costly, and the benefits mostly target accuracy.

Another path is the escape wheel. Here, silicon’s light weight reduces inertia, and its smooth surfaces lower friction. The result is greater efficiency and stability, helping the watch run longer between windings while also reducing wear. Escape wheels are less challenging to produce than hairsprings but still require precise manufacturing and surface treatment to avoid brittleness. Their advantage lies less in chronometer scores and more in resilience and convenience.

Orient chose this latter approach. Using Epson’s micro-engineering expertise, it designed and treated a silicon escape wheel robust enough for daily use. The outcome was the F8 family, first seen in skeletonized Orient Star models of 2021. Thanks to the lighter and more efficient escapement, these calibers achieved a 70-hour power reserve, a notable leap from the 40–50 hours typical of earlier families. That makes them “weekend proof”: left aside on Friday, still ticking on Monday.

Different watchmakers pursue different goals. In some places, silicon is all about accuracy and COSC certificates. In others, it is used to bolster tool-watch toughness, even if power reserves remain conventional. Orient’s approach is distinctive in that it delivers both durability and a clear performance upgrade in running time, all at prices well below those usually associated with silicon parts.

The F8 family today includes several calibers, each with its own functions:

·         Cal. F8B61, F8B62, and F8B63 (reference prefix AZ) are variations of a hand-winding 22 jewel skeleton movement, having a 70-hour power reserve. They differ in the color of certain visible elements.

·         Cal. F8F64 (prefix BZ) is an automatic 24 jewel skeleton movement, offering 60 hours of power reserve.

·         Cal. F8N64 (prefix BX) is an automatic 24 jewel time and date movement, offering 60 hours of power reserve.

·         Cal. F8A62 (prefix BW) is a hand-winding 20 jewel time and moonphase movement, offering 70 hours of power reserve.

All F8 movements listed include a power-reserve indicator, and are accurate within -5/+15 seconds per day.

Orient's use of F8 calibers is constantly expanding. At the moment, about 14 Orient Star references use this silicon-equipped movement, representing some of the brand's topmost (and most expensive) products.

In the design of all current models, Orient makes the effort to ensure the novelty of the blue silicon wheel is visible. The skeleton, for instance, provides a direct view of this component from the front. With the hand-winding moonphase watch, recently reviewed on the blog, a little cut-out was made in the bridge of the movement to allow a view from the back.

For now, silicon is limited to these flagship movements. The vast majority of the brand's watches, including most Orient Stars, still use the F6 and F7 movements, which rely on metal escape wheels. Whether silicon will eventually find its way into these movements (or their new replacements) or F8 becomes a more common caliber among lower-end models, at least within Orient Star, remains an open question. Other makers in Japan already offer 70-hour calibers in more accessible ranges, and if Orient follows suit, it could bring the same long power reserve and improved stability to a much larger audience.

In the meanwhile, the F8 remains at the forefront of Orient's watchmaking, mixing a bit of modern tech into the works of this fairly traditional brand.

 

Photos were taken from Orient publications and ads