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.

New Orient Watches for 2026

Last week, Orient announced a range of new Orient Star models, and now it is time for the brand to return to its core and present some new watches in its more accessible product lines, primarily the popular Bambino and Mako, as well as the new Stretto family. The following watches are available to order, or should become available very shortly.

 

Orient Bambino

First, let's take a look at the new Bambino 38mm watches. We've seen this size before, in the "V1" style (see here for Bambino style versions). The new range features the "V2" design, with Roman numerals and pointed hands.

The new model is also the first mechanical Bambino without a date display – following in the footsteps of the light-powered Bambino 38 watches, which recently won the 2025 "Good Design Award" in Japan. The solar model was possibly only looking to maximize its charging surface area, but the result was nice and symmetric.

Five references are presented globally: RA-BB0001E (green dial), RA-BB0002S (white), RA-BB0003Y (ivory), RA-BB0004Y (reddish-brown), and RA-BB0006N (grey), which is the only limited production variant here. These correspond to RN-BB0001E, RN-BB0002S, RN-BB0003Y, RN-BB0004Y, and RN-BB0006N in Japan, respectively; JDM models also include another limited edition, RN-BB0005V, with a gold-plated case and purple dial. The official price for regular references is €340, limited ones are slightly higher.

One thing to note here is, the new range uses the same movement as before, caliber F6724. Since this is a caliber that includes a date disc, it may indicate that the watch crown has a "ghost position" where date setting would be taking place; whether that's true or not, we'll need to wait and see.

In addition to the 38mm watches, we are also getting some new colors for the classic 40.5mm case. These include ref. RA-AC0028S (white dial, gold-colored case), RA-AC0029E (Green dial), RA-AC0030L (Blue), RA-AC0031S (White), RA-AC0032V (Purple), and RA-AC0033Y (Ivory).

JDM references include RN-AC0028S, RN-AC0032V, RN-AC0033Y which are similar to their global counterparts, and RN-AC0034Y having a copper-colored dial.

All these models will go into regular production, and will cost €340 – except the golden case version, priced at €370.

 

Stretto

While all new watches we're reporting today are released as part of the brand's "Spring / Summer" collection, it's fair to say it is the "Stretto Date" that truly gets the kind of lively colors we'd usually associate with the warm seasons!

The new references include RA-AC0R05E (green dial), RA-AC0R06L (blue), RA-AC0R07P (pink), RA-AC0R08Y (orange), RA-AC0R09L (blue gradation). They are all listed as limited, however it's only the blue dial where the press release mentions 2,300 pieces. Most likely, this means the others are not limited by specific numbers, but limited to the season, and production will not continue next year.

These have corresponding JDM references RN-AC0R05E, RN-AC0R06L, RN-AC0R07P, RN-AC0R08Y, and RN-AC0R09L. MSRP for all Stretto Date references is €400.

The Stretto line also includes Sun & Moon variants, and yes – I remember that, upon launch, Orient referred to these as "Day and Night"; however, they have now reverted to the name by which this visual complication was known since its initial presentation. Some things just shouldn't change…

The most standout new watch in this range (and perhaps in the entire spring/summer collection) is the multi-colored dial, reference RA-AK0316L (JDM RN-AK0316L), another seasonal limited release. The orange and turquoise sub-dials remind me of another pair of summer watches from exactly 20 years ago!

Other, non-limited references are RA-AK0312S (white dial with golden bezel), RA-AK0313Y (brown dial, bronze-toned bezel), RA-AK0314E (green dial), and RA-AK0315L (blue). MSRP is €480 for the multicolor dial and for the bronze bezel, €510 for the gold bezel, and €460 for the rest.

 

Mako 40mm

Finally, we are getting a new range of Mako 40mm watches, and the first thing you'll notice is the dial. While I did appreciate the clean, professional look of the previous Mako 40mm, it lacked some of the special character of Orient's classic Mako – and this is now being rectified.

The new version features a dial and hands similar to the classic Mako, with a triangle at 12 and arrow-shaped hour and minute hands. Actually, this design works perfectly well with the 40mm case and its steel bezel.

References include RA-AC0Q13E (green dial), RA-AC0Q14L (blue), RA-AC0Q15Y (Brown), RA-AC0Q16N (grey), and RA-AC0Q17Y (copper). The grey and copper are limited 2026 releases; the other three go into regular production. The official price for all variants is €440. All but the brown dial version also have corresponding JDM references - RN-AC0Q13E, RN-AC0Q14L, RN-AC0Q16N, and RN-AC0Q17Y.

 

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 (RE-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.