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.

The Zodiac-Wheel Royal Orient

Exactly 3 years ago, I posted my review of the Polka-Dot Royal Orient, a beautiful rare timepiece, which was among Orient's finest products of the late 1950s. And now, somewhat surprisingly, comes along another member of that famed lineage – the Zodiac-Wheel Royal Orient.

As blog followers may have noticed, I do not tend to acquire multiple versions of what is, essentially, the same watch. There are just so many different models to choose from, why get a duplicate?

Well, that's the rationale, but to every rule there's an exception, and the whole idea of collecting old mechanical watches has little to do with logic anyway, so – here goes! I saw this lovely thing in excellent shape, and bought it.

Mechanically it is identical to that old dotted specimen. At its heart, a 19 jewel N-Type manual wind movement runs smoothly and – as far as I can judge – happily. It's a simple time-only movement where very little can go wrong, and indeed very little does.

On the outside, it uses the same gold-filled 36mm case, with the same lean, long lugs. The hands also appear to be identical to its sibling watch.

So, what's different?

The zodiac wheel is a pretty reasonable decoration for a watch dial. If you're searching for a set of 12 simple images to enhance a dial that already speaks in twelfths, look no further than the astrological signs. It might make more sense in a watch that actually includes a date and month complication, but to be honest that might be too much to ask for. Very few watches actually present a date-accurate zodiac.

The zodiac also seems to lend itself to designers in a fairly unrestricted manner: it seems you can start almost anywhere on the wheel (although I understand "Aries" is the more common starting point), and go different directions – historically, northern hemisphere wheels would go counter-clockwise, but since people got used to watches, you would see many diagrams where the signs are arranged clockwise.

I mean, look at the following image – the version that appears in the book is as legitimate as mine – apparently there were a few variations on the zodiac theme. Neither starts with Aries at the top; in fact, the one in the book starts with Capricorn, which kind of makes sense as that coincides with January, and continues clockwise. The wheel on my dial looks like it has Capricorn in the first position but mine actually goes counter-clockwise, and starts with Aquarius.

None of this matters, of course, unless you take astrology seriously (I don't, although for my grandma this was hard science). But it did force me to spend time on verifying the authenticity of the watch I purchased, making sure the dial was not tampered with in any way.

And the dial is absolutely fine! More than fine actually. The small details are lovely, and most of the decorations withstood the test of time very well.

Just like the other vintage Royal Orient, and like most old Orients, it's a sweet piece, ticking reliably and accurately, and still works great as a dress watch.

Happy New Year, 2026!

It's that time of year when everyone does their recaps and "best of…" lists again, and the blog is no stranger to this old tradition. And in what has become my own little end-of-year ritual, the last post of the year would cover my completely subjective, 100% biased one-man vote for best Orient release of the year, as well as my favorite personal acquisitions.

While 2024 seemed to indicate a bit of a slowdown in creativity across the watchmaking industry, I felt 2025 did a little better. And as part of that slight upturn, Orient too introduced some nice new models. So, let's get these on the podium, shall we!

In 3^rd place – again, based on nothing more than my personal taste – the solar Mako. I find the combination of the latest 40mm Mako design with a light-powered quartz movement very sensible. It's practical, looks good, and should appeal to many consumers who aren't necessarily attracted to mechanical watches.

Second place had to go to some member of the Stretto family or another, simply for being a brand-new model family. And from that family, I chose the sun and moon version as my favorite. Because I like this very-Orient design, and I believe it fits the Stretto's line quite well.

However, the best new Orient of the year had to go to the M45 F8 Moon Phase Hand Winding watch. It is such a clean, elegant, and unique piece! Its price puts it in near direct competition with moon-phase models from the likes of Tudor, Longines, and a few other Swiss brands – and surprisingly – or not – it has nothing to be ashamed of. And at least in terms of looks and finishing, I do not think I'd trade it for any of them.

My personal collection also grew this year. The first addition to the set was actually a new 2025 release. The new Contemporary Standard could not get onto the podium, as it was not really a new model but rather new color options for the existing model, but that did not make it any less worthy! I loved the green dial, and it proved to be an excellent daily wear.

Another purchase was a vintage watch, but one that's almost as practical and wearable as a new timepiece. The 1964 Calendar Auto diver is a true classic, and finding a well-maintained one was very rewarding.

The last acquisition of 2025, which will probably be the topic of an upcoming blog post, is a "zodiac dial" Royal Orient from the late 1950s. Dressy, classy, but also a little bit funky, it's a perfect example of Orient's top-of-the-line releases from that glamorous era.

Together, these three represent some of the brand's archetypal facets: a beater, a diver, a dress watch; modern and vintage; bold and subtle.

And what about 2026? Well, I'm pretty sure the trend of increased creativity will continue, and I'm expecting some good stuff to come!

Until then, I wish all the blog readers and followers, friends, and loved ones a happy new year! See you in 2026.