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
