Orient Flusso Review

Orient presented the new “Flusso” model some three weeks ago. Being the brand’s first entry into the (not-so-) new and (still quite) popular integrated-bracelet trend, it raised somewhat of a conversation. A watch waiting for a hands-on review, then. Here we go…

The blog was provided with a copy of the fanciest version of the Flusso, the limited edition reference RA-BB0205R. “A copy” is indeed the proper term, as this is a demo unit without a working movement. So, the review will focus on the look and feel of the watch, rather than its operation.

 

How It Looks

The first impression, as countless people have already noted, is its resemblance to the popular Tissot PRX and, to a lesser extent, the Citizen Tsuyosa. This isn’t a huge surprise, given the category's common design lines. When you start with a reasonably sized and shaped case, and want it to flow naturally and smoothly into a reasonably sized and shaped bracelet, many of the design decisions are already made.

For a dash of individuality, Orient reached back into its vintage catalog, and found inspiration in the old SK models. Most notably, it borrowed the four notches around the dial, and the asymmetrical case. For this limited edition, it also took the deep red/burgundy dial.

Indeed, the dial is the star of this watch, executed as “Geneva stripes” in gradually darkening colors, which play nicely with the light. It adds character to the dial, which is aesthetic but otherwise quite generic.

The hands and markers are all very legible and stand out against the dial. Around the minute track, every 15^th marker is replaced with a small number indicating the minutes or seconds, which is a nice touch. However, the dial is mostly a very minimalistic affair, with just the Orient logo and the word “automatic” printed on it – there’s isn’t even a date window.

A simple design calls for a good-quality execution to make it work. Orient usually knows how to execute simple designs on a budget, and the Flusso is no exception. Don’t expect luxury, or an Orient Star level of finishing here, but for a Mako/Bambino range piece it is satisfying. The case and bracelet are mostly finely brushed, while the bezel and chamfers along the side of the case are polished.

Generally speaking, the watch achieves its main goal, offering a flowing integrated bracelet design that is simple enough but offers just enough character to set it apart.

 

How It Feels

The Flusso feels reasonably hefty and solid, as one would expect from a watch with a steel bracelet that starts out with wide links. At 141 g, it’s about the same as the aforementioned Tissot and Citizen.

The bracelet is satisfactory at the price level. The single-piece links mesh nicely without hair-pulling. It does not include half-links, but the clasp offers one micro-adjustment, equivalent to something like a 1/3 link. The clasp itself, of the trifold buckle type, is comfortable and not bulky.

The rugged feel of the watch, along with its 100m of water resistance, sapphire crystal and utilitarian, no-frills design, make it a suitable daily beater.

Case dimensions also make it a versatile piece, measuring 39mm wide and 47mm long. The lug width starts at 24mm, and tapers down to around 19mm (while the clasp width is 20mm). Interestingly, the watch thickness is listed as 10.9mm on Orient’s website, but early publication indicated it was 11.5mm. Well, I measured it: it really is 11.5.

The Bottom Line

Costing less than a Quartz PRX (and way less than the automatic ones) the Flusso is perhaps better compared to the Citizen, which is also more expensive but by a much smaller margin. The Citizen offers a more elaborate bracelet design, and a date window, while its movement offers a lesser accuracy (+40/-20 sec per day, vs. Orient’s +25/-15 sec) and it is only rated to 50m.

The PRX, meanwhile, offers a movement with superior specs (power reserve and accuracy), but at a considerably higher price point and without noticeably better build quality.

Possibly, then, the Orient would appeal more as a practical, robust, go-anywhere watch, while the Citizen offers a more refined look as office wear, and the Tissot would appeal to those who are willing to pay a bit of a premium for a touch of Swiss-Made.

All in all, welcome to the integrated-bracelet-sports-watch game, Orient. A bit late, but with a valid entry ticket and, most importantly, a good watch.

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

Orient Star Skeleton Hands-On Review

Orient has been producing skeleton watches since 1991, and its full catalog of semi-skeleton and full skeleton models is the largest among Japanese watchmakers – and probably larger than most watch brands. Still, the latest member of this long lineage came completely out of left field when it was announced earlier this month.

The new Orient Star Skeleton reference RE-BR0001N is perhaps the most ambitious watch the brand has released: more impressive, more exclusive, and more expensive than anything it has done in years – at least since the demise of the Royal Orient line.

Has this ambition been matched by the execution – and does the new watch ultimately live up to what Orient Star set out to create? Well – that’s what the blog is here for! So with the new Orient Star Skeleton in hand, let’s dive in.

How It Looks

Well, it looks fantastic, whether you’re a fan of skeleton or not (and I generally am not – I always prefer to see the art and craft of a well-made dial).

First, it really is the brand’s “most skeletonized” watch, the only exception being the old “Mon Bijou” (which, frankly, was hardly a typical Orient, and was not even branded as such). The new F9 movement has had most of its back plate removed, leaving only a bunch of beautifully circular bridges to hold the mechanism together.

The dial was likewise skeletonized, however the arcs and circles serving as a backdrop to the hands and markers are not an exact mirroring of the movement, so the moving parts are not fully exposed. Such exposure would perhaps be preferred by some, but it would also probably reduce the legibility of the watch and let more – possibly too much – wrist skin show through.

The end result is a fine balancing act. The watch face is extremely attractive, with just the right amount of transparency. The impression is greatly enhanced by the very fine level of execution, with chamfered edges across the dial (for lack of a better word) elements providing nice glitter, and the curved, SAR-coated sapphire crystal adding clarity.

The heat-blued hour and minute hands, and the blue silicon escape wheel, add a touch of colour which stands out among the all-metallic components. The hour markers – polished Roman numerals – are also relatively noticeable. Other functional bits, like the second hand and power-reserve indicator, blend into the mix of arcs and movement parts.

Yes, there’s also a case... lovely, well proportioned, smooth-polished on top and brushed on the sides, with aesthetically-grooved lugs holding the black strap.

Honestly, the watch looks nearly flawless – unless of course, you just completely hate skeletons. And even then it might make you reconsider...

 

How It Wears

The new Orient Star Skeleton is slightly larger than previous skeletons from the brand, and it works well, not only because it provides a suitable stage for the skeletonized movement to play on.

Case width is 40mm, compared to 38.8 and 39 of the classic “M45” and contemporary “M34” versions of the previous, F8 skeleton models. Lug to lug difference is minimal, at 46.8mm vs 46/46.5; and thickness is nicely reduced to 9.5mm, compared to 10.6 and 10.8mm of the older models.

This size is perfectly manageable for most wrist sizes. The fairly slim case and curved lugs add to the wearing comfort, and the soft 20mm goat leather strap supplied with the watch is properly supple and just the right thickness.

The strap has a unique texture that makes it quite comfortable and non-sticky on hotter days. The trifold deployant buckle is excellent quality, flat on the inside and practically unnoticeable on the wrist.

This being a hand-winding watch, with no rotor weight, and also having a very minimal inner structure, means the watch is light – weighing a mere 64 g. Keep in mind that as a manual-winding watch there’s no need to wear the watch too tight (as you don’t need to ensure efficient rotor movement), and it all adds up to the best wearing experience one could hope for.

How It Functions

The new Orient Skeleton is powered by a new hand-wound movement, caliber F9B82. Besides its aforementioned visual properties, it also offers a higher level of accuracy than any other Orient movement currently in production: +10 / -4 seconds per day. Mind you, certain Royal Orient movements offered COSC-level accuracy of +6/-4 seconds per day… but that was some 20 years ago.

Putting this accuracy to the test is not so easy, though, with a complete absence of second/minute markers, and in a way, it does not really seem to be the key point of this watch. The 70+ hours of power reserve – measurable using the power-reserve indicator – are a more significant feature of the movement.

Equally important for a premium model such as this, is the smoothness of the movement. Winding it and setting the time are indeed buttery smooth. The crown is large enough and grippy.

Durability has been compromised here: offering only 3 atm of water resistance, less than the 5 atm of the previous skeletons, this is the most basic level of resistance. In other words, don’t get it wet.

As long as you keep it safe from water and other nature’s hazards, it should operate reliably well into the future, and Orient stands behind this assurance by offering a 10 year warranty, including three complimentary overhaul services should any be required during that period.

Bottom Line

With the new F9 Skeleton, Orient has achieved a very high peak in watchmaking. This should not surprise anyone who has been following such recent premium releases as the M34 F8 Date Meteorite and the M45 F8 Moon Phase Hand-Winding. It seems that with Orient Star, the brand is carving a unique niche for itself, producing premium models that are distinctive from anything produced by its always-in-comparison neighbors, Seiko and Citizen.

All that excellence and distinction do come with a price: around 7,000 USD, to be precise. Way above and beyond both budget and expectations of most Orient fans – including Orient Star buyers. But, limited to only 130 pieces, and attractive and unique as it is, I’m pretty sure all units made will be sold.

With watches like this, Orient are leaving its familiar “value for money” territory, and are entering a domain where consumers want to be moved by passion, where a product is not purchased for its practicality but because it makes one forget – for a few moments – about what they need, or what other uses they would have for the same amount of money. How well the brand manages to operate in this territory remains to be seen. But as far as watchmaking is concerned – Orient has made its point.

 

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

  

Orient Star F9 Skeleton

Normally, I'd stack new Orient Star announcements onto one blog post, but seeing this beast of a watch, I knew it had to receive its own dedicated item. This is the new Orient Star fully skeletonized watch, and it is an absolute beauty.

Orient has been making good-looking skeleton watches for many years, ranging from the feminine, ornate "Mon Bijou" in 1991, through the highly technical (and incredibly rare) 2010 Royal Orient WE0011DU, until the most recent F8 Contemporary Skeleton with its silicon escape wheel.

With the new Orient Star RE-BR0001N, the brand has taken this concept to a whole new level of execution.

At the heart of the watch is a new hand-wound movement, caliber F9B82, which features a 72-hour power reserve and the best accuracy of any Orient watch: +10/-4 seconds per day. This comes very close to COSC standards (+6/-4). Like the F8, it also uses a silicon escape wheel.

However, it's the movement design that makes it truly unique – see how most components of the movement are packed in a circle (which is normal), yet the balance wheel is located just outside the circle, and then, see how the skeletonized dial reflects the movement design. This is major league watch design.

Attention to detail is obvious in every corner of this watch (or rather, in every arc; there's hardly any corners here), as is the level of fit and finish. It really looks like Orient Star wanted to gift itself with something very special for its 75^th anniversary.

The result is a gorgeous, quite legible dial for a skeleton. The blued hour and minute hands stand out nicely; the seconds hand, not so much, but then it makes sense in a watch that, while maintaining excellent accuracy, is not intended for people in a rush. And there are no second (or minute) markers, anyway.

The case is also distinctive, boasting an outline unlike that of other Orient Star watches. It is slightly larger than the F8 Skeleton, measuring 40mm wide and 46.8mm long (compared to 39 x 46.5), yet noticeably thinner at 9.5mm (vs. 10.8). Lug width is 22mm.

Bundling this very airy case with a light leather strap results in a watch that weighs only 64 grams. The only downside to this watch is the modest 3 ATM water resistance.

The price fits a flagship model: around €6,000, making it one of Orient's most expensive models ever, if not the most expensive. Is it worth it? Stay tuned, as a hands-on review is definitely in the works!

 

Orient Star Sakigake

A brand new Orient Star model was just announced – the "Sakigake" (Japanese for forerunner, or a pioneer). At first glance, its design is remarkably simple, making this one of those watches where the small details and quality of execution will ultimately make or break it. So let's dive into the details…

First of all, it's easy to notice what's not there: No date window. No power-reserve indicator. And just minimal dial text – the Orient Star logo, and "automatic". Compare this with the Orient Flusso, also recently announced, and a clear trend emerges.

What we do get is a time-only watch with rather elaborate, three-dimensional hour markers and nicely shaped hands to match, placed inside a smooth-looking case attached to an equally slick bracelet.

The case is 39mm wide, 47mm long, and 11.8mm thick – pretty standard and versatile proportions. Orient seems particularly proud of the bracelet, which has been designed for maximum comfort.

The movement is a new F7 variant, caliber F7542. It features the standard F7 specs of automatic winding and 50 hours of power reserve, and, most importantly, is accurate to within +15/-5 seconds per day.

At this time, we are getting four references: RE-BQ0001G with a yellow gold dial, RE-BQ0002L with a blue dial, RE-BQ0003S with a silver dial, and the limited edition RE-BQ0004Y with a copper dial and black-plated hands and markers.

Pricing is €880 for the standard models and €960 for the limited edition. Which means the Sakigake is now the lowest priced Orient Star with the improved accuracy.

Whether or not the design works can only be judged after seeing the new model in person. If it really works and turns out as comfortable and well-made as Orient promises, it could become a very attractive watch.

 

Orient Flusso

Orient just announced a completely new model – the Flusso! Named after the Italian word for "flow," it is indeed the brand's attempt at a flowing, sporty, integrated bracelet design.

It does make sense for a brand that already covers two corners of the classic triangle with an entry-level dress watch (Bambino) and a diver (Mako) to go for the third – the integrated-bracelet sports watch, which, at the basic price level, is currently dominated by the Timex PRX. Is it likely to be successful? Let's see.

The Flusso design is not revolutionary in any way – essentially, it combines a fairly basic outline (not unlike the PRX) with some Orient DNA, specifically the old SK model, in the shape of four round notches around the dial, and a little bit of case asymmetry as the rounded contour of the case is cut flat at the base of the crown.

The dial is very clean and legible, with only the logo and the word "automatic" appearing on it. In line with a certain trend that's starting to form among recent Orient releases, it does not even have a date window.

Case dimensions are a fairly reasonable, versatile 39mm width, 47mm length, and 11.5mm thickness. It is clearly built for practicality with a sapphire crystal and 100m water resistance.

Orient presented six references: RA-BB0101S (Gold colored case and bracelet, and a white dial), RA-BB0102E (Grey sunburst dial), RA-BB0103S (Blue), RA-BB0104Y (White), and RA-BB0205R (limited edition featuring deep-red stripes inspired by the SK).

 

The movement is a new caliber, F6522, which seems very similar to the F6524, the automatic time-only movement used inside the new no-date Bambino watches. Both movements share the 40-hour power reserve and +25/-15 seconds per day accuracy.

No word on pricing just yet, these watches are set to be available to order next month, and to be delivered starting in November.

As is usually the case with simple designs, the success of this watch would depend very much on the quality of execution. And naturally, for this type of watch, on the quality of the bracelet. While nobody expects a Rolex bracelet at this price point, it needs to be better than the Mako, as it is integral to the watch and therefore unlikely to be replaceable by aftermarket products.

 

Orient Mako GMT Hands-On Review

Earlier this month, Orient announced the new Mako GMT – a first new GMT model by the brand in years. I was able to spend some time with this new watch, and specifically – with the limited edition, gradient-blue dial reference RA-BC0005L.

 

How It Looks

The watch is immediately recognizable as a Mako, or at least a very close relative of it. It shares the main design characteristics of the standard Mako, such as case shape, markers, and hands. That's not a bad thing, as Orient's classic diver-design model is quite handsome and, of course, enjoys considerable popularity and a good reputation.

The main visual differences are the addition of a 24-hour hand, and the removal of the day disc, leaving only the date indication. While day-of-week displays have their proponents, I don't think it's a major loss, and since the date window is roughly the size of the hour markers, it actually allows for a more balanced dial.

The 24-hour hand is deliberately and rightfully more subtle and does not stand out against the dial as much as the familiar hour, minute, and second hands. In this particular version, the watch face is painted in a deep, rich shade of blue, and the 24-hour hand is lighter blue.

The rotating bezel presents 24 hours, allowing the wearer to adjust the time pointed to by the 24 hour hand. It complements the dial colors with a very pleasing combination of blue for the upper half, and dark grey – titanium-like shade – for the lower half.

While most of the case and bracelet metal is left in its natural color, the crown and bezel sides are blackened. I'm not sure how much that enhances the look of this watch, but it is the sort of thing Orient likes to include in its special editions. I'd be happier without this black plating, at least on the crown, but it is not a big deal.

All in all, if you like how the standard Mako looks, then you will not be disappointed by the Mako GMT.

 

How It Wears

The Mako GMT is larger than the standard, non-GMT version. Case width is 42.8mm (instead of 41.8), lug-to-lug length grew from 46.8 to 49.5mm, and thickness grew from 12.8 to 13.4mm. It also feels proportionally heavier, though I do not have the exact weight at the time of writing.

Despite the size, it is still quite comfortable, but I suppose the extra dimensions might make it less attractive for people at the lower range of wrist sizes, for whom the non-GMT watch was still a good fit.

The bracelet was never the Mako's strongest point, and that has not changed with the new models. When you just hold the watch in your hand and play with the bracelet, it is noticeably rattly and even a bit squeaky. When worn, however, it feels fine, and the loose feeling nearly disappears.

Lug width is 22mm, so finding replacement straps should be easy. I do not think any aftermarket bracelets designed for the standard Mako (or other Orient models) would fit here, unfortunately, but until vendors come up with suitable end-links, a decent blue or black rubber band might do the trick.

 

How It Functions

The watch uses a new movement, caliber F6P22, which hints at its old relative that also featured a 24-hour hand, caliber 46P. The new movement still offers a 40-hour power reserve, automatic and hand-winding, and second-hand hacking. It's simple, and with most of the mechanical parts identical to the familiar F6 movements, expect workhorse reliability and easy maintenance.

As far as GMT watches go, this is of course a "caller GMT", which means you don't have a local time setting. Instead, you can use the second time zone, as indicated by the 24-hour hand and the bezel, to follow an "away time", presumably someone you need to call at their convenient time, hence the name.

Personally, I would have loved to see a true ("traveler") GMT functionality – but I guess that depends on how much one actually gets to travel in different time zones. The caller GMT, I believe, is more a stylistic feature than a very useful function. A 24-hour hand, however, helps when setting the time and date, ensuring one does not try to set the date close to midnight.

The screw-in crown works well here, and I had no problem locking and unlocking it. Other than not having a weekday to set, it all feels much like the non-GMT version.

Legibility, as with all Mako models, is excellent, in the daytime as well as nighttime, thanks to the good lume on the hands (including the GMT hand) and markers. The front crystal is sapphire, and together with the bulky case and reliable movement, you're getting what seems like a good everyday watch you can keep on your wrist no matter what work you need to get done.

 

Bottom Line

The last GMT watches made by Orient were some very fancy Orient Star models. This is not an Orient Star and does not need to be compared to those models. What it is, is a Mako – the good old beater watch we all know and (most of us) love, only slightly larger and with an additional GMT function.

As such, it does not disappoint. It is wearable, useful, and attractive, and priced roughly 15% above the standard Mako, it is still well within the value-for-money price range.

 

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

  

The Orange Mako

Following up on the recent announcement of new watches from Orient, I received a nice bunch of samples to review. And while I guess the more intriguing ones are new models – such as the Mako GMT and the 36mm no-date Bambino – those releases will also require a bit more attention.

So, why don't we kick things off with the simpler, yet no less handsome, Mako! Specifically - reference RA-AA0826Y and its lovely orange face. 

Mechanically, this is not a new watch – in fact, it is identical to the "Kamasu" reviewed on the blog more than seven years ago in almost everything except the dial. So what has changed?

Well, first of all, it seems Orient has completely abandoned the Kamasu name in favor of the good old Mako. That has, in fact, been going on for a while now. Makes sense – it's one of the brand's most familiar names, and for a watchmaker that spends way less on advertising and branding compared to the likes of Seiko and Citizen, there's little point coming up with new names. Actually, it's wise even for wealthy manufacturers, just think how many years, models, and generations Volkswagen's been using the name "Golf"…

The dial is mostly the same here too – the markers, hands and overall dial design were useful and legible when it first came out, and they still are.

There are subtle changes in the dial text: the word "automatic" is now larger, and wider than the logo. The term "water resist" at the bottom was replaced with "water resistant" – proper English- to better fill the empty space and achieve a slightly better balance or symmetry between the top and bottom halves of the dial.

And of course – the dial color itself. All new Mako references seem to be nicely colored; and this orange is no exception. It features the smooth, subtle sunburst that Orient seems to be very consistently good at producing. If you like a standout color on your watch, you can't go wrong with this one.

Overall, there nothing new here, just more of what's mostly a good thing. It's not perfect – the bracelet is still the weak link (pun intended) here, luckily it is the part that is easiest to replace. This one, like other Mako versions now in production, are still the same old trusty watches, not professional divers but workhorse beaters for daily wear.

And what about the GMT…? Hold your horses! That one's up for review next, so stay tuned!

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

New Orient Star 75th Anniversary Watches Released

Orient has just unveiled three new watches to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of its Orient Star brand. These are new versions of familiar product lines.

 

M45 F8 Moon Phase

First up is this lovely new dial variant of the brilliant M45 F8 Mechanical Moonphase Hand Winding, a model reviewed on the blog last year.

The new watch, reference RE-BW0008B, looks just as fantastic as the one reviewed, while leaning less into clean simplicity and more into elaborate intricacy. In the words of Orient, the new dial captures the quiet beauty of “the moon drifting through clouds,” inspired by moonlight breaking through a clear autumn sky. Its richly layered dial combines nanoparticle metal multilayering, dimensional printing, and a three-layer moon phase display with mother-of-pearl, creating remarkable depth and the impression of moonlight naturally emerging through the clouds.

Mechanically, it is the same as last year's moonphase release: at its heart is the in-house caliber F8A62, a hand-wound movement with a 70-hour power reserve. The 39.5 mm stainless-steel case is paired with a black cordovan leather strap, while the caseback bears the Orient Star 75th Anniversary inscription and an individual limited-edition serial number.

The watch will be limited to just 140 pieces worldwide.

 

Open Heart Pair

In addition, a pair of matching open-heart Orient Star watches was introduced: a women's Classic Semi-Skeleton, and a Modern Skeleton. Both feature a similar dial finish, which appears bluish in the images but which Orient describes as a green-gradient dial inspired by the changing colors of the aurora, transitioning from a lighter center to darker tones around the edge.

The Modern Skeleton combines this gradation with expanded openwork, a larger small-seconds display, and a new sandblasted finish, revealing more of the mechanical movement beneath the dial. The more compact Classic Semi Skeleton uses the same aurora-inspired palette, complemented by rose gold-colored accents around the openwork, crown, Roman numeral markers, and Orient Star logo. Both models also feature the serial number and the 75th-anniversary mark on their case backs.

The Modern Skeleton, reference RE-AV0140E, features the cut-out design presented earlier this year. Mechanically, it is the same, 41mm case housing the brand's automatic caliber F6F44. It will be limited to 1,600 pieces worldwide.

The Classic Semi-Skeleton, ref. RE-ND0024E, uses the old (but apparently still fitting) small cal. 55C22. This automatic movement features a 40-hour power reserve. This one is limited to just 800 pieces.