April 2025 Watch Releases by Orient and Orient Star

Today, Orient presented a bunch of new watches under both Orient and Orient Star brands. These are not completely new models, but new references for existing models – generally speaking, new dial designs.

 

Orient Star M34 F8 Date

The M34 F8 Date is one of the brand's flagship models, boasting its 60 hour caliber F8N64, high-end metalwork and fine dial. Presented in February 2024 with white and blue dial versions, Orient have now added a couple of new versions.

·        A limited edition version with a special black dial with what Orient describe as a world-first "nanoparticle metal multilayering technology" creating an effect like a meteor shower (something that really needs to be seen in person). This version includes a global reference RE-BX0009B limited to 160 pieces, and JDM ref. RK-BX0007B (80 units with crocodile leather band, besides the metal bracelet) as well as ref. RK-BX0008B (20 units with cordovan leather band).

·        A regular version with a textured green dial, in similar technique to the white and blue colors, reference RE-BX0006E, or JDM RK-BX0005E with grey crocodile strap.

 

Orient Mako

Orient also present a number of new watches in the Mako family – including the standard Mako (which was named Kamasu and now, apparently returns to its familiar old name), the Mako 40mm, and the light-powered chronograph.

First, there's a bunch of limited editions celebrating Orient's 75^th anniversary, all featuring Orient's cursive logo and a unique stamped sunburst pattern, reminiscent of the old Seiko Cocktail, in a light shade of blue.

Global models are ref. RA-AA0823L (42mm Mako), RA-AC0Q12L (40mm Mako), and RA-TX0210L (solar chrono), limited to 6000, 6000, and 1000 units, respectively. Equivalent JDM models are RN-AA0823L, RN-AC0Q12L, and RN-TX0210L, limited to 1000, 1000, and 750 units respectively.

Then there also a few new non-limited colorways of the Mako 40: Reference RA-AC0Q09R (JDM RN-AC0Q09R) with a red dial, ref. RA-AC0Q10N with a dark-grey plated case and bezel and matching dial, having a black silicon band, and ref. RA-AC0Q11E with a green dial and silicon band. The latter two do not have a JDM version.

All models, Orient and Orient Star, are expected to become available in June.

The Other 8 Beat Orient Movements

More than two years ago, I wrote about the Orient GM. That watch used caliber 26960, an 8-beat (or, 4 Hz) movement that Orient borrowed from Seiko, where it was called caliber 5216A.

Well, it turns out the GM was not the only 8 beat movement ever used by Orient. So today, we'll look at three more examples – one dating back to the late sixties, and two other closely related calibers presented in the 2000's and put to use in Royal Orient models.

Caliber 41320 (and possibly additional caliber 41xxx family members) was an 8-beat, hand-winding movement, small enough to fit in watches designed for women and boys.

The exact origins of this caliber are very hard to track down. It looks a bit different from other Orient movements of the time, so its design may have been based on some Swiss movement. It was, however, manufactured by Orient in Japan.

We found this movement in two types of watches from the late sixties and early seventies. First, it was used in a unique dive watch (pictured above), smaller in diameter than Orient's King Divers, which replaced the 1968 "Surfin' Diver". The other type of watch using caliber 41320 was a line of ladies' models, named Orient Lausanne.

Why Orient chose to put a hi-beat movement in watches intended for boys and women, is not clear… it does however hint that the movement was indeed borrowed from an outside source for its small size, and the higher frequency was just a "side effect".

Note that some versions of the Lausanne had a higher jewel count of 21 / 25 stones vs. the basic movement's 17 stones. The higher versions may have been used in more expensive Lausanne references.

Caliber 41320-based watches are quite rare nowadays, but one would occasionally pop up on sale. I did not see any such piece in really good condition recently though. So it is quite difficult to say anything about the quality of these pieces. If any reader has first-hand experience with this caliber, please share your impressions with us (here in comments, or on our Facebook page) – that would be very interesting!

Some three decades passed before Orient returned to hi-beat territory. It was in 2004, at the re-launch of the Royal Orient moniker, that Orient chose to present a new high-end movement developed in-house: caliber 88700.

Cal. 88700 featured 30 jewels, 45-hour power reserve, +6/-4 seconds per day accuracy, automatic and hand winding, central seconds, a date wheel, and – yes! – 28,800 beats per hour frequency. That must have made Orient engineers very proud, and the achievement was mentioned in any historical reviews published by Orient ever since.

The first model to use the new movement was reference WE0011JA boasting a lovely silver dial with high decorations. Next followed ref. WE0021JA (same dial, different logo), WE0031JA (black dial), and WE0041JA (same dial, leather strap instead of bracelet).

Four years later, in 2008, Orient presented caliber 88A00, which was very similar in design and specs, but with the addition of a power reserve indicator. Two models would be using the 88A00: reference WE0011JB (silver dial) and WE0021JB (black dial).

And that's it for now. You have the complete chronicles of Orient high beat movements: the 8-beat cal. 26960, cal. 41xxx, and cal. 88x00; and the 10-beat caliber 9980.

Photos of Lausanne models and of the 8-beat diver were obtained from various sale ads of pre-owned watches.

The Orient GM

The GM is a little-known line of models from Orient, which I believe any Orient collector should know. Today I would like to tell you about my GM, A unique piece with a story…

In the late 60s Orient wanted to join the "arms race" to high beat movements. It first developed the "tenbeat" (presented in 1970), an ultra-rare piece sold in minute numbers which I can only assume did not cover the cost of development. Not that there are any available articles discussing what happened back then, but being an industrial engineer and business manager, I think that is a pretty safe assumption.

Looking for a commercially viable endeavor, Orient chose a more sensible approach, an 8 beat movement for an affordable watch. So they went to Seiko and sourced their brand new 5216A movement. This was a member of the 5200 family, acknowledged as one of the best 8 beaters at the time, that was driving some of Seiko's finest models like King Seiko and Lord Matic. Orient dubbed it the caliber 26960 and placed it inside a new model line - the GM.

That was the only Orient produced with a Seiko movement prior to the latter's acquisition of Orient; and to the best of knowledge one of only two such cases ever, the other being a more recent attempt by Orient at mechanical chronographs, powered by a Seiko chronograph movement.

The GM line too did not last for long. Only a few variations were made around 1970-71. Not as rare as the tenbeat but still difficult to find in good condition, I somehow stumbled upon this one NOS. With the tag and stickers still on!

This particular GM has a lovely blue textured dial with just the right amount of shine, a finely brushed case with a polished bezel, and an overall slim and elegant look. An absolute joy to wear and behold.

The 5216A was relaunched by Seiko in the 90s as the 4s15, part of the 4s family, positioned very high up the scale of Seiko models of that era. Watches containing either the 4s15 or the older 5216 nowadays fetch anywhere from 600 dollars to well above 1000, if in decent condition. This piece cost less than 300. Another reason to love Orient!