jbdan
July 14th, 2009, 17:17
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0013.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0080.jpg
Specs (taken from Orient JP):
Mechanical: Orient caliber 46S54 (vs 46S50 in the non-JDM model)
Self-winding
No hack No HW
23 jewels
SS case and bracelet
Crystal glass sphere (domed mineral)
See through case back crystal
40 hour reserve with indicator
10 ATM water resistant
Lumed hour/minute hands and indexes
Accuracy +25 to -15 sec per day
Case diameter 40mm
Case thickness 13.2mm
Lug width 20mm
Bracelet width 20mm tapering to 18mm at clasp
Weight 164g
Face/Dial/Bezel:
A very unique/interesting looking dial. It's looks inspired by the shutter on the 'age old' film camera. The shutter blades are visible throughout both the inner and outer black dial. That same inner dial also consists of 2 sub-dials at 12 and 6 o'clock with the 12 being a PRI and the 6 a seconds sub-dial. There is also a 'skeleton-dial' @ 9 o'clock and 2 small windows at 3 o'clock and within the PRI. There is much more skeleton in this watch than first meets the eye.
The bezel's indexes are in F/stops or “r” stops obviously inspired by the camera. If you know photography you know what “r” is. It is a uni-directional 60-click bezel and has excellent action.
The hour and minute hands are liberally lumed as well as 12 indexes around the clock. All indexes are bordered by 'chrome' (steel?). The PRI and seconds hands are chrome as well. The “Orient Star” font is way cool imo and is printed.
This first picture says it best.....there is a lot of detail in there.
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0035-06292009-000-DSC_0035.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0040.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0034-05022009-000-DSC_0034.jpg
Case/Crystal/Back:
Case work is very solid and I was actually amazed upon first opening. This is a heavy case....solid SS and a lot of it for a 40mm diameter size. With bracelet, which is not heavy we have 164 grams. Reaching Monster territory.
When viewing the watch from the top/dial, the case is highly polished on all vertical surfaces and on the underside. However, it is brushed satin on the horizontal surfaces including the bezel top. Note the side profile shots...one would think the entire watch was polished.
The odd looking hump next to the crown...you guessed it. It is reminiscent of a camera's shutter button. Note the shot with watch laying on it's side with crown up....looks like a camera ehh?
The crystal is, well like a camera lens' glass!! For me this is the one "con" for this model. Reflections are moderate to bad. Not so bad you can't tell time, but rather makes it not one of those “quick glance” time tellers. I do not know the thickness of the crystal, but it looks extraordinarily thick. Orient states it as a “convex crystal glass sphere.”
The case back is gorgeous. It is fastened with 4 screws and highly polished. The movement is clean, crisp, and decorated nicely as other OS's I have owned. As all the Orient's I have owned do, the rotor swings freely at all levels of power reserve. Once stopped, literally picking it up starts it again.
Crown is unsigned, knurled, and screws down.
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0059.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0060.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0038-1.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0042.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0042-06292009-002-DSC_0042.jpg
Bracelet/Clasp:
This bracelet is one/many wild piece/s of SS. There are many wild designs on bracelets out there, but to me, this one takes the cake. It is very comfortable and very flexible. Like all my other Orient bracelets it has almost zero rattle. It uses split pins, is generously stock sized for up to 8.25” wrists, tapers to 18mm at the clasp and has solid end-links. The clasp has 2 fine adjustment holes, is brushed on top and polished on the sides. Text on the clasp is same font as on the dial. Unique to the retro line it looks like it is etched, rather then stamped like the other Orients I have owned.
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0037.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0063.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0044.jpg
Opinion:
This is one cool looking watch....one that received the wildest compliments while wearing. Certainly a unique look. It's accuracy OTB was fantastic. After 2 weeks set from atomic clock it was within ~5 secs. All my Orient automatics have been well within specs as far as accuracy.
The watch wears nicely with the bracelet, but I wanted to try this watch with some leather. I had great results with a Di-Modell Chronisimo and a black Toshi. Since the case is 13.2mm, for me, it looked best riding on the Toshi. The thick 4-5mm Toshi really balanced well with the case and lightened up the watch considerably.
The lume is great. It is a good as my Mako (which I think is very good) and easily lasted through the night. No it is not as bright as Seiko's Lumibright, but very close and as for longevity, albeit a touch dimmer, is the same.
I have sold this watch, as I did a lot of my collection, due to health reasons in the past. I am over that now and will one day add a retro design back to my collection. Orient creates too many attractive, accurate, unique timepieces to not own a design like this one.
There are other versions of this watch....4 to be exact....even an international version that looks exactly like this one. It's model # is YFH02001B and has a different caliber inside. Besides the different caliber I am really unclear on any other differences other than the model I reviewed is a JDM piece.
Thanks WUS for allowing me to do this!
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0037-06292009-001-DSC_0037.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0105.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0014-1.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0080.jpg
Specs (taken from Orient JP):
Mechanical: Orient caliber 46S54 (vs 46S50 in the non-JDM model)
Self-winding
No hack No HW
23 jewels
SS case and bracelet
Crystal glass sphere (domed mineral)
See through case back crystal
40 hour reserve with indicator
10 ATM water resistant
Lumed hour/minute hands and indexes
Accuracy +25 to -15 sec per day
Case diameter 40mm
Case thickness 13.2mm
Lug width 20mm
Bracelet width 20mm tapering to 18mm at clasp
Weight 164g
Face/Dial/Bezel:
A very unique/interesting looking dial. It's looks inspired by the shutter on the 'age old' film camera. The shutter blades are visible throughout both the inner and outer black dial. That same inner dial also consists of 2 sub-dials at 12 and 6 o'clock with the 12 being a PRI and the 6 a seconds sub-dial. There is also a 'skeleton-dial' @ 9 o'clock and 2 small windows at 3 o'clock and within the PRI. There is much more skeleton in this watch than first meets the eye.
The bezel's indexes are in F/stops or “r” stops obviously inspired by the camera. If you know photography you know what “r” is. It is a uni-directional 60-click bezel and has excellent action.
The hour and minute hands are liberally lumed as well as 12 indexes around the clock. All indexes are bordered by 'chrome' (steel?). The PRI and seconds hands are chrome as well. The “Orient Star” font is way cool imo and is printed.
This first picture says it best.....there is a lot of detail in there.
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0035-06292009-000-DSC_0035.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0040.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0034-05022009-000-DSC_0034.jpg
Case/Crystal/Back:
Case work is very solid and I was actually amazed upon first opening. This is a heavy case....solid SS and a lot of it for a 40mm diameter size. With bracelet, which is not heavy we have 164 grams. Reaching Monster territory.
When viewing the watch from the top/dial, the case is highly polished on all vertical surfaces and on the underside. However, it is brushed satin on the horizontal surfaces including the bezel top. Note the side profile shots...one would think the entire watch was polished.
The odd looking hump next to the crown...you guessed it. It is reminiscent of a camera's shutter button. Note the shot with watch laying on it's side with crown up....looks like a camera ehh?
The crystal is, well like a camera lens' glass!! For me this is the one "con" for this model. Reflections are moderate to bad. Not so bad you can't tell time, but rather makes it not one of those “quick glance” time tellers. I do not know the thickness of the crystal, but it looks extraordinarily thick. Orient states it as a “convex crystal glass sphere.”
The case back is gorgeous. It is fastened with 4 screws and highly polished. The movement is clean, crisp, and decorated nicely as other OS's I have owned. As all the Orient's I have owned do, the rotor swings freely at all levels of power reserve. Once stopped, literally picking it up starts it again.
Crown is unsigned, knurled, and screws down.
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0059.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0060.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0038-1.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0042.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0042-06292009-002-DSC_0042.jpg
Bracelet/Clasp:
This bracelet is one/many wild piece/s of SS. There are many wild designs on bracelets out there, but to me, this one takes the cake. It is very comfortable and very flexible. Like all my other Orient bracelets it has almost zero rattle. It uses split pins, is generously stock sized for up to 8.25” wrists, tapers to 18mm at the clasp and has solid end-links. The clasp has 2 fine adjustment holes, is brushed on top and polished on the sides. Text on the clasp is same font as on the dial. Unique to the retro line it looks like it is etched, rather then stamped like the other Orients I have owned.
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0037.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0063.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0044.jpg
Opinion:
This is one cool looking watch....one that received the wildest compliments while wearing. Certainly a unique look. It's accuracy OTB was fantastic. After 2 weeks set from atomic clock it was within ~5 secs. All my Orient automatics have been well within specs as far as accuracy.
The watch wears nicely with the bracelet, but I wanted to try this watch with some leather. I had great results with a Di-Modell Chronisimo and a black Toshi. Since the case is 13.2mm, for me, it looked best riding on the Toshi. The thick 4-5mm Toshi really balanced well with the case and lightened up the watch considerably.
The lume is great. It is a good as my Mako (which I think is very good) and easily lasted through the night. No it is not as bright as Seiko's Lumibright, but very close and as for longevity, albeit a touch dimmer, is the same.
I have sold this watch, as I did a lot of my collection, due to health reasons in the past. I am over that now and will one day add a retro design back to my collection. Orient creates too many attractive, accurate, unique timepieces to not own a design like this one.
There are other versions of this watch....4 to be exact....even an international version that looks exactly like this one. It's model # is YFH02001B and has a different caliber inside. Besides the different caliber I am really unclear on any other differences other than the model I reviewed is a JDM piece.
Thanks WUS for allowing me to do this!
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0037-06292009-001-DSC_0037.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0105.jpg
http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo248/jb-dan/Orient%20Star%20Retro%20Camera/DSC_0014-1.jpg