ORIENT X STI collaboration 2010 Limited Eition II

A feel of Subaru STI on my wrist: Orient SFD0H001B

"For fans of motorsport worldwide, it takes just three letters to spell thrilling performances: STI --- An athlete's soul. A champion's heart. A high-performance legend..." Always love how well the Subaru STI attacking the tight corner.... It is a car with attitudes, maybe that is the very reason why I am so fond of every Orient watches associated with STI edition.

Found this insignificant black cupboard box  of Orient x STI tugging underneath some other watch boxes. Bought this back in 2011 maybe or earlier.... 

The inner box is designed with striking black and chili red racing theme. Nothing too fancy, the achievement of the Orient sponsored Subaru STI team is stated on the inner box using silver print. 

The 38th ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race (The Nürburgring 24-Hour Race) was held from May 13 to 16.  Subaru Tecnica International Inc. (STI) team skillfully completed the severe race, finishing 24th overall and 4th in the SP3T class.

This collaborative wristwatch is referred to as “Orient X STI 2010 Limited Edition II” or “Orient X STI Stage II”. It was launched in September 2010 to celebrate the excellent achievement of STI team with a limited 1000 pieces Worldwide. 

From the first glance, you would notice its crown is positioned at 9 o'clock. Holding it for the first time, you would feel this is a pretty heavy and bulky wristwatch with a diameter of 42mm and a thickness of 11.65mm. Caressing it, you would feel the flat sapphire crystal glass and a grey coloured stationary bezel..... The bezel is decorated with 6 pentagon shaped screws. 

This watch is replete with details that connected to the Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Its dial is made of carbon fibre material employed for the racing car and it has the 3D hologram effect. For easy reading and higher contrast with the carbon dials, this watch has a white colour illuminated hands and hour markers. 

The power reserve indicator is located at the 6 o’clock position and is designed to resemble a gas gauge. Orient even put a gas gauge symbol on the dial. The power reserve indicator or should I say gas meter is in red in colour.

On the side of the round bezel, it is structured with cross mesh pattern. This gives the watch a rugged touch. There is crown guard that protect the screw in and locked knurling style crown. The crown has a pretty good firm grip and is relatively easy to operate. 

The lug width of this watch is 24mm. It is equipped with a pretty thick and sturdy stainless steel bracelet. Despite that being said, the bracelet is relatively smooth, and with solid band for a comfortable fit. 

Bracelet is fitted with the standard clasp with double push release button and is further secured with a catch lock mechanism. This is to secure the watch safely on the wearer's wrist as it has quite a weight. 

The clasp has the logo of Orient engraved. 

At the rear, you would see a clear and see-through case back. Apart from the watch information, each watch has a specific serial number engraved. In my case is 0948/1000. From the case back window, you can see the results of the race engraved on the rotor. I think Orient can do slightly better, maybe colouring the rotor or add a bit of decorative patterns or some coloured screws.... That way, you won't feel the mechanical movement so dull. 

The watch is powered by the Japan made in-house 46N47 movement. This is a self-winding 21 jewels with power reserve indicator and a date function. One short fall of 46N47 is that it is a non-hacking and non handwinding movement. The power reserve is more than 40 hours with a vibrations of 21,600bph and a daily accuracy of +25 to -15 seconds per day.

This watch is water resist to 100m. If have it my way, I would love to see the second hand in bright red flaming colour.... which portrait a more fearsome racing spirit.......

Another Subaru WRX STI Here: Orient x STI 2010 NBR Challenge Limited Edition Orient ER1S001B or WV0521ER 

Orient Crystal SK Reissued: Something Huge and Bulky!

Brief History of Orient Watch

Orient Watch was established in 13th of July 1950 in Tokyo as a manufacturer of wristwatches. Its history can date back to 1901, when Shogoro Yoshida, the founder, opened a wholesale store of watches in Ueno, one of the commercial districts in downtown Tokyo. Orient is ranked number 3 after Seiko and Citizen in Japanese Watches manufacturers. Orient starts to join venture with Seiko in 1985, and by 2001 it became a subsidiary of the Seiko Epson group. Orient has always remain focus on mechanical watches and emphasize on in-house Japan made movement. Today, it is the biggest manufacturer of mechanical watches in Japan. 

Orient SK Crystal 2EMAL001D

Orient SK Crystal Watch is very simple and beautiful model for men. It is the entry level into the World of Orient's Mechanical Watch. I bought this watch some years back and had It has rested in this unspectacular green plastic box of Orient ever since. This is a reissued edition of old Orient SK Crystal. 

By any standard, this is a huge watch measuring 42mm in diameter excluding its crowns and with a thickness of 14mm. Oh yea, you can also feel its weight. The watch case is just colossal and fully machined from stainless steel. Its case is hexagonal in shape with four protruding studs near its lugs making it more rugged looking. The case is finely brush polished. This watch has a mineral crystal.

This watch is very sporty looking with its inner rotating bezel. The bezel can be adjusted using the second crown at the 4 o'clock position. There is also an inner chapter ring that is marked at every 5 minutes interval; with red orange Arabic number on 15, 30 and 45 minutes. Well it does look like a functional diver watch but seriously this is not meant for diving purposes. This watch is only water resist to 30 meters depth.  

The back colour watch dial is sunk deep into the case. This dial is decorated with gold stud hour batons and golden color hands. The hour and minute hands as well as the hour markers are Luminous treated.  There is a gold framed day and date window at 3 o'clock position. 

The day of this watch can be quick-set by pressing the button at the 2 o'clock position. The center crown or the main crown is used to set the date and time.

The two crowns and a button give this watch a sophisticated personality. It has the look and the features of a sport watch.... Ha, I would say this is a sheep in a wolf skin.......

This watch comes fitted on its original folded stainless steel bracelet with signed clasp.

The stainless steel caseback is screw down type. It is engraved with all the vital information. From the case we know that this watch is powered by an Orient's workhorse and an old time legend the Cal 469.

Cal 469 can be dated back to 1971. Cal 469 was modified from the Seiko 7005 movement. Though the movement is old, it continues to be used on Orient Watches today. In fact, Orient even issued a commemorative 40th anniversary edition of Cal. 469 watch.  Below is a mugshot of Cal. 469

Cal 469 is an automatic movement and this one has the 21 jewels variant. It beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour and has a 40-hour Power Reserve.

The simple, inexpensive design of the 469 movement has proven itself to be durable, resilient and reliable over the years.

I would conclude this watch as one of the nicest Orient models that is in my possession. With its incredible size and outrages design, this is a watch for a real man. 

Orient and more Orients HERE!!!

1) Orient Diver

2) Orient Bambino

3) Orient ChronoAce

4) Orient 60th Anniversary Gold

5) Orient 60th Anniversary Silver

6) Orient Star Retrograde

7) Orient STI

Now the gold edition: Orient 60th Anniversary

金角银角大王。。。 The Gold and The Silver

This is the Orient's 60th Anniversary Commerative Limited Edition. It is limited to 1500 pieces world wide (300 of those for Japan). 2 months back, I did an extensive write up for the stainless steel edition HERE.... Today I will introduce the Gold edition. This is more a photo presentation as I won't repeat what I had said before.

This is not the solid gold, but stainless steel in 22K electro gold plated with 4 micron of thickness. The serial number of this watch is 0026/1500. I have another gold edition but reserve that for sometime else.......

It is as classic as Disney Bambi... but is an Orient Bambino

Orient Classic Automatic Bambino ER2400AW

Last Sunday evening, after a heavy dinner, decided to wondering around Delta Mall, Sibu. A good friend has just recently opened a watches retail and services outlet inside the up-scaled shopping mall. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introducing Perfect Time...... I would say it is among the leading watch retailers in town. Perfect Time is the authorised dealer for famous brand names like Tissot, Epos, Seiko, Alba, Orient, Casio, Vostok, O.T.S, Suunto, Seastar, and yes my favourite Titoni. Apart from the above, the shop also dealing with heavy weighted brands like Rado, Omega, Rolex, Longines, IWC, Panerai and etc. 

I went there just for a walk without my camera and my handphone, therefore didn't take any photo of the shop as most bloggers would do. The photo that I posted here is from Perfect Time's facebook. You can go and like their facebook and from time to time, there will be some attractive offers. I think they are also offering online services too. 

Well back to the story about Bambi...... naaaaaah Bambino..... I was browsing through windows and cabinets of watches display before set my eyes on this one at the Orient cabinet. 

Hidden at one corner of the cabinet, away from the mighty rays of Orient Stars..... Four nonidentical  quartets differentiate only by their appearance of their dials and bracelet material..... these very fine looking ordinary Orients are from the newly launched Orient Bambino series.

The Bambino is Orient's Classic Automatic series. They are the fusion between timeless classic appearance and the state-of-the-art mechanism precision..... The marriage of two key successful ingredients making these watches irresistible.

It is relatively difficult to choose among the four..... All with its own characteristics.... After much struggling, I finally settled for this one, ER2400AW.....

This is a 40.5mm round stainless steel case watch with antique-looking stainless steel mesh bracelet. The convex crystal glass and the protruding retro styling crown give the watch a distinctive image. 

Another attraction is the dauphine blue coloured hands that make time telling an effortless act. The beautiful silver Roman markers really stand out from the white dial. 

The Bambino has screw in beveled caseback with Orient logo. If open the case, you will see the Orient self-winding 48743 calibre. This Orient in-house 21 jewels movement does not hack and cannot be handwinded. It is beating at 21,600 A/h and has a 40 hours power reserve. This series of watches are water resist to 30 meters. 

The clasp of the meshed bracelet is engraved with the word Orient..... The only disappointment is that the crown is unsigned. 

The Bambino is a true reflection of the heritage and excellent watch making....