Orient watch movements

[Loki324]

There doesnt seem to be much information about Orient movements from my limited research. So there are 3 tiers to the Orient brand: Orient, Orient Star and Royal Orient (which was discontinued around 2017). So there are now only Orient and Orient Star, which, clearly, Orient Star is the higher quality version.

Now onto the movements. For Seiko we have the 7S26 (and the other variants which are essentially the same thing), the slightly upgraded 4R35 (and the other variants etc.), the 6R35 and the 8L35/8L55 (I realise there are more but these are the main ones that are widely used).

Does anyone know where the Orient movements rank compared to Seiko movements? They seem to have a lot more movements than Seiko but then again they could just be the same movements under different names. I see that Orient Star watches have the F6N43, F6R42, F6F44 and F6N47 movements but not much information about those movements. Are they equivalent to 6R35? The lower tier Orient watches also have a lot of movements, according to calibre corner. Orient Star is supposedly not that much higher than regular Orient so it is entirely possible that they share the same or similar movements.

Now that Royal Orient has been discontinued the movements are no longer being produced but did any rival the 8L35? They even have some watches in the £2k+ range which would seem ridiculous if the movements are only comparable to the 6R35.

Any links to any articles about these movements would be greatly appreciated. The Seiko movements are easy to understand and well documented and there are only a few calibres, whereas the Orient movements seem to be all over the place.

[Idontgram]

Great question, I’d also like to know more about this. I hadn’t even heard of royal orient!

[sinner77]

Royal Orient is discontinued and it was just JDM. Movements came regulated from factory and that is only difference.

Orient Star also made chronos, using Seiko chronographs.

Orient Star and Orient share movements, with small tweaks on movement finishing.

I owned around... 100 plus Orients and Orient Star watches.

In terms of accuracy, power reserve movements act all over the place when under 50% of power reserve.

Rest of the movements are stable but also have Seikotitis - they tend to be all over the place when near the end of power reserve

Hope it helps.

[Loki324]

Royal Orient is discontinued and it was just JDM. Movements came regulated from factory and that is only difference.

Orient Star also made chronos, using Seiko chronographs.

Orient Star and Orient share movements, with small tweaks on movement finishing.

I owned around... 100 plus Orients and Orient Star watches.

In terms of accuracy, power reserve movements act all over the place when under 50% of power reserve.

Rest of the movements are stable but also have Seikotitis - they tend to be all over the place when near the end of power reserve

Hope it helps.

So they all share the same movements? The standard Orient and the Royal Orient movements? That's surprising that the only difference is regulation considering the huge price difference between them. I don't see how they could justify charging thousands when you can buy Seikos with 8L35 and even potentially Grand Seikos for that kind of money.

Your reply is very useful. Thank you. However, it has kind of put me off buying the more expensive Orient watches.

[rincewind]

Orient certainly made one watch with a movement to rival an 8L35, the Orient Star WZ0011DY. This contains an Orient fettled Seiko 6S28 (a 6S37 without the power reserve) part of the 6S family of movements which were developed from / alongside the Grand Seiko 9S and which Seiko also used in their Credor Chronographs. As far as i know Seiko only ever sold the 6S movements domestically. Seiko also licensed the movement to Junghans and eventually sold the rights to Tag Heuer where it became the 1887.

I own a WZ0011DY and it is an extremely well made watch.

[sinner77]

So they all share the same movements? The standard Orient and the Royal Orient movements? That's surprising that the only difference is regulation considering the huge price difference between them. I don't see how they could justify charging thousands when you can buy Seikos with 8L35 and even potentially Grand Seikos for that kind of money.

Your reply is very useful. Thank you. However, it has kind of put me off buying the more expensive Orient watches.

And yet... We all buy expensive ETA run watches.

I own Tudor with ETA 2824-2. Had the same moment in well known Christ salmon dial last year.

Price difference is... Beyond.

[adzman808]

To be fair though all 2824s are not the same grade, or quality of components or finishing

For example AKAIK Tudor ETAs run a triovis regulator

But price isn’t always a guide… IMO the (ETA 2824 powered) Vulcain skin diver nautique is a handsome watch and iirc (…) about £1300 someone on WUS had the back off one and it’s a Novodiac or Etachoc shock system (which I understand to be lower end)

Meanwhile brands like Glycine (admittedly in Selitta) have the incabloc system for about a third of the price..

[forpetesake]

I own a [/COLOR]WZ0011DY and it is an extremely well made watch.

Ditto that.
I was so impressed with mine that I now have the WZ0021DY too.
As with Grand Seiko and quite selfishly, I'm not sure I welcome the greater brand recognition coming down the line though.

[Daddelvirks]

Ditto that.
I was so impressed with mine that I now have the WZ0021DY too.
As with Grand Seiko and quite selfishly, I'm not sure I welcome the greater brand recognition coming down the line though.

+2

They made several expensive watches in the Royal Oriënt line with more than regulated standard movements, the above mentioned was one of them. They made some beautiful watches, JDM only sadly.

All the Orient Star watches I owned were quite well regulated, within 10 sec/day and are solid performers, imho.