Orient is a Japanese watch brand under the Seiko umbrella, but long before their acquisition by the famed, vertically integrated corporation, they were making their own mechanical and quartz watches with movements developed in-house. Orient delivers some of the best value for money in handsome, affordable mechanical watches, and their newest offering is no different.
Released this week is the second generation of the Defender, the brand’s field watch, upgraded with a new mechanical movement and several aesthetic tweaks. In a new 42.4mm (upped from 42mm) stainless steel case with an offset crown at 3 o’clock and 100m of water resistance, the new generation switches up the order of the complications on the dial, with the date wheel now at 3 o’clock, the day-of-the-week indicator at 10 o’clock, and the 24-hour sub-dial at 5 o’clock. A new handset with a hint of red adds a splash of color to the new dials.
The most significant upgrade is the use of the Orient cal. F6B22, a 22-jewel automatic movement with hand-winding and hacking capability. The watch is available in five dial colors, including blue, green, grey, black with steel bracelets, leather straps or nylon straps available. And while they list for $350, you can get the new watches for between $230-$245 now on Orient’s website.
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