Hello guys, this is Ishan from WatchFriendly presenting you with our Orient Star Classic review. Orient is an O.G watchmaker straight out of Japan. To this day, it’s one of the very few companies that use in-house crafted materials in their watches. One of the main reasons I fell in love with Orient Watches is their specialty in making aesthetically pleasing mechanical watches with an affordable price tag.
‘Orient Star’ is Orient’s version of Rolls Royce (for those of you who don’t know, Rolls Royce is a subsidiary of BMW motorsports), a series of high-end timepieces offering features as dual time or a power reserve indicator. I will be reviewing the AF02001S model from Orient Star Classic mechanical series. Read on to know more about why this timepiece is a must-have for your wrist.
Our Orient Star Classic Review
Case
The Orient star mechanical classic AF02001S was designed to take inspiration from the 1950s. Back in that time, the average case size of a watch used to be around 34mm. I guess smaller watch cases were considered to be stylish. However, as we all know, most of the watches range from 38-44mm nowadays.
So, what Orient decided to do was come to a middle point giving the watch a case diameter of 38.5mm. So, the watch gives you a compact vibe and the thickness of 13.5 gives it a low profile as well. To sum it up, this watch looks great on both small and large wrists.
The AF02001S features a golden stainless-steel watch case accompanied by the domed crystal bubble glass. This combination gives it a really cool retro vibe which I think serves the purpose since the watch design is based on the style from the 1950s.
As for the back of the watch, it has a screw-down case with a transparent display window. The elegant and modern movement can be seen throughout the see-through panel. The outer border of the panel is stainless-steel coated with Orient markings, Manufacturing location, and Water Resistance value marked in laser print.
Dial
The watch dial is really attractive, coated in a champagne-colored dial with a sunburst pattern emitting from the center. Moreover, the raised chapter ring with golden markers really complements the dial as well as the gold case.
Although it’s officially listed as white colored from Orient, I thought it seemed more like a champagne/off whitish. That’s probably because of the reflection from the markers and clock hands.
As for the watch hands, the AF02001S features PVD gold delphine hands and a swift second hand. There is a moderately sized date window at the 3’o clock position. Right under the 12, there is a power reserve sub-dial with markings up to 40 hours. Above the 6’o clock, there is the Orient Star name with a golden star logo. Considering everything, the dial of this watch is as good as you could get. The golden case, the white dial, and the classic domed bubble glass combined give this watch an elegant look. In short, this is a watch that’s aesthetically pleasing from every angle. Just look at the picture below!
The only reason this close-to-perfect timepiece isn't in our best watches under $500 list is because of its slightly higher price tag.. However, compared to what the watch offers, the price is a steal.
Movement
The Orient Star AF02001S uses an F6N44 mechanical movement with an automatic self-winding mechanism. The F6N44 is a 22-jewel movement in-house built by Orient. Additionally, the watch runs at 21600 vibrations/hour.
According to Orient, the watch has an accuracy of -15 to +25 seconds per day. However, my experience with the AF02001S has been a bit different. The watch runs very consistently, with +/- 10 seconds accuracy per day. And let’s be honest, that’s negligible.
As for the winding, the watch has both automatic self-winding and manual winding options. The automatic self-winding is kind of self-explanatory. You can see the rotor moving through the transparent case back. The best part of the self-winding system is that it’s quiet and needs very little wrist movement to charge.
The manual winding is done by turning the crown upwards. The manual winding has a satisfactory feel as if you’re charging a dynamo and you can see the power reserve indicator moving just as you’re winding it.
Speaking of which, the crown is positioned at the 3’o clock of the AF02001S and has some nice grooves around making it convenient to use. In addition, the orient star logo can be found laser etched on top of the crown. Like most watches, the crown changes date at the first unscrewed position and the time at the second.
Strap
The strap is a very durable leather with crocodile textured on the outer side. On the inside, the finishing is smooth and the Orient Star logo can be found on both sides. The strap buckle is gold-toned stainless steel with the trademark logo.
My strap has started to wear out after using it for approximately around 20 months, so I can personally vouch for the durability.
2024 Update: The Condition of the Watch
After 5 years of relatively rough using of one of my favorite watches, I will update you regarding the current condition of the watch and how it is performing.
The watch mechanics still works perfectly just like day one. Regular usage refers to very low movement errors. The date window seems a bit out of place as it doesn't always change accurately.
The strap has worn out with one of its small buckles being torn. It was time to opt for a new one anyway.
However, the most disappointing fact would definitely be the color degradation of the golden case and the scratches on the mineral crystal. Although I have tried to be very careful not to scratch the glass, there are still a couple of minor ones on it.
Orient should definitely provide sapphire glasses specially considering the price range of the Orient Star series'.
FAQs
Why are orient watches so cheap?
Brand Value. Most of the watch brands incorporate 70% of the marketing or branding cost into their retail price. Orient’s marketing team fell way behind in this race. I think they should increase their marketing game cause more people deserve to know about their amazing creations.
Who owns Orient watch company?
SEIKO EPSON. Orient started their journey as an independent watch company in the 1950’s. Now it’s a subsidiary of Seiko Epson, one of the three core companies of the Seiko group.
How long do Orient watches last?
Well, if you’re talking about the power reserve, then they run for around 40 hours after being removed from your wrist. However, the expected lifespan is approx. 7 years and many users have been using Orient for more than 7 years without any issues whatsoever.
Final Words
Orient Star Classic is a series of aesthetically pleasing watches. The Japanese refer to them as ‘perfectly harmonious’. For your convenience let us list out the best features and the not so great features, so you can make the perfect decision.
Pros
- Elegant looking with retro style
- Mineral Crystal glass prevents scratches
- Automatic self-winding mechanism
- Commendable accuracy
- Power reserve indicator
Cons
- No size variants
So, if you’re looking for a watch with alluring beauty, impeccable craftsmanship, and an affordable price tag as a bonus, the Orient Star Classic might just be the one for you (your wrist mainly). Let me know if you’ve liked our review of this Orient Star Classic timepiece!
Have a nice day.