It has been almost 10 years since the purchase of Orient Star Retrograde. Since owning this watch, I have never written a review on this watch till now.
If you follow worn&wound on a regular basis, you’ll know that Orient is one of our favorite brands. They are among a small handful of companies that specialize in very affordable mechanical watches that, despite their low prices, are attractive and well made. And they standout from that small group of brands by also offering complications, such as dual time and power reserve, making them all the more unique. Now don’t worry, higher-priced for Orient is still well below average in the watch market.
When you look at the watch, it really looks impressive, packing a lot of complications into a 39.5mm diameter watch. There were several variations to choose from, including a stainless case with steel bracelet that came with a leather or stainless steel bracelet, a choice of white, black, or blue dials. Then there was a yellow gold-plated case with yellow gold indices on a black dial and a rose gold-plated case with rose gold indices on a black dial. The thickness of the watch is 14.3, and the lug to lug is 47.5
The watch includes the following complications: a subdial pointer date, a subdial power reserve, subdial with a retrograde day of week that snaps back after date changeover on Sunday. Each subdial has its own textured pattern. The pointer date has concentric circles, the power reserve has a fanlike geometric shape, and the day of the week has a flowerlike shape; the main dial has a wavy pattern. All these patterns and textures seem to work together nicely.
There are indices at every hour except the 5 and 6, where the day of the week subdial exists. Each indices has a lumed dot. The hands are swordlike and are lumed.
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The movement is the Orient caliber 40A50, which is an automatic with hacking functionality. The crown controls all complications on the watch.
My likes and dislikes of this particular watch:
I opted for the rose gold case with black dial and leather strap. The dial of this watch is advertised as a black dial and it looks black on images, but in person, it really looks like chocolate brown. It is still a nice-looking dial, and I am not complaining just observing what I see. All the subdials coexist without looking overcrowded.
I made the wrong choice in the variation I chose. If I were to purchase again, I would have purchased the Stainless Steel with the blue dial. The blue dial on the stainless steel looks crisp and very striking. Again, just my honest opinion, the rose gold-plated case looks like a plastic watch; it just doesn't look like real gold. It might be because I own a Rolex Day Date and you could instantly see the difference between a solid gold and a plated gold watch.
Another negative is that the thickness of the watch is 14.3mm, and it looks even thicker when wearing it on my wrist. The watch also moves on my wrist regardless of how I set the strap.
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The leather strap is mediocre at best, not as bad as the strap that came with my Sarb017 Alpinist, but definitely would change it out.
I purchased this watch on a Singapore online store (grey market) for $749 USD I find this to be an amazing value for the time period. I'm really enjoying the watch.
I find the clasp a bit tinny, but I've been wearing divers lately and the bracelet clasps are really solid. I'm sure I'll get used to this clasp. Otherwise my first impressions are very positive. It's a gorgeous piece for a great price. Quiet, great time keeper, perfect size for smaller wrists. I can't speak to the bracelet as I immediately put it on a leather strap and have been switching between black, burgundy, and cognac colors -- all look great with it. Excellent Watch!
The watch looks and feels very expensive. Mine arrived pristine, without alignment issues or defects. Canadians should be aware that customs has increased tax collection on incoming packages. On top of $40 US for USPS, I got charged over $57 CAD in tax + $10 Can Post handling fee. No complaints about LIW. Just want people to be aware, so they can decide if it's worth the additional costs.
Fortunate to not have significant alignment issue on my watch, close to perfect. 38mm face/46mm lug-to-lug = perfect fit on my 6" wrist after 4 links removed. Bracelet looks nice but not sturdy. Each link interlocks via three center pieces, resulting in plenty of flexing. Hollow end-links with uneven gap on each side results in tin/squeaking sounds when moving, especially from a lot of friction rubbing on each end-link when putting on/removing watch.
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Lume is essentially non-existent as it is extremely faint in pitch-black and only lasts minutes. Assume no lume exist on the watch. Coming from Orientstar Classic, the Retrograde with sapphire offers much more value and function for comparable price. Please be sure to research online on how to SET a mechanical watch before adjusting date/day to avoid damaging the gears.
I love the watch. Perfect size for me, as I am not one to wear a watch bigger than 40 mm. The watch has a great sturdy and solid feel to it. You know it is on your wrist, but not distractingly so. It was my first such purchase for my self and I am thrilled. Excellent customer experience, love the watch. It is even more attractive in person, and the quality far exceeds what the pictures look like. I think I must have bought the last of these black dial retrogrades when they were on sale at LIW.
The watch arrived quickly and was in perfect shape. It is a stunningly beautiful time piece, and I am yet to see another in the sub 1K price range that appeals to me more. I have timed the watch against an atomic clock for a week using the Watch Tracker app. The watch gained 12 seconds over the week, and the best fit and the average time gain coincided at around 1.6 seconds a day, which is quite fine in my opinion. I am very very happy with the purchase, and have no complains at all. Love this watch. Very comfortable bracelet, and the dial is a sight to behold. Very good Service and fast delivery to Germane! Since the watch will be a Christmas present I just checked for failures and it is a really magnificent timepiece.
The hands are relatively simple, but just as well executed. Textures to keep matters more interesting. The weekdays sub-dial is decorated with a flowerlike relief. Positive impact on how the dial appears from a couple feet away. Differences in the shades of white around the dial. On the wrist, the WZ0041DE is very comfortable. The steel bracelet prevents it from looking lost on bigger arms. Really solid and well made.
The movement, as mentioned in the previous post, is caliber 40A50. Hacking. (models) you should not change the date between 10pm and 4am. The back fairly unexciting.
To sum it all up - the Orient Star ref. the brand's retrograde watches. Mr.
Yet, even for a watch with multiple retrograde dials, you are unlikely to pay over $1,000. In fact, today’s watch, the Orient Star Classic, retails for $690, which after the obligatory 30% discount is only $483. And, it’s not just a quality automatic; it’s an in-house, Japanese made automatic with a power reserve and more. If value were the only factor, Orient would probably be the only watch worth buying. Obviously, there is a lot more to it, but you know what I mean. And frankly, this watch also has a lot more going on. It’s got cool vintage inspired looks, an interesting and dynamic dial and more.
Measuring 38.5 x 44.5 x 13.4mm (including crystal) the Orient Classic is a moderately sized watch by today’s standards. Yet, the smaller case size is very welcome in both a dress watch and a vintage inspired piece. The case itself is very simple in design, with a standard shape, relatively short and thin lugs and minimal finishing. A nice and oft over looked detail is the use of drilled lugs. Though to some the hole might be a distraction, I find it lends even more of a retro feel to the watch, and makes strap changing more convenient.
The crown of the Classic has an elegant and somewhat atypical shape. Measuring 6.5 x 3mm, it’s fairly flat and wide, but has a stepped shape. The area with grips curves ever so slightly towards a protruding cylinder, which has the Orient Star signature on it.
Perhaps the most standout feature of the case is actually the crystal. Made to emulate the domed acrylic crystals of mid-20th century watches, the mineral crystal of the Classic is very eye-catching. Typically, a heavy domed crystal on a watch this price would be acrylic, and by making it mineral they did create a somewhat more durable piece, as mineral is more scratch resistant. The Classic also features an exhibition case back that shows off the somewhat decorated 40N52 movement. Around the display window are all of the typical details you’d expect to see, including water resistance and “made in Japan”. We’re always glad to see an exhibition case back on an under $500 watch, especially when the movement offers some level of decoration.
The dial and hands of the Classic are exceptionally well executed and styled. Though the vintage theme is familiar, the overall look feels a bit unique given interesting details. To start, the dial is a sunburst white/silver that interacts with light in dramatic and beautiful ways. The color is very light, hence why it could be described as white, but the sunburst effect gives it a metallic or pearlescent quality. Adding to the effect is the fact that the dial is domed, curving towards the outer edge. The main index of the dial consists of large three-dimensional applied steel markers. The markers are long and thin, tapering towards the center. They are actually quite dramatic, though not obnoxious. At 12 is a rectangular double marker, which helps orient the watch at a glance. Between the hour markers are thin black printed lines for the minutes/seconds, which increase the legibility of the watch as well as give the dial a more closed feeling. At 3 is a silver lined date window with a black on white date.
Located just below twelve is a very nicely executed power reserve indicator. Rather than being a whole sub-dial, the indicator is just a small “alpha” style hand that points down, toward a single arcing index. The index, which consists of markers for every 5 hours, numerals every 20, is an applied arc with a concentric pattern on it. This makes it literally stand off the dial, acting as an interesting textural detail. The large blue dauphine hands they chose for the Classic really give the watch a unique presence. The blue is a very deep, cobalt color that is striking against the light silver dial. It’s dark, yet refined, dressing up the watch a bit more and giving it a more masculine feel. The slight three-dimensionality of the hands reflects light very dramatically, making the hands the focal point of the watch.
The Japanese made Orient in-house calibers are a definite highlight of all their mechanical watches, providing quality and complication at a remarkable value. The 40N52 22-jewel automatic in the Classic is no exception. With hand winding, hacking seconds, date, power reserve indicator and a frequency of 21,600 BPH, the 40N52 is a full-featured movement. Since this is an Orient Star watch, the movement seems to have a bit more decoration than a typical Orient caliber, though it is still fairly minimal. The rotor has light Geneva stripes and a large gold logo. The shape of the rotor itself is also a bit interesting, flaring out towards the top and having triangular apertures.
The Classic comes on a 20mm steel 3-link bracelet. It’s a very tried and true design that, unsurprisingly, works well with the Classic’s design. The bracelet tapers from the lugs to the clasp, giving it a somewhat lighter look, and features some nice finishing. The topside of the bracelet is brushed except for two lines that run on either side of the center panel of the links. It’s a nice detail that elevates the look of the bracelet a bit, and integrates it with the more polished case. Featuring little more than two buttons on either side and an Orient Star logo, the clasp has a very simple, but nice and compact design. The top surface of the clasp is also brushed, and features polished beveled edges for a little more detailing.
The Classic wears very well; 38.5mm is an ideal size for a slightly dressier watch, and very comfortable as a daily wear. Though the watch is a bit tall at 13.4mm, a lot of that is the domed crystal, so the watch wears thinner. The size also works with the overall vintage aesthetic nicely.
When brands take designs like this and make them 42mm to be more modern, it never feels right. Size aside, the Classic is really great looking with just the right amount of presence. The blue hands and sunburst dial are a bit flashy, but overall it’s a subdued and elegant piece. This lends it to being a more formal watch, but one that would not look weird with a casual outfit. It’s as appropriate in a meeting with your stuffy boss as at a cocktail bar.
The Orient Star Classic combines a few things we really love. The 38.5mm case fits well and looks great, staying true to the vintage inspirations of the watch. The dial and hands are simply awesome, blue on silver being especially unique. The movement is feature packed, most notably offering a power reserve, which is functional and elegant. And the price of $483 after coupon (enter wornandwound at checkout!) is hard to beat. So if you’re looking for something vintage-y, small, a bit formal, and affordable, the Orient Star Classic might be the way to go.
Key Features of the Orient Star Retrograde:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 39.5mm |
| Thickness | 14.3mm |
| Lug to Lug | 47.5mm |
| Movement | Orient caliber 40A50 (automatic with hacking) |
| Complications | Subdial pointer date, power reserve, retrograde day of week |
Variations Available:
- Stainless case with steel bracelet (leather or stainless steel bracelet options)
- White, black, or blue dials
- Yellow gold-plated case with yellow gold indices on a black dial
- Rose gold-plated case with rose gold indices on a black dial
Orient Star Classic on the wrist.
The intricate dial of the Orient Star Retrograde.
ORIENT STAR RETROGRADE SDE00004D0
tags: #orient #star #retrograde