[ObiWonWD40]

I got to thinking I should buy myself a decent business dress watch to wear as I could be able to go back to travelling later this year with a bit of luck
There are quite a few models of the Orion Star Line that I think are quite Affordable?
Currently I am enamoured of this one :-
Men's Orient Star Classic Automatic Sapphire Crystal

Yes I am supposed to be retired but I am afraid that over a year of lockdowns has brought on a spate of ImaBoredToHellaLitesus So travelling two days a week to London does not sound too bad this late Summer for about 6 to 8 weeks to manage the instal of a new computer system, for a previous Client. So obviously I would need a suitable watch to wear, beyond my "Regulation Dive Style" and this sort of fits the bill in my head at least. Under a business shirt & suit this would/should the part. (Yes I do have a few other watches I could wear, but humour me, if I am going to go back to slaving away to earn a crust to supplement my Pension...(Wailing violin music in the background) I need a reward.

Brickbats etc to the usual address please

Best regards,
Jim

 

[TracerBullet]

The Orient Star Classic is a fantastic "business" watch for the money. I swapped the bracelet for a black leather strap:

 

[Spartan247]

I’ve owned an OS Classic. Beautiful watch and a great value as well. Unfortunately the crystal is mineral, not sapphire as the listing you posted claims.

 

[ObiWonWD40]

I’ve owned an OS Classic. Beautiful watch and a great value as well. Unfortunately the crystal is mineral, not sapphire as the listing you posted claims.

I have checked and some of the newer versions do have a sapphire crystal. But some have a very shaped mineral crystal, so it would seem you need to check carefully before you buy.

This is one I am looking at from eBayUK Men's Orient Star Classic Automatic Sapphire Crystal Elegant Watch SAF02003W0 | eBay

The supplier is in the US as UK suppliers are thin on the ground.

Cheers
Jim

 

[catsteeth]

If you're going to head out from your normal style, and price range Obi 🙂👍then I couldn't think of a better watch for it.
It used to be very popular on here. A good wus friend from HK had one and he couldn't rate it highly enough.
As is often the case, you can't capture how attractive white watches are with a camera phone.
Seiko gets all the Japanese watch attention. But if I was to use a term I just don't like using with regard to watches, but sometimes it just suits - the vfm is unbeatable. Of Orient generally, and this particular watch specifically.
I used to look at it all the time, but I've always had a white dress watch and don't like doubling up.

Creation usually has the best prices for them - certainly look there.
EDIT Creation has that exact watch for £252. It also has a whole bunch of the other in ones in the range, including the newer dress models in that style. They go from 38-42mm, white, blue, and black and up to £300. A bargain in other words 🙂
With HK I've never had to pay import duty, like the WHOLE rest of the world - grrrrnnn😞. I've bought 3 from Creation, never paid once. But I think it's a value thing. If you buy below a certain value, it doesn't attract the tax vampires attention.

 

[Barry H]

Jim,
These are great watches and have often been tempted. Mineral crystal would not bother me. FWIW there is an AD for Orient in the Netherlands - Serious Watches. Long established and although not used personally (and no connection) they have a solid reputation and I would have no qualms about buying from them. Also less hassle for UK buyers - especially in the unlikely event of a return.

Orient Star SAF02003W

 

[^Gurthang54]

Great looking OS and a bit of an oddity. It's a caliber F6N but only 40 hr. power reserve, check the other similar versions (AU000 & AU004) and they use the F6N except it has 50 hr. power reserve.

My pick:

AU0404N

 

[sticky]

Jim, IMO the Orient Star is one of the great undiscovered secrets of the watch world.

 

[ObiWonWD40]

Jim, IMO the Orient Star is one of the great undiscovered secrets of the watch world.

I confess that I agree with you. I have two Orient Divers, a Mako II and a Ray II and for the money they are hard to beat IMHO
Most people think they are far more expensive than they are in reality, which is why I started to look a the Orient Star watches for something a little more "Business Dressy" than my usual "Dive Style" or "Chrono". Yes I do have watches like a Seiko 5 and a Bulova Precisionist, which could be classed as Business Dressy, back in the day I used to wear this Seiko :-

Which still works just fine, but is not the slimmest watch in the World!

The Casio I have is the best Grab & Go I believe as it is Solar and will adjust it's time to basically anywhere in the Western World and is slim and light and cost me under £80 when I bought it.

As to the crystal on the Orient, it seems it can be had in a Mineral Domed version or a Flat Sapphire? I believe that is correct, the Sapphire is about £40 more but the money is not the issue. The Mem Sahib wants me to have a Rolex or Omega, but I just can't justify that sort of money and I still think it paints a target on you!

I don't have an issue with Mineral or Sapphire Crystals, I do think that for a Dive Watch in my experience a Mineral has a slight advantage, but as with Sapphire, not all Mineral Crystals are equal, but that is a discussion for another day.

My favourites at the moment are a watch from Creation with a mineral crystal or the Watch I initially mentioned from the NY Watchstore, which states it has a Domed Sapphire Crystal, but I am not too sure of that? I need to Infestigate Further! On the plus side there is no import issue, but with Creation, since Brexit I am not so sure it comes in without Duty? I have bought quite a few watches from Singapore with no problem but not lately, so I don't know how seamless it is now. If anybody has bought from Creation into the UK since January I would like to know how it went.

Thanks to everybody for the Photos and Comments - Most helpful

Best regards,
Jim The Undecided