Orient Star: Orient's Premium Line Since 1951

Orient Star is Orient's premium line, launched in 1951 — the same year the company took the Orient name. It offers higher-grade in-house movements, finer finishing and complications such as power reserve indicators and skeleton dials, at prices that remain modest by Swiss standards. In 2026 it celebrates its 75th anniversary.

History

The first Orient Star went on sale in 1951. Over the following decades it became the home of Orient's best movements, including models such as the 1957 Orient Star Dynamic. When Royal Orient was discontinued around 2016–2017, Orient Star became the company's flagship, a position often compared to Grand Seiko relative to Seiko.

The Power Reserve Indicator

Since 1996 the power reserve indicator has been Orient Star's signature, appearing on dress, skeleton and even dive models — rare on a diver's watch. Movements such as the automatic F6F44 (24 jewels, 21,600 vph, 50-hour reserve, rated −15/+25 seconds per day) place the indicator at 12 o'clock, and the F6N-series calibres in the Diver 1964 carry it too.

Classic, Contemporary and Sports

Today Orient Star is organised into three collections. Classic covers traditional dress watches, including the Heritage Gothic with its calibre F6G42 and 50-hour reserve. Contemporary includes the brand's modern skeleton and open-heart designs. Sports covers divers and other tool watches, led by the Diver 1964 and M42 models.

The Skeletons

Skeleton watches are among Orient Star's best-known pieces. For the line's 70th anniversary in 2021 it launched the M45 F8 Skeleton , a hand-wound watch powered by the calibre F8B62 , which raised the power reserve from the previous 50 hours to 70 hours . Layered and semi-skeleton designs in the Contemporary collection use the automatic F6F44 with its power reserve display.

Why It Matters

Orient Star gives buyers in-house Japanese movements, genuine complications and serious finishing for a fraction of Swiss prices, and its 75th-anniversary releases in 2026, led by the M42 Diver 1964 1st Edition, underline its growing ambition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Orient Star?
Orient's premium line, launched in 1951, offering higher-grade in-house movements, finer finishing and complications such as power reserve indicators.

When did Orient Star introduce its power reserve indicator?
In 1996; it has since become the line's signature feature.

What are the Orient Star collections?
Classic (traditional dress watches), Contemporary (modern and skeleton designs) and Sports (divers and tool watches).

What is the Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton?
A hand-wound skeleton watch launched for Orient Star's 70th anniversary in 2021, powered by the calibre F8B62 with a 70-hour power reserve.

Is Orient Star like Grand Seiko?
The relationship is often compared: Orient Star is the premium line above Orient, much as Grand Seiko sits above Seiko, though Orient Star is priced well below Grand Seiko.

Related Reading

• Orient: Brand History
• Orient Star Diver 1964
• Grand Seiko