1st
Orient Ray II
[tabby title=”5 stars”]
I’ll get this out of the way first: The Orient Ray (Black) is my daily-wear watch, and I love it. I say it’s in the Non-Pro category only because, for a number of reasons, including water resistance rating of 20ATM (200 Meters) it is not suitable for deep diving. Now, let me tell you why I love it,
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” giving you the high points and low points.
***Important: My evaluation is based on my personal preferences in watch styling and mechanics. The only hard & fast rule in watch preferences is that there ARE NO hard & fast rules in watch preferences, so take my points in that context. If you see watches in the same way I do, you may find them helpful.
1. Dive Styling: 41.5″” case size turns out to be my sweet spot, and the black bezel with larger marked 10 second increments is clear, easy to read. The face is black, and it’s a DEEP DARK BLACK, as is the bezel, contrasting well with the hour markings. The hour & minute hands are modified “”sword styling””, the second hand a long, slim pointer tipped with a bright red spear. It’s a little thing, but the detail finish on all three hands is the quality of a much more expensive timepiece. All three are lumed, and it’s a bright, long lasting lume – I can easily read mine in the dark after eight hours of sleep. Ditto on the hour markers and bezel pip. Which brings me to a personal preference – the Ray’s hour markers are either round or rectangular, with a slightly larger wedge shape at “”12″” position – no “”numbers””. I believe this gives a dive watch a much cleaner look, but some folks like to see some numbers – if you do, consider the Orient Mako, with numerals at 6,9 & 12. Personal preference.
2. Case: Orient makes a heavy-feeling SS case w/screw-down back. It feels solid, and supports the 200M depth rating, and I’m guessing might actually rate considerably higher. Top surfaces are finely brushed, with side surfaces polished, for a subtly expensive look. Crown is screw-down, as a dive watch should be, with grip a little on the hard to grasp side, but still acceptable. Crown is polished, with the Orient logo embossed on the end, a classy touch. Action is firm when adjusting hands & day/date. Threads engage firmly, with an appropriately sized thread tube that does not “”wobble”” when the crown is grasped. The Ray has built-in crown guards formed as part of the case – I find this one it’s most attractive cosmetic features, and of course it makes perfect sense to protect the crown. Crystal is “”mineral””…I would have paid more to get the same watch with a Sapphire crystal, but understand the cost/benefit calculation. Having said that, I’ve been wearing Orients with mineral crystals for about five years now, with no scratches, and I’m a clumsy oaf with my watches, so it must be a pretty hard surface.
3. Bezel: As mentioned, bezel on this model is a deep, inky black, with minute numerals crisply rendered in a SS tone. The Ray’s bezel is a 120 click version. Here is one if my two criticisms – the action on this bezel, like the older model Ray & Mako’s I’ve owned, is really too tight for diving use – there is no possible way it could be turned under water with or without gloves, because the “”teeth”” around the circumference are too small & smooth considering the tight action. This actually works well if worn as I do, in a “”desk diving”” mode, where bumps do not dislodge it, but not underwater, if that is a consideration.
4. Movement: The new Ray features a hacking house-built Orient beating automatic heart, #F6922. My previous Orients used the older, Non-Hacking movement, which is one of the key reasons I fell in love with Orient Automatics. The older movement ran just a bit slow for me, but more importantly was ALWAYS very CONSISTENT, with a very quiet winding pendulum. The new movement seems already to be just as high quality – and my particular F6922 is running consistently about 10-12 seconds fast per day, which I consider perfect for an automatic. No guarantee yours will do the same, but believe me, this movement is the equal of far more expensive engines. The Day/Date function is crisp & seats perfectly in the viewing windows. Thank GOD Orient has ditched the “”Day”” Pusher located at 2 o’Clock on the old Ray case, with the arrival of the new movement. It was ugly, cheap looking, and another way for the watch to leak (I put up with it because I loved the rest of the watch so much). Another small Orient detail – the silver Day/Date window “”frame”” is beautifully finished & perfectly seated. The second hand sweep is not as buttery smooth as a 28K or Hi-Beat movement would be, but perfectly acceptable, and the red tip gives that little extra “”instrument panel”” look to the overall analog face. While we’re talking movements, personal preference #2 – Automatic movements are my requirement vs Quartz…I’ve owned lots of both, don’t own any Quartz’s now. There are great Quartz divers out there – the Seiko Tuna monoblock titanium Quartz was one of my first “”crushes””, but I’m strictly an Auto guy now.
5. Bracelet/Band: I removed the bracelet as soon as I unboxed the watch, and placed the watch on a black 22mm ballistic nylon 2-Pc. Strap. This is one of those personal preference deals – I like a light wearing watch/strap combo – and you may prefer a bracelet, no problem. It’s an OK bracelet, medium weight class for a SS bracelet, although a ratcheting dive clasp replacing the deployant clasp would be cool. My least favorite features are the non-solid end link covers – they are the usual flimsy covers, and in my opinion have no place on a timepiece purporting to aspire to the name “”Dive Watch””. I left the plastic & paper wraps on mine, and will be selling it. If I ever want a bracelet for this watch, I’ll go aftermarket, possibly the solid end-link model w/ ratcheting dive extension used on Orient’s own Saturation Diver, which also has a 22mm Lug width.
6. Overall, I’m in love. My watch collection is down to two – this and a Deep Blue Pro-Aqua Auto, for those days I feel like wearing a brick on my wrist. If one dive watch is all you want to worry about, and you don’t dive for a living, some color version of the Orient Ray will make you a very happy Desk Diver”
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[tabby title=”4 stars”]
I cannot comment on the bracelet as I have not tried it on the watch. As soon as I got the watch the bracelet was taken off and I put on a $17 band I purchased here on Amazon. The silicon band is very comfortable and I prefer my “diver” watches to be on rubber.. The band is called Alpine Premium qua
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“ality with quick release. I went with black with black stitching. Speaking of diver watches, I would sum this watch up as more of a diver style watch with water resistance.
I popped the watch on to my timegrapher and it was running +5 seconds per day. The amplitude was strong. On the wrist the watch runs around the same +5 seconds a day. That is pretty impressive as I was prepared to have to regulate the watch but with these results, I don’t have to.
The stock watch looks amazing in my opinion. The bezel is nice albeit hard to turn. The winding is a bit on the sand paper side, but I have had similar movements exhibit the same behavior at this price point. The finishing on the case is “”meh”” but appealing. The weight of the watch is impressive, it feels like it is a solid timepiece. Setting the date can take a while to get used to as getting the crown in to just the right position can be … interesting but once you get the hang of it, it’s not too bad. The dial is more of a matte black with applied markers with filled lume, it is easily readable. Although I find the day/date a bit out of place they too are easy to read. I really wish this watch did not have a day/date but that is just my personal preference.
If this watch had a better bracelet, again I didn’t try it on but it is par for the course for this price.. which in my opinion will get you by but nothing to be excited about, and a sapphire crystal then this watch would get a 5/5 instead of a 4/5. but then again, that’s what the Mako II USA is for right? I need to pick that watch up at some point…
Now for the fun part, I modded this watch nearly immediately. I popped the bezel off (not for the faint of heart as you can seriously muck up the the case and the bezel is a bear to take off. I managed to get it off while keeping the case pristine. I used gaffer tape to protect the case and a case opener and pried between the bezel and the watch case until it popped off. I popped on a new bezel that I sourced online that will accommodate all SKX bezel inserts. I opted for a ceramic Batman bezel insert and I think with the strap makes the blue pop. The pictures attached are of the modded watch. The mods + band added about $120 to the watch price but for me it was well worth it since the watch was so inexpensive. So if you want to try your hand at modding, this is an inexpensive way to go.
In summary, you cannot go wrong with the watch for the price. Even left stock it is still a fantastic looking piece and one that you don’t have to worry about getting destroyed or lost. I seriously debated leaving the watch stock but since I already had the parts on the way I modded it and I am glad I did. Modding it can be fun and you can really spruce it up for not a lot of money. If this is going to be your only watch and you aren’t going to mod it, do it. If you are going to mod it, do it. If you have a extra $100ish to spend and aren’t going to mod, seriously look at the Mako II USA as it is getting some great reviews”
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[tabby title=”3 stars”]
“PROS
– Good looking watch, the watch itself is nice homage to Submariner
– What works seems to work well– movement, lume, bezel (it is stiff, but doesn’t bother me), all great
CONS
– The band is legitimately not good. The hollow end links are noisy and take away from what could be a reall”
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“ly fine looking watch. The links themselves feel cheap. The steel feels cheap (I do not know what grade of steel the band is, but I suspect it is a cut below). The band is so cheap that I was actually very disappointed, and considered sending the whole watch back for something else. I did, however, find a solution… see below.
– The crown is a problem I would like Orient to try and solve for their next Ray. Because it wobbles when unscrewed for date adjustment, the threading is really hard to line back up when it is time to screw in. In my profession, I deal with misaligned threading all the time and there is only one conclusion: in will inevitably result in damage. The threading is very small you must be VERY careful not to force it because that will bend the threading, then all the sudden your water-resistant dive watch becomes a paperweight.
– The day/date feature does not lock in particularly precisely. You will have to fidget with it, maybe for a long time, to get it aligned properly.
ABOUT THAT BRACELET
I knew when I bought it that other reviewers had warned about the band. I was eyeballing several solutions to maintain the ‘classic’ submariner aesthetic. Most of them are proportionally pretty expensive, and the combined cost is almost as much as you would pay on a good sale day for something much better. So I had hoped I could live with the band that came with it. Alas… it really is rubbish. It is heavy, the end links are hollow and noisy and most importantly it made me feel like I’m not worth a nice watch. Nobody should feel like that, especially with a Weekender out there for everybody. I have a pretty fun rotation with a Weekender, a couple of Bulovas, an Apple Watch, etc, and I knew that I would never wear it as is.
After staring at it for a while, I was ready to send it back, but as a last-ditch effort to be happy, I threw a nato strap on there. You would be amazed at how much better it looks and feels. Perfect, cheap, easy solution. The catch here is of course that it sort of undermines the ‘classic’ submariner look, the reason anybody would be buying this watch in the first place. I’ve never really seen a Submariner on any other strap than its super oyster link. It’s also not a particularly dressy solution.
So. There you go. Ray II. Plan on throwing it on a nato or zulu, or throwing down for a better link bracele”
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[tabby title=”2 stars”]
“The band is high quality, the case and crystal is high quality, the face is beautiful, the movement is super quiet and smooth, and best of all: the bracelet is the EASIEST band to resize out of any watch that I have ever worked on.
For the price, buy it now, you won’t regret it!
I used this ki”
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“it to resize my band:
UPDATE:
After 3 months of babying this watch, it has essentially stopped working. Within hours, the watch will be between 30 minutes and 1 hour fast. I have tried all known troubleshooting steps: letting the watch wind down and resetting the date/time, monitoring its accuracy over a few days, changing the watch position at night, manually winding it to be sure it’s fully wound up (even though I wear it 24/7), etc.
I contacted Orient Watch USA Customer Service and after the agent giving confusing info, I reached out to the company president who had their e-commerce manager respond, I was told that I would have to pay to send & insure the watch to them, wait 6-8 weeks for them to repair it, then I would have to pay another $10 dollars for them to send it back to me. Also, if they think the defect isn’t their fault, you have to pay them to repair it otherwise they won’t fix it. Also, if you don’t pay them the $10 dollars after they repair it, they will hold your watch and never return it. They justify their practices by basically saying ‘well your 1 year warranty restarts anew once we return the repaired watch to you’.
All in all, avoid Orient and Seiko, as they are not the same. Even Citizen is bad lately with many defects and refusing to honor their warranties. I would instead recommend that you save up your money and buy a Swiss Hamilton watch for a few more dollars (they’re around $300) because they seem to have a better build quality and warranty.
I hope this helps future potential buyers of Orient”
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[tabby title=”1 star”]
Would have loved to keep this watch because that blue dial is so amazing! but I got a bad one: the movement was defective (grinding sound when trying to handwind that didn’t sound like the mainspring clutch being activated when it’s already fully wound). I decided not to exchange it for another one
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because the crown was really hard to screwdown all of the way without using something like a piece of cloth or a rubber glove to get a good grip and make sure it was appropriately screwed down and water tight. Giving it a few more tries, I decided to test it, thinking I tightened it all the way with just bare fingers at first but was proven wrong when I tried to keep going with something that gave me a better grip … The crown turned another quarter turn, so even though I had thought it was completely screwed down, it wasn’t. And that’s just not practical everything you want to use the crown to change the date or adjust the time. Didn’t want to make the mistake of leaving the crown loose by thinking it’s tight then get it in water and there goes the watch.! Bear in mind, I’m not trying to over-tighten it with some sort of gorilla grip or anything – there is a delicate rubber gasket in there after all; I just wanted to get it securely screwed down until it meets the end of the threads on the crown stem. I’m really surprised that Orient didn’t do some more R&D before releasing this model and making the crown a bit larger and grippier so you can actually get it screwed down properly with just your fingers
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2nd
Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Promaster
[tabby title=”5 stars”]
Have you ever had something that worked so well, that you loved so much, that you bought a spare in case something happened to the first one? This is exactly what happened when I purchased and wore Citizen’s Eco-Drive Promaster Diver. I don’t expect anything to happen to the first one I bought, (wit
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“th a black dial) it’s practically indestructible, but when I saw the same watch that I fell in love with came in a beautiful blue color… I was sold.
Adventure awaits you each day when you strap the Promaster on your wrist. With an ISO-certified 200 meter water resistance, this Citizen can handle whatever you throw at it. While most of these watches will probably never see water outside of the sink or an occasional trip to the swimming pool, I have proudly worn the Citizen Promaster Diver fresh water SCUBA diving, snorkeling, and while swimming in lakes. The screw-down crown and well build stainless steel case make this watch more waterproof and shockproof than I would ever need, and that’s a beautiful thing.
The dark blue dial on the watch is a flat color, not distracting from the beautiful indices. The shiny dark blue aluminum 60 click uni-directional bezel is attractive, and doesn’t have any play or wiggling back and forth. The blues on the bezel and on the dial are different, but complement each other. I think this is a good touch, as it gives the watch some depth. The hour indices are lumed, and outlined with a shiny silver boarder. The syringe style hour hand is outlined in an attractive silver metal, and the arrow style minute hand is outlined in dark orange, allowing you to immediately distinguish the difference, and quickly tell the time. The all while second hand is thin, and unobtrusive as it dances around the dial. The date window is framed in white, and is located at the 4 o’clock position, perfectly aligned with the crown, which pleases my eye.
Speaking of the crown, this was the first watch I owned that has the crown at the 4 o’clock position rather than at the 3 o’clock, and I must admit, I am a big fan. I spend more time than I care to admit tripping over things. Stairs, rocks on trails, cleats on boat docks, children’s toys on the floor where I least expect them…my hands and wrists stop me from hitting the ground at least once a day. When I wear a watch with the crown at 3:00, I am often rewarded with pain when that crown jabs into the back of my hand. I simply don’t have that problem with the crown placed at 4:00!
The strap that comes with the watch is fine, and works well for diving. Many people will not see a need to change straps, but the neutral design of the watch makes it a strap monster, meaning that it looks good with whatever you put on it. I am a big fan of NATO style nylon straps, and rotate through different colors depending on my outfit or my mood.
This watch is extremely accurate. I own several watches with Citizen’s Eco-Drive movement, and there are several reasons that I keep coming back for more. This watch is as accurate as any quartz watch I have ever owned. I reset my watches when Daylight Savings Time comes and goes, and this watch is never off more than a few seconds from when I set it six months before. Unlike most other quartz watches, the Eco-Drive movement is solar powered, and does an amazing job. With this watch, you don’t have to worry about changing batteries every year or two. Wearing this watch outside for one day a week is enough to keep it “charged” up and ready to go. If you store the watch on top of a dresser where it gets some sunlight, you won’t ever have to worry about the power reserve. If you are like me and wear watches on rotation, this Eco-Drive powered watch will work for you. On a full charge, you can store the watch in a dark drawer for more than 6 months without it missing a beat. Simply wear it in the sun for a few days or leave it under a lamp to charge back up.
The lume on the Citizen Promaster Diver is impressive. When “charged” with a bright light (like the light on my phone) it will glow intensely for about five minutes, then fade to a level where you can read the time in darkened for about six hours.
I love this watch, it and its black dial brother are on my wrist at least four days a week. If you are looking for an affordable watch that will work flawlessly wherever life’s adventures may take you…look no further. This is the watch for you.
19 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”4 stars”]
“Pros:
– Great styling (I have the blue model)
– Legibility
– Wears well on wrist
– ISO Certified Diver’s 200m
Cons:
– Polyurethane strap is a bit stiff (but not uncomfortable)
– Mineral Crystal and aluminum bezel insert means watch can get scratched up easily if you are not careful
– You have to gr”
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“rip the bezel directly on the ridges, which are spaced out around the bezel, in order to turn it
For full disclosure I am a “”desk diver,”” meaning I sit at a desk all day vocationally and will probably never take this watch scuba diving, so I cannot review its use as a dive watch. However, as an everyday watch I am very pleased, it looks good, is comfortable to wear and has decent lume, plus being a Citizen Eco-Drive you won’t have any batteries to replace. If the 44 mm case diameter scares you consider this, the watch is only 12 mm thick, has a short lug to lug size and the way that the bezel is designed to slope inward makes the watch look and wear a lot smaller on wrist. I have smaller watches that have a much bigger wrist presence. So bottom line, if you are in the market for a budget friendly solar powered dive watch of decent quality you cannot go wrong with the Citizen Promaster.
8 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”3 stars”]
“I purchased three of these watches; two blue ones and a black one. Here are my thoughts:
The first one I purchased was the blue model. It appeared very well made, came in a nice presentation box and felt solid (the watch itself, not the strap). The bezel had no play, the lume was equal or slightly “
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” better than my Seiko SKX007J and the accuracy was good (ran 4 seconds fast per month). I switched out the strap for a stainless steel Strapcode Engineer. The blue dial is somewhat dull, bordering on a navy blue; not as deep blue as the bezel. Kind of like a dark greyish blue. Overall, I liked this watch. Several months later I saw it on sale and purchased another blue dial model as a backup.
Fast forward a couple of years and I decided to buy the black dial version. This time I was not impressed. Looks like I got someone’s return (typical of Amazon lately). The bezel made a clicking sound when tapped on as if it were not pressed in properly (remember, I own two other of these same watches, so I know what they are supposed to feel like). The strap pins were also making a clicking sound and the dial was not a deep black color as pictured. It was more like an off black, really dark gray. Returned it as I don’t appreciate purchasing a new item and getting someone’s return instead.
While I would have given this watch a five star rating, in all fairness I can’t based on the fact that one out of three watches was not as well made (in my specific case). This means that there is a quality control issue.
If you are lucky to get a good copy, then you have every reason to celebrate. If you receive a bad copy, you won’t be happy.
Would I buy it again (at least a black dial version)? Probably, if I get one that is as well built as the two blue ones I own.
3 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”2 stars”]
“No warranty information card like with other Citizen watches I have gotten.
Different watch case than what was shown on web page.
No paper manual like I have received with other citizen watches I have bought; one through Amazon and one through Citizen web site.
Therefore skeptical.
2 people fou”
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und this helpful
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[tabby title=”1 star”]
Mine arrived with the second hand falling in between the minute marks. But the worst thing about this watch is the bezel marking. It’s just printed or painted onto a thin ring which is probably just glued on to the bezel wheel. This painted bezel marking ring is what will touch the surfaces being th
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“he highest point of the watch face, so the paint will scratch off. On a Casio made like this the bezel marking ring also popped off from the bezel as well. Even worse, in some quarter the glass is even with this ring, so the glass too will scratch. Good design calls for a slightly recessed glass to protect it from scratch just from being set face down.
Compare this to the Seiko Solar Divers. The bezel marking is edged onto the solid machined stainless wheel with deep finger width detents so your fingers can grab it with the diving glove on. It is also just a touch higher than the glass so the glass is not the highest point of the watch face and the watch does not rest face down on its glass surface. The dial of the Seiko has big 12, 6, 9 o’clock and smaller hour marks in between making it very easy to decipher at a glance or under duress from off square angle (anything can happen during diving, it’s not a natural human environment). The Citizen’s hour markings are excessively large and nearly the same size as the quarter hour markings making for a very crowded dial which is harder to decipher at a glance in different orientations. The huge hands add to the crowdedness and are also too similar making them harder to tell apart even if they are painted different colors, these don’t really stand out in dimmer lights. The date window is tiny, the same size of other hour marks, the number is deep down and shadowed by the pit, reading it requires head on examination. On the Seiko the date is huge and visible, you also have the day of the week. This takes up most of the right half in line with the 3 o’clock, allowing for instant recognition of the orientation of the watch. On the Citizen the date window is the 4 o’clock mark? My Seiko Solar has an orange dial, the whole thing is extremely visible, legible, the central essence and raison d’etre of a divers’ watch. Try this test, set the Seiko and the Citizen down randomly on a table and walk past them quickly with just a glance. Then think of the time you just saw on the dial. And by the way, the Seiko’s second hand falls on the minute marks or just off, never in between.
17 people found this helpful”
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3rd
Bulova Mens Precisionist
[tabby title=”5 stars”]
I had this watch on my Wish List for over a year. Not that I was hesitant in purchasing it, as I love watches, but rather time and distance did not allow for the opportunity. I finally took the plunge prior to a State side visit in November. I figured this would be the perfect watch to complement Au
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“utumn colors. I was not disappointed. The watch arrived on time, in mint condition, without a hitch. I’ll spare everybody the details of the packaging and such, as detailing the Bulova experience could go on for hours……in a positive manner. The true watch lover will surely appreciate it.
The watch was everything I expected, and more. This is a watch that paired with jeans and a collared shirt comes across as very classy. I used it for presenting a slightly more upscale casual appearance, and it assisted perfectly. I can see why it would work great in dressier situations as well, but may be a bit much for a simple t-shirt and around the house wear. But, this also depends on individual style. Without going out of my way to flash it, I was constantly complemented on it’s appearance, and several friends of mine who are life long watch enthusiasts quoted prices far above the price that I paid. Satisfied with the immediate reaction to this timepiece, I immediately purchased his brother, the Bulova 96B257, that of the blue face and black band. I was equally satisfied from purchase, to delivery, to adding another beautiful item to my collection. Yes, I am now on the hunt for other variations and color combinations of the Bulova Men’s Precisionist Strap Watch, to purchase as time allows, hopefully soon. I can not comment on the Water Resistance quality yet, as I do not shower or enter water with a watch on, nor would I, especially those with a leather band. Again, to each their own. I did wear it during several rainfalls and snowfalls, and there has been no problem with fogging of any type. All in all, I highly recommend this product, and couldn’t be happier.
8 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”4 stars”]
Obviously there can be (and is) much debate about what makes a great watch, and much of it is very personal. I don’t think anyone can argue the merits of Swiss quality, nor can anyone disparage what Japanese brands are doing (or offerings from other countries, for that matter – a lot of wonderful wa
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“atches in the world today, micro brands included), so, often, it comes down to just finding the watch that is wanted that serves the desired purpose.
In this case, my brother was looking for this style, a blue-faced, simple and classic design that would serve as a decent dress watch for an office environment. He did not want anything super high end, but does like the “”sweep”” movement of mechanicals, and this quartz “”Precisionist”” movement, nicely packaged in a blue and silver design, definitely filled the bill, and I gave this watch as a gift to him. It is a fine example of what brands like Bulova do well in their innovations, in this instance, providing a mechanical “”look”” to the movement in a very reliable and accurate quartz package meaning that (as is often the case in Japanese over Swiss brands) you get a decent amount of watch for the asking price — or certainly the current asking price here, which is about half the $300 plus of the full retail cost of this model.
At just over $150, it’s a pretty incredible deal, although, as I’ve noted in another Bulova model review, it would be nice if Bulova would step up their product line somewhat and offer sapphire crystals and better straps, for the retail cost they want. As it happens, my brother damaged the mineral crystal the first day he wore the watch, knocking the watch face accidentally against a rough surface that gouged a deep scratch in it. On showing me the damage, I told him I’d get it fixed, and I took it to a jeweler where, for about thirty bucks, I had the damaged mineral crystal replaced with a sapphire one. The watch looks far nicer (and is more immune to damage) now, and it seems frustrating that Bulova won’t go the extra mile, add a few bucks on the price, and provide the quality that sapphire brings. Plus, for the asking retail of more than three hundred dollars, one certainly finds options with sapphire, standard, in other brands, so, if wanting to be considered as competing with more pricey competitors, the brand should deliver on what can be found for the price point they are asking. Otherwise, it is easy to dismiss Bulova and go for better options at the same cost.
Outside of the crystal issue and the less than stellar strap, the rest of the watch is done very well, and delivers a real elegance, the watch made rich with subtle details like the beveling on the bezel, the mix of polished and satin finishes, the open design of the hands, different texturing within the dial, etc. This is where it seems odd to me that Bulova won’t go further — to put so much into what they do provide, but not upgrade the crystal or invest more in the strap just seems a confusing choice. But, what they do provide here is beautiful, particularly the chosen hue of the blue dial, which is one of the better blue dials I’ve seen on a dressier watch.
Refinement is further achieved with the faceted silver main hour markers, used rather than numerals. Detailing is again shown in the white seconds indices around the outer dial, the silver center ring, and the silver outlined date box. The whole face is highly legible, including the date (black numerals on a white background) and the 100m water resistance is appreciated (not that this is a watch for water play, but the rating supersedes the often only 30m or 50m on many dress watches, just adding a level of confidence for wearing conditions).
Honestly, at the Amazon price here of $170 or so, one would be hard pressed to find a watch so nice, especially considering the benefit of the Ultra High Frequency quartz movement which provides incredible accuracy. And, for only a few more bucks, on arrival, you can make it sapphire, and you can always switch out the strap as well, although that definitely pushes the cost over $200. Still good, for what you’re getting. However, I’d be looking at other options at the full retail price, since it’s just a lot of price to ask for a cheap mineral crystal and not so special strap.
My brother, by the way, loves it, so it certainly was a hit, and much more so now that the crystal is upgraded (he was shocked at how slight the impact was, given the amount of damaged caused to the mineral one). So, as a gift to give, or as a watch to add to your own collection if you are a Precisionist fan, this is a good choice, hence the four stars. The missing star is just for the deficits I mentioned (crystal and strap) and it remains my hope that Bulova, with all of their wonderful innovations, will improve on those elements in the future. If this came with sapphire and a better band, I’d have gladly purchased it even at full retail, so it just seems Bulova is short-changing themselves by not upping their game a bit more.
Definitely do recommend this watch, but also recommend planning on, at minimum, a crystal upgrade for increased durability and improving the overall look of the watch quite a bit. My brother is fine with the strap, but one might consider upgrading that as well, to a superior leather, and perhaps even a deployment clasp.
Thanks for reading, and I hope this was helpful.
15 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”3 stars”]
I’ve only had the watch for 24 hours so I’ll probably write an update after I wear it more. Initially, it seems ‘ok’. The watch is nice looking but I could have used a bit less polished surfaces and more brushed, especially on the sides. The band is not a high quality leather and feels cheap. I’m no
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“ot a fan of the crocodile pattern and was planning on switching it out anyway but I didn’t buy this for the strap. The sweeping second hand is fantastic and I love the Precisionist movement. This is my first Bulova and the quality seems very good.
The two biggest issues I have so far: 1) The lume is terrible! There is just a drop on each of the hands and even less on the hour markers. Exposing it to a bright flashlight for 15 seconds almost doesn’t do anything. Either use a better formula or don’t bother. 2) The hands are skeleton with the aforementioned ‘lume’ on the tips but they are REALLY hard to tell the time in low light as they almost disappear. I knew they had that look when purchasing so I’ll see if it’s a deal breaker over the next few days or if I need to return it. I don’t want to have to look at the face for several seconds just to locate the hand positions. That could be a personal preference but telling the time easily is as important as the styling. I have seen another model that has a black face and the hands are solid but I really wanted the blue face so time will tell.
6 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”2 stars”]
This watch was a birthday “gift” to myself replacing a similar Seiko watch that had lasted for 30 years. Great watch for business wear and good value for the money until it failed two months out of warranty. Original battery, supposed to be good for about five years, failed at three years and six we
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“eeks. When jeweler put in a new battery, nothing happened. Watch was not abused and worn in office environment. I called Bulova who said send it in and they’d see what they can do. For now I am wearing a $30 Timex I got at Target. Takes a licking and keeps on ticking as they say.
UPDATE: Lesson – persistence pays. After shipping the watch to Bulova, based on a telephone call that the watch would be covered under warranty, I got an email a few weeks later with an invoice for $106 for “”repairs.”” I called Bulova and after some polite back and forth, and a check with a manager, I got a second email that the warranty would be honored after all. I don’t have the watch back yet so we’re going to have to see what condition it is in when I get it. Stay tuned. And yes, the Timex is still ticking.
UPDATE 2: Bulova honored the warranty. After agreeing to fix the watch under warranty, it had basically bricked itself electronically, the firm returned the watch a few weeks later and it has run just fine. BTW: I still have the Timex.
29 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”1 star”]
My Precisionist watch failed 3 1/2 years after purchase. I had worn it only on special occasions, fewer than 3 months over those years. When it failed, I assumed it was the battery and took it to a reputable local professional jeweler for a replacement battery. The jeweler said the battery was not t
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“the problem. I sent it to Bulova authorized service, which quoted a repair cost that is 144% more than I paid for the watch and $8 more than I can buy it new on Amazon today. The service wanted to replace the mechanism, replace the three hands because they were “”faded”” and said that the watch was missing an “”insulator”” sheet, which was described as a “”non-spare part”” that could not be replaced by itself, presumably because it was part of the mechanism. The service also said the back was loose, implying the local jeweler had disturbed the watch, but it was screwed on tight when I sent it to them. I wrote to the service and asked about the fading of the hands (the watch looked new to me), and how the missing insulation sheet could be anything but a manufacturing defect if it was a “”non-spare part.”” I also asked what warranty would be available on these repairs. The written reply TOTALLY ignored my question about the faded hands, the warranty and the insulator sheet. It said only “”we view signs of tampering.”” My experience tells me that Bulova is all about design but what is inside is shoddy. Bulova is owned and manufactured by Seiko, and although I had great Seiko watches purchased 30+ years ago (and still have one purchased in the 1980s working fine), the last two watches (a men’s and a woman’s model) that I purchased from Seiko failed within several years and we decided to never buy the brand again. Now that is also true of Bulova. They are throwaway products. I think the disreputable service says a great deal about the manufacturer.
6 people found this helpful”
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4th
Orient Men’s ‘2nd Gen
[tabby title=”5 stars”]
If you are looking for an entry level automatic with great looks and accuracy, THIS is your watch. Look no further. I own quite a few higher end watches but seem to always go back to this one as my daily wear.
[tabby title=”4 stars”]
very attractive, classy, somewhat retro watch. all my watches before this one have been pilot chronos, and i wanted something a little less cluttered and more refined for the occasions i need something a bit dressy. this watch fits the bill perfectly. for those worried about the size, be aware that
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” it ‘wears’ MUCH smaller than the 40mm case diameter would suggest. im not sure why, but it looks positively TINY, and i didnt believe it was actually 40mm until i placed it directly on top of one of my other 40mm watches. even side by side, it looks much smaller.
speaking of size… if your wrist is even a little bit larger than average, get ready to buy a new band (which you might want to do anyway, this is not a great band, unfortunately)… my wrist is SLIGHTLY larger than average, but this is the first time i have ever had a watch band that BARELY fits. it is uncomfortable even on the last hole in the band… all my other watches, ive needed to take links out, or wear them somewhere in the middle holes, so this band seems inordinately small to me. i have a barton leather strap with rose gold hardware to match the watch on order to replace it.
4 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”3 stars”]
This is my first Orient. Read a million positive reviews of these things, but I’m a little underwhelmed. The watch is completely adequate, it’s just nothing special. When I hold it in my hand I don’t feel like I got an especially good deal for $130, which isn’t saying much, considering how reasonabl
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“le this is for a watch. It says it’s Stainless Steel, but feels like plated brass. The winding action on the crown isn’t particularly satisfying, but it pulls out and adjusts just fine. Mine was +16 secs out of the box, and easily adjusted to +2, which is quite good for a watch this price. But, overall, reminds me of a Russian watch half it’s price, certainly a notch or two below as a Seiko or even say an Invicta Pro Diver (Seiko movement).
So, if you’re curious and find it attractive, I can’t really fault it for the money–it’s just nothing special.”
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[tabby title=”2 stars”]
After watching so many positive video reviews on YouTube, and reading glowing reviews from Watch blogs, I thought I was definitely going to love this watch. However, I personally think that the dial is way too big for a dress watch. I bought it in the white variant and there is also a green tinge on
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“n the dial. The domed mineral crystal feels really cheap and the band that comes with it is terrible! I do think the brushing and polishing looks good but otherwise, I personally would not recommend this watch. For a little bit more money, you could get the Tissot Le Locle and I think that watch is night and day compared to this watch.
22 people found this helpful”
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[tabby title=”1 star”]
I relied on the product description when purchasing this watch and unfortunately the band is not 9 inches long. I have an 8 inch in circumference wrist so at a minimum a 9 inch band works for me. I was disappointed to see that the band that came with was only 8 inches which on an 8 inch wrist is not
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“t long enough to buckle. Oddly enough there was no plastic protecting the dial but there was plastic over the rear case. This leads me to believe I perhaps got a used watch as well. The outer box it came in was dirty and sticky to the touch which leaves the presentation as less than desirable if you were to give this as a gift I was really attracted to the dial on this watch but again, the band size listed in the specs is not correct and mine came in a dirty box with no plastic protecting the dial. I am disappointed to say the least.
4 people found this helpful”
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The Independent Reviewer 