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Affordable Men's Style

Orient Watch 50% Off Code & Giveaway

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The 12 Months of Orient: The Explorer Automatic – $325 w/ DapperedJune ($650)

The Orient Watch Company has a dedicated following for good reason.  They’re the only watchmaker whose foundation is a wide range of incredible looking affordable automatics, & now they’ve partnered up with us to give away a different watch for each of the next 12 months.  Every month we’ll review and give away a different featured watch, plus you’ll also get a new promo code good for 50% off ANY watch at OrientWatchUSA.com for that month.

Click for the up close

Busy but equally as elegant.  If you’re the type that actually enjoys the look of the all but blank dial Movado Museum, then all the numbers, hash marks, & hands on the Orient Explorer will likely send you into convulsions.

But just as mixing patterns can be done right, the Orient design team has figured out how to keep all the different pieces and parts balanced on the dial, and the result is one slick sport inspired dress watch.

Starting at the outside and working our way in, you’re looking at:

  • A slide rule (yes, a slide rule) which rotates via the lower crown,
  • A stationary white inner ring
  • A white 2nd time zone 24-hr indicator between 8:30 and 10:30
  • The power reserve indicator at 12 & the lower dial is the date.

The 43mm diameter case doesn’t look over-sized or bulky and it feels comfortable on your wrist.  Also available with a black leather band or a stand out white dial.  Dressed up for sure but not crusty or too traditional in the least.  It’s a hell of a good looking watch for an active professional.

Flat out-of-reach for many at the full price of $650, but at half off with the code DapperedJune it’s accessible for most at the high end.  And it looks every bit of the high end part too.

Here’s how to win the brown band Explorer seen here:  Send an email to contests@dappered.com with the subject: Orient June.  One entry per person.  Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET on 6/2/11

UPDATE: Congrats to Matt M. who won the Explorer.  One down, eleven to go!
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Comments

  4. “the only watchmaker to offer a wide range of incredible looking affordable automatics” – what a plug, give me a break.  10min on the web or even Amazon and any bozo can find tons of better choices.  On a whim I recently picked up an auto Tissot w/Saphire (not mineral) on both sides for less with no “promo code”.   

  5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_R-G_i4Xk  Auto Tissot?  Where?  Tissot makes some great looking autos:  http://dappered.com/2011/04/style-debate-automatic-vs-quartz-watches-do-you-care/  But by far and away they’re more expensive than Orient watches.  In this Bozo’s experience, Orient has the most automatics style-wise for the least amount, by far.  Perhaps your definition of “affordable” is different.  It’s a sliding scale for sure.  But if you don’t want the watch, y’know, you don’t have to sign up, and if you think our opinions/reviews/etc are somehow tainted, you’re more than welcome to pick up that wet blanket of yours and move on to some other corner of the internet.

  6. Cough, Cough, Seiko 5 Series Cough Cough

    Don’t get me wrong, Orient is a nice watch (I just got a Mako today, and it is fantastic), but the Seiko 5 series has a metric crapton of nice looking automatics under 150 bucks. 

  7. Schmexy. A bit large for my dainty wrists, but I’m sure I’d pick up the pieces and move on with my life somehow….

  8. Very Impressive. Too much for a poor college guy like me, even on sale, but maybe when I get started on my career after graduation?

  9. Yup, true.  And we’ve featured them before.  Plenty:  http://dappered.com/2011/05/the-best-looking-seiko-5-series-ever/.  But Orient seems to have a wider variety of styles no?  Military, executive, diver’s (the Mako) in-between, weird looking modern stuff… Orient seems to really be all about automatics even though they has some quartz.  Seiko doesn’t really seem to push autos as their foundation, which Orient does.  They’re kinda under one business umbrella anyway aren’t they?

  10. Very nice looking, but I’d have to add about 50 pounds to my frame to make it proportional.

  11. Okay, changed the text to reflect the automatic “foundation.”  Still honestly believe that Orient has the widest variety of lookers with automatic movements, far and away.  Love the Seiko 5 commitment to price (even though I’m really not a big Auto honk, I thought you guys would just dig the giveaways) but a lot of the Seiko 5s are really plain to me.  Giving Orient their well deserved credit was all I was getting at.  Wiping hands on pants… moving on right?

  12. The pic makes it look monstrous but the measurement says 43mm (3mm more than my Invicta and probably 2mm more than my Blue Mako with that code if I cant control myself…).  Wrist pic please!

  13. http://orientwatchusa.com/cev0e001b

    !

    This is “the one.” Or it would be, if it were in stock. Perfect size, understated aesthetic, dark face, leather band, and with the coupon, a super reasonable price (~$90).

    Not as crazy about the in-stock blue version. Sigh. I might have to keep my eye on this one, to see if the brown ever comes back.

  16. Thanks for the promo, Joe. I was going to buy a Mako today from Amazon. I need a nice looking watch for a wedding I am going to next weekend. How fortuitous that you posted this. I got the Black Mako from the Orient website, and they sent my shipping confirmation within 20 minutes of placing the order.

  17. Didn’t mean to sound like a jerk.  I too like/seek smaller brands but the point is the 300 – 600 USD range is very wide with many choices.  Here are a few Tissots.  The first is a good example of auto double saphire for under 500.  There are also many Tissots under three if you quartz but you still get saphire.  And if your’re restricted to sub 600 budget you should always opt for saphire/quartz vs. mineral/auto IMO.  In other words dont trade a quality dial materail for a cheap auto movement with a mineral face.

    http://www.authenticwatches.com/tissot-le-locle-t41142333.html

    http://www.amazon.com/Tissot-Mens-T17152652-PRC-Watch/dp/B000KKO894/ref=sr_1_3?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1306958137&sr=1-3

    http://www.amazon.com/Tissot-T0394171605700-Black-Chronograph-Watch/dp/B002XISCX4/ref=sr_1_32?s=watches&ie=UTF8&qid=1306958191&sr=1-32

  18. Don’t get emotional bro its not a debate, the fact is you’re incorrect.  Check the link provided and tell me again how acquiring an auto double sapphire Tissot is “far and away they’re more expensive than Orient watches”. 
     
    http://www.authenticwatches.com/tissot-le-locle-t41142333.html
     
    This was in 30 sec of looking dude.  I guess your definition of “wet blanket” means I should just keep my mouth shut and let your misguided advice stand unchallenged.  I kindly suggest that if you can’t stomach being called out when you are wrong that you find forum that doesn’t allow for open feedback – like a diary for example.

  19. Orients usually run $100 – $300, not $300 – $600.  That’s where I think this disagreement stems from.  The one featured here is way above the usual price point.  Wanted to start the promotion off on a high note.  That Tissot you’ve linked to is pushing $500, and I, personally, won’t buy or suggest watches from sites that I don’t trust, and .  The other watches you linked to above aren’t sold direct or fulfilled by Amazon either.  It can get real hairy real quick there.  By all means, do a search for reviews of that seller.  Shouldn’t take you more than “30 sec of looking dude.”  Just not my cup of tea, the grey market.

    I can stomach being “called out” just fine.  But when the calling out is most certainly in the form of a wet blanket on a we don’t have to do this no one is paying us (really) to do this watch give away: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wet%20blanket then I reserve my right to defend my (bozo) self.

    I kindly suggest you contact me directly if you’d like to continue this discussion.

    – joe@dappered.com

  21. I never wear watches, let alone would ever spend any money on a clunky, outmoded piece of technology to affix to myself.  But, I would put that on in a heartbeat.  [begins looking for $325]

  22. I wish I could find a retailer that has this and other Orient, for that matter.  I’m just one of those folks that requires my sense of touch to be satisfied. *shrugs*

  24. A bit more than I’d want to spend for an Orient, although I think this brand is an excellent choice between $100-$200.  Beware that their MSRP is grossly inflated and no one sells at it.  Regardless, sent you some mail!

  27. My first automatic watch was an Orient Blue Mako, after reading Joe’s review on affordable automatics I loved the look and purchased it.I couldn’t stomach paying over $300 for a quartz watch.If Orient would put Sapphire instead of Mineral it would make the watch a little more attractive even for a higher price.Seiko 5’s and the Monsters are good .My next target is getting an orange and black monster and then thats as high I will ever go.Great blog Joe.

  28. There are several other Orient watches that I would choose before this one if I’m spending my own money, but it’s definitely a beautiful watch and I’d wear it all the time if I win.  More likely that I’ll use the 50% off code to pick one up in the near future.

  30. I am an Orient fan and would love to win this watch.  Email sent yesterday.  I own the Black Mako on rubber strap and like it a lot.  For the people who are doing the Seiko vs. Orient dance … Seiko owns a large portion if not the majority of Orient.  Orient USA  also runs awesome coupon codes all the time.  I want the M-Force diver when I can talk my wife into letting me spend the money.

  31. The basis of your entire argument seems to revolve around the crystal. Crystals are cheap and easy to replace. The real jewel of Orient watches is their incredibly accurate and reliable movements.

    The school of horology (horology.edu) declared parts of Orients’ movement superior to Swiss movement. (Specifically compared were the the Orient Caliber 46943 and the Swiss movement eta 2892.a2)

  32. Seiko does own Orient. Not sure about the original Orient Star. Some of their watches are quite exquisite (and expensive too).