Dappered

Affordable Men's Style

Win it: The New Orient Automatic “Curator”

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Orient Automatic Curator – $290.50 w/ summer2013 ($415)

The code also gets you the Orient “freebie” package, which includes a quartz watch of Orient’s choosing and a lanyard. Also know that Orient Watches are now available for purchase through Fred Meyer Jewelers, so you can now get an in person look with one of their watches before you buy.

Orient seems to have shifted in the direction of cleaner, more classic styles in the last year or so. And the success of their domed crystal  Bambino watch is proof that there’s a market for a less-is-more watch. This new “Curator” model follows in the Bambino’s minimalist footsteps, with two noticeable additions:

  1. A power reserve indicator
  2. An extra $100 or so tacked on to the cost.

These are dress watches, through and through. They don’t have that antique-looking domed crystal that the Bambino has, but the crystal here on the Curator is the tougher, scratch-resistant Sapphire.

Curator GreyCurrently available in a grey or white dial inside a stainless case.

According to the Orient website, the Curator and the Bambino are just about the same size (41mm listed for the Curator, 40.5mm for the Bambino). But the Curator seems to wear smaller than the Bambino. I was honestly surprised to see 41mm listed as the diameter, and was expecting 39 or 40. On an average sized wrist it’s nowhere near taking over. Almost looks like a vintage watch with that reduced size. And next to Orient’s 44.5mm Explorer, it starts to look like Dwyane Wade standing next to LeBron James.

Curator WhiteLooks like there might be some gold/rose gold/black dial options in the works.

But plenty are tired of the larger-watch trend, or just don’t have the wrists to accommodate 42mm+ timepieces. And that grey dial is something different without getting goofy. Then there’s the power reserve indicator, which is always nice, and the sapphire crystal.

But almost $110 more than the Bambino once you use a 30% off code? That’s asking a lot, especially when the Bambino… wait for it… already knocks it out of the park. (Hey-ooooo)

Enter here to win either the grey or white dial Curator seen above. Both watches are up for grabs, and two winners will be drawn at random. The first name to come out of the pile gets to pick either the grey or white. Winner #2 gets the watch winner #1 didn’t choose. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET 7/2/13. Thanks as always to Orient for providing the watches.

UPDATE: Congrats to the two winners of the random drawing… Damion S. who chose the white dial, and Nick L. who gets the grey dial. Thanks to all who entered!

Comments

  2. The grey Curator would become my under a suit daily driver. It’s gorgeous.

  5. Wow, those are two very attractive watches. While I found the Bambino to be pleasant looking, I wouldn’t put up the money to buy one. This one is a different story: it’s similar in styling to the Bambino, but it has a tiny bit more going on, which I really think makes the watch, imo. I am also pleased to see this comes with a sapphire crystal.

  7. I’d like to note that you do actually get a choice between 4 different men’s (or 5 women’s) free watches. I’m not really in the market for a new watch right now, but that’s a hell of a deal.

  8. Orient makes great timepieces, and almost anyone would be proud to wear one. The Curator would enter my rotation and would likely be worn more than once a week

  12. Yup. The idea is that if you don’t have to do *anything* to win it’s a lottery (or something) which makes it a pain to set up tax-wise. If, however, you have to answer a “skill-testing question,” then you can file the contest as a “skills competition,” instead of a random draw.

    Yes, it’s silly.

  13. I’d love to see the bezel and indices trimmed down a little in future iterations, but still a dang good looking pair of watches.

  18. Looks great, especially the grey! I’m more of a Citizen guy but this design looks nice as well.

  19. Oh snap…Oh snap….Oh snap!!!

    How do they keep doing this?? Such beautiful watches!!

  20. I wish they had a Bambino-like offering with roman numerals, I cant find an automatic with roman numerals in that price range

  21. My problem is I rcan’t get on board with any watch that strays to far away from the “Bambino’s Look”. Minimalist and simple. The rest look cluttered to me. I have one like the bambino can anyone make other recommendations?

  22. i would say… boomm… don’t look at my face… look at my watch.. white dial does it..

  23. Both of those watches are fantastic looking, but the white wins the day.

  24. Either watch would end my current search for an update. And I _need_ an update!

  25. I’m definitely on the grey train as well. I’d sleep in that thing… with socks still on, even.