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Win it: The Orient Explorer Automatic

By | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here's why.

Orient Explorer Automatic White/Silver Dial Dual Time – $500.50*

You can use the 30% off code Dappered30 to get this 30% off price, plus Orient’s freebie package. There are more than a few 30% off codes floating out there, but that seems to be where they top out.

Despite the fact that classic watches lean more simple and plain, the Orient Explorer Automatic line still looks old. In a good way. Not in some dusty/crusty way, but instead like some sort of complicated vintage instrument that an early 20th-century mogul of industry would have worn on his wrist.

Orient Explorer Silver DialComplicated, busy, and extremely wearable.

With all the dials, numbers, and assorted gadgets, it’s craps-table busy. But just like craps, it’s actually pretty simple once you get used to looking at it.

Powered by an in-house Orient automatic movement, the Explorer is able to track time in two separate time zones. Instead of an extra GMT hand, there’s a 24-hour cut-out window between 8:30 and 10:30. The subdial at noon is the power reserve (always handy to have a gas gauge on an automatic). The subdial at six is the date indicator. A slide-rule rings the outside and is operated by the crown at four.

Orient Auto dial textureNot a stark, flat-white face, but instead light silver with some texture

And that’s “it”. A lot going on at first glance, and plenty for the movement to do, but it’s really quite easy to tell the time, date, and how much power is left in reserve at a quick glance.

44.5 mm in diameter but it wears a bit smaller. It’s really a dress watch, despite the complicated look, and it goes extremely well with suits of all kinds. Available in a black dial or the silver/white dial seen here. The silver/white is really, truly silver (instead of a paper-printer white) but it’s an extremely light silver or grey. The texture to that silver is a welcome nice touch and gives the face some depth.

Orient Explorer Dial LargeDual time to the left, power reserve up top, date down below.

Hackable, has a nicely domed caseback with an exhibition window, and the crystal is sapphire. One drawback though… you can’t wind it by hand via the crown. A small price to pay for a watch that’ll otherwise draw some discreet stares and probably a question or two. The Orient Mako might be their flagship, but the Explorer is the sleek black luxury ride that gets taken out on the real special nights.

Enter here to win this Orient Explorer Silver Dial. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET 4/2/14. Thanks once again to Orient for providing the watch. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congrats to Chris L. who won the random drawing for the Orient Explorer seen above. Thanks once again to Orient providing the fantastic watch!

Comments

  1. Have owned (2) orient watches in the past. On both, the chronograph hand became dislocated after under 2 months of wear on each. I would avoid this brand, in my opinion. Stick with a Japanese brand with a more proven reputation (Seiko, Citizen, etc)

  3. Interesting, I didn’t know that. For whatever reason, I’ve not had problems with Seiko, but since I had two of these Orients with problems, I’m just letting other budget conscious people know….

  7. “…but the Explorer is the sleek black luxury ride that gets taken out on the real special nights”. Couldn’t agree more. This is exactly how I use mine. Orient Flight as a daily beater, Explorer for a nice night out, 60th anniversary for a wedding/fancy schmancy party. Done.

  9. I’ve owned the black dial Orient Explorer for around three years. Haven’t had any kind of problem with it.

    While I don’t doubt your experience, I think it’s good to remember that just because you had it, doesn’t mean everyone else is having it. It stinks for sure. Two in a row is bizarre, and I’d be beyond unhappy too, but the lion-share of feedback on Orient is positive.

  17. Part of me thinks this is sharp as hell, the other part thinks I’m looking at the drive core from the movie Event Horizon.

    I think I can live with that.

  18. dumb question, but if you can’t wind it by hand, does that mean it’s self winding, or is there something I’m missing?

  19. Not dumb at all. It’s sorta confusing with the wording. It is self winding.

    Lots of self-winding movements also come with a crown that allows you to wind the watch by turning said crown. This one doesn’t have that feature. You can get it up and going again pretty quickly though by holding it between your thumb and index finger and gently flicking your wrist back and forth

  20. I very much want this watch. This watch looks sharp and is sleek as all get out. When I’ll wear this watch, I suspect I’ll look at it often because of how sharp and sleek it looks. When I’ll wear this watch, I suspect I’ll use my cell phone to precisely determine the time.

    I think I can live with that too.

  21. Nice watch. Don’t have a leather watch so this one will do just fine. Thank you.

  22. That’s what I figured. my 2 Bulova automatics are both self winding, and neither has the crown winding option. I didn’t even know that was a thing.

  23. Oh man. I’ve liked some of the other watches you’ve given away, but this one is a step above. Beautiful.

  24. No, it isn’t. Orient is owned by Seiko Epson, better known as Epson. Seiko Watch Co is owned by Seiko Holdings. Other than the name and some common shareholders, Seiko Holdings is not related to Seiko Epson. Orient and Seiko are two entirely distinct watchmakers.

  27. Lovely watch. I have had my Bambino for maybe 18 months and it is in my regular rotation. Like 2-3 times a week. Maratac is the other. No problems with either. Orient has a very solid rep, I think.

  29. The cream dial with blue hands is notably absent.

    I still kick myself for delaying buying that when Orient still had it…

  30. Except that Seiko Group includes both Seiko Holdings Corp. and Seiko Epson Corp.

  31. SInce I’m new here, thought I’d post a pic to show the proof. Note the chrono position – no matter how many times I start/stop/reset the chrono it wont return to 12 o clock. Anyone else own this watch?

  33. Directly from Orient USA. CTT00002D is the model number according to my emailed receipt. Granted, I got this with a 50% off code and paid $72 total for it, but still, this was an entry level piece to test the quality before buying a more expensive one… I think for me, Tissot and Citizen is where im going to put my money. Oh and Hamilton if I get that bonus share this year =)

  34. I’d contact them directly. I was under the impression that the chrono hand itself had fallen off and was rattling around inside the case. It might be a switch issue with the chrono button. Yeah, a problem for sure, but there are problems with everything (no one is totally perfect). I don’t know if this model can really be compared to the explorer. That said, that stinks it’s stuck.

  35. Per Wikipedia:

    Seiko Group (セイコー・グループ Seikō Gurūpu?) is a Japanese corporate group consisting of three core companies Seiko Holdings Corp. (Seiko), Seiko Instruments Inc. (SII) and Seiko Epson Corp (Epson). They were independent companies linked together by the common thread of timepiece technology. Although they have some common shareholders including the key members of the Hattori family, the three companies in the Seiko Group are not affiliated. They are managed and operated completely independently. Epson has established its own brand image and rarely uses “Seiko.”