Win it: The Orient Sun and Moon Automatic

Orient Sun and Moon – $276.50 w/ Dappered30 ($395)

Code gets you the 30% off price, plus Orient’s freebie package (including a free watch that Orient has set aside). There are more than a few 30% off codes floating out there, and the freebie watch selection might vary depending on the code. So, might want to try a couple to see what pops up.

In the last year or so, Orient seems to have shifted their new-model focus from sport and casual options, to developing and releasing more dressed up watches that posses elements of classic horology. Think: The rectangular case Producer. The vintage look Bambino. And their latest addition, the Sun and Moon collection, uses an AM/PM indicator that looks like it was pulled off an antique grandfather clock.

BUT… this is not a moon-phase watch. Looking at the dial won’t give you any indication as to whether the moon is full, new, a waxing gibbous or a waning crescent. And even though moon phase watches are pretty darn impressive, an AM/PM indicator is probably much more useful for most.

 Lunch time? Late night snack? The sun means it’s time to get your mitts in that brown bag.

If you’re the type who has a watch collection, but doesn’t have your timepieces on winders, chances are your automatics/mechanicals run out of power every so often. Or, they run out of power a lot. Which means you’re resetting them often. And knowing whether they stopped running in the morning, or in the evening, can be a nice bit of info to have when you’re getting them up and going. It’s also a bit of a safety feature for the movement, since changing the date at the crown late at night or very early in the morning can wreak havoc on the guts of many automatic or mechanical watches. There’s just a lot going on as the date starts to switch over, and if you force it, you could cause the space time continuum to rupture, opening a wormhole under your feet, which would then divide your existence by zero.

Not your normal dial. Lots going on, and the logo at 6 o’clock is unusual.

The Sun and Moon’s looks are busy. Very, very, busy. And unlike the equally busy Orient Explorer, the placement of the sub dials, logo, and date window on the Sun and Moon are much more asymmetrical. Some are going to like that look. Has a bit of an artsy feel. Others are going to think it looks cluttered & chaotic. Especially with the Roman Numerals on the black & white dial versions, whereas the champagne dial options have more balanced looking, plain indices.

They certainly didn’t skimp on the texture.

The crystal is sapphire but it could benefit from some anti-reflective coating. This thing kicks off a lot of glare. And in bright sun, it can be a little difficult to read. Water resistance is just 50m, but this is a dress watch through and through. Case diameter is 42.50 mm, and wears a little bit larger because of the 14.1mm thicker-than-usual case. Still, very sleek looking, especially with a charcoal suit & white shirt. Exhibition caseback. Deployant clasp. And like many Orient Watches, it doesn’t hack or hand-wind at the crown.

Some will welcome the unusual, almost odd looking organization of the dial. Others will applaud Orient putting a Sun and Moon AM/PM indicator on one of their newest collections, yet wish they would have gone with a simpler overall design.

Enter here to win the Orient Sun & Moon seen in the post above. One entry per person. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm ET 12/17/14. Thanks to Orient for providing one of their newest models.

UPDATE: Congrats to C. Schwab who won the drawing for the Sun & Moon! As always, thanks to Orient for providing the watch for review and giveaway.